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PA Enterprise
Now Christmas is over and the long dark winter Wild has some simple suggestions to stop that
months are here - a time that can be tough for happening. “If you’ve been worrying about a
many people even in normal times. But the problem for 30 minutes or more without coming
country’s leading mental health experts say up with a plan of action, or you’ve been going
there are things that many of us can do to give over questions with no answers, it’s time to stop”,
ourselves a lift. Here are some of their tips. she says.
The main thing is to shift your focus from worries
Get moving to practical problem-solving. So stop and ask
Getting outdoors for exercise can be difficult in yourself what steps you can take to address the
winter, but pretty much all experts agree that problem. It’s not easy, of course, to stop yourself
it’s a great way to boost your mood. “Our minds dwelling on problems. Some recommend
and bodies are completely inseparable”, says Dr physical activity to help yourself shift mental
Brendon Stubbs, of King’s College London. gears. In any case, it takes some training.
Exercise triggers the release of endorphins into It’s perfectly normal to worry, but many of our
the bloodstream, relieving pain and producing a worries never materialise. One study of patients
feeling of well-being. Research by Dr Stubbs has with anxiety found only around one in 10
also shown that exercise also increases electrical worries ever turn out to be real problems. One
activity in the emotional processing areas of the explanation is the way we have evolved. It has
brain, particularly the hippocampus and the pre- made us highly tuned to negativity and danger,
frontal cortex. as a defence against threats which led to death or
“It’s vital to keep active to improve your mental serious injury.
health and stimulate your brain including those Danger is “over-encoded in our brains”, says
areas”, he says. “If you don’t exercise, the activity Professor Wild. “You can make yourself feel much
drops.” That’s one of the reasons why a lack calmer if you recognise that you’re over-thinking,
of exercise increases your risk of anxiety and stop and focus on facts.”
depression.
Exercise can also boost the production of a Set a new target
protein, BDNF, or Brain Derived Neurotrophic “Setting a new goal or target, can really help pull
Factor, which is crucial for brain health. you through,” says Cardiff neuroscientist, Dr Dean
“You can think of it as a kind of brain fertiliser Burnett. That could be a big project like learning
- it helps parts of your brain regenerate,” says a language or something as small as trying out a
Dr Stubbs. Even short periods of exercise - just new recipe. If big ideas are too much, start small.
ten minutes - can help. “Anything that leaves The point is that if it’s outside your comfort zone,
you slightly out of breath, like a brisk walk, or and it’s pushing you forward, it gives you a focus
something like gardening, or a cycle ride, will do.” and a sense of control. For many people that’s
hugely helpful for their mental state. “Novelty is
Stop over-thinking fundamentally rewarding,” says Dr Burnett.
Adopting helpful habits to stop you over- “Learning to do new things is frequently how
thinking is one of the best things you can do, says we acquire self-worth”, he adds. “Goal-motivated
psychologist Professor Jennifer Wild of Oxford behaviour is one of the most fundamental ways
University. She calls it “getting out of your head.” that we operate.”
People often dwell on problems, going over and
over the same negative thoughts, and Professor Continued u
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