Hypnotherapy

Coping with Grief: A Solution Focused Approach to Healing After Loss

by

Losing someone you love can be one of life’s most challenging experiences. Whether the loss was recent or occurred many years ago, grief can affect every aspect of your life, including your emotions, physical health, relationships, sleep, concentration, and overall wellbeing.

As a Solution Focused Hypnotherapist, I often work with clients who feel overwhelmed by grief and are looking for a compassionate way to move forward while honouring the memory of their loved one.

If you are struggling with bereavement, it is important to know that there is no “right” way to grieve. Everyone’s journey is unique, and healing does not mean forgetting. It means learning how to carry your loss while continuing to live a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Understanding Grief

Grief is a natural response to loss. It is not an illness, weakness, or something that needs to be fixed. Rather, it is the mind and body’s way of adapting to a significant change.

People often experience a wide range of emotions during grief, including:

  • Sadness
  • Anger
  • Guilt
  • Anxiety
  • Loneliness
  • Relief
  • Numbness
  • Confusion

Alongside emotional symptoms, grief can also affect us physically through:

  • Fatigue
  • Poor sleep
  • Reduced concentration
  • Changes in appetite
  • Muscle tension
  • Low motivation

Many people worry that they are grieving “incorrectly” because their feelings change from day to day. In reality, grief is rarely a straight line. It often comes in waves, with some days feeling more manageable than others.

The Five Stages of Grief

You may have heard of the Five Stages of Grief developed by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. These stages can help us understand some common emotional responses to loss:

Denial

Initially, the loss may feel unreal or difficult to accept.

Anger

As reality begins to sink in, feelings of frustration or anger may arise.

Bargaining

Many people experience “if only” thoughts or wonder what they could have done differently.

Depression

Deep sadness and withdrawal can occur as the reality of the loss becomes more apparent.

Acceptance

Acceptance does not mean being happy about the loss. It means gradually learning to live alongside it.

It’s important to remember that not everyone experiences all of these stages, and they do not necessarily occur in order.

Why Grief Can Feel So Overwhelming

When we experience a significant loss, the brain naturally focuses on the pain, uncertainty, and emotional impact of what has happened.

This can activate our threat system, making us more likely to experience:

  • Anxiety
  • Overthinking
  • Poor sleep
  • Low mood
  • Feeling emotionally stuck

The brain is trying to protect us, but sometimes this protective response can make it harder to access our natural resilience and coping abilities.

A Solution Focused Approach to Grief

Many traditional approaches to grief focus heavily on revisiting painful experiences and analysing the past.

While acknowledging and validating the loss is important, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy takes a different approach.

Rather than becoming stuck in the pain of the loss, I gently help clients reconnect with their strengths, resources, and ability to cope.

This does not mean ignoring grief or pretending everything is okay.

Instead, it means recognising that alongside the pain, there are also signs of resilience, courage, love, and hope.

Together, we will explore questions such as:

What has helped you get through difficult days so far?
When have you coped slightly better?
What would tell you that you are beginning to heal?
What small signs of progress would you notice?

By focusing on what is already working, however small, clients often begin to feel more hopeful and empowered.

How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Can Help with Bereavement

During sessions, I provide a safe, supportive space where clients can process their feelings without judgement.

We combine solution focused conversations with relaxing hypnosis to help reduce stress and support emotional wellbeing.

Benefits may include:

Reduced Anxiety

Grief often creates uncertainty about the future. Hypnotherapy can help calm the nervous system and reduce feelings of overwhelm.

Better Sleep

Many bereaved individuals struggle with sleep disturbances. Deep relaxation can help improve sleep quality and allow the mind to rest.

Increased Emotional Resilience

Clients often discover that they are stronger and more resourceful than they initially believed.

Reconnecting with Positive Memories

Many people fear that healing means letting go of their loved one. In reality, healing often involves finding ways to cherish positive memories while continuing to move forward.

Restoring Hope

One of the most important aspects of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is helping clients reconnect with hope and possibility for the future.

Helpful Ways to Support Yourself During Grief

Alongside professional support, these strategies may help:

  • Be Gentle with Yourself
  • Grief takes energy. Allow yourself time and space to heal.
  • Maintain Simple Routines.  Even small routines can provide stability during difficult times.
  • Stay Connected
  • Reach out to trusted friends, family members, or support groups when you need connection.
  • Focus on Small Steps.  Healing rarely happens all at once. Small daily actions often create meaningful progress over time.
  • Notice What Is Going Well.  Even during grief, there may be moments of comfort, connection, gratitude, or peace. Paying attention to these moments can help strengthen resilience.

You Don’t Have to Face Grief Alone.

If you are struggling with bereavement, grief, or loss, support is available.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy offers a gentle, forward-looking approach that helps clients navigate grief while rebuilding confidence, resilience, and hope for the future.

The goal is not to forget the person you have lost. The goal is to help you carry their memory forward while continuing to live your life in a way that honours both your relationship and your own wellbeing.

If you would like to learn more about how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help with grief and bereavement, please get in touch. Together, we can work towards helping you feel calmer, stronger, and more able to cope with the challenges ahead.

Hypnotherapy for Habits and Addictions: Why Willpower Alone Isn’t Enough

by

Many people seeking help with addictions or unwanted habits believe they simply lack willpower. Whether the struggle is with alcohol, sugar, drugs, vaping, or other compulsive behaviours, the internal dialogue is often the same:

“I know this isn’t helping me… so why can’t I stop?”

The answer lies not in weakness, but in how the brain works. Habits are not controlled by logic alone — they are driven by the subconscious mind.

This is why a deeper, more effective approach is needed.

Habits Are Learned Coping Mechanisms

Every habit or addictive behaviour begins as a solution to a problem. At some point in your life, the behaviour helped you cope — perhaps with stress, emotional pain, anxiety, loneliness, or a difficult period.

Your brain is designed to protect you. When it finds something that appears to reduce discomfort or create relief, it stores that behaviour as useful. This learning is held in the subconscious mind, which runs automatic patterns and habits.

Even when the behaviour later becomes harmful, the subconscious remembers:

“This helped before — let’s repeat it.”

This is why habits can feel so powerful and automatic, even when the logical mind clearly understands the negative consequences.

The Conflict Between the Logical Mind and the Subconscious Mind

The conscious, logical part of the brain is responsible for reasoning, decision-making, and setting goals. This is the part that says:

“I need to stop drinking”

“Sugar is affecting my health”

“This habit is holding me back”

However, habits are not created in this part of the mind.

The subconscious operates through emotional memory and learned associations. If alcohol, sugar, or drugs were once linked to comfort, relief, or survival during stress or hardship, the subconscious continues to push for that behaviour — even when life circumstances have changed.

This creates an exhausting internal battle where motivation exists, but change feels difficult to sustain.

A Solution Focused Approach to Addiction and Habit Change

In my work, I use Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, which means we focus on where you want to be, rather than repeatedly analysing the past.

This approach helps you:

  • Identify your strengths and inner resources
  • Reduce focus on the problem itself
  • Build confidence and a sense of control
  • Move forward without judgement or shame

Rather than asking “Why am I like this?”, we ask:

“How do I want my life to feel?”

“What would be different without this habit?”

“What does my brain need to learn now?”

This future-focused mindset supports lasting change while keeping therapy practical and empowering.

Working With the Subconscious Blueprint

Because habits live in the subconscious, real change happens when we work at that level.

Using hypnotherapy, we can gently:

  • Challenge the belief that the habit is helpful or necessary
  • Update the subconscious “blueprint” formed during past stress or hardship
  • Reduce emotional triggers and cravings
  • Create new associations with calm, safety, and control
  • Help the brain recognise that the original problem has passed

When the subconscious no longer believes the habit is protecting you, the urge naturally weakens. Change feels calmer and more sustainable, rather than forced.

Why Hypnotherapy Can Be So Effective for Addictions

Hypnotherapy works with the part of the mind responsible for habits, automatic behaviours, and emotional responses. This is why many people find it helpful when willpower-based approaches haven’t worked long term.

Clients often report:

  • Feeling less triggered by old cues
  • A reduction in cravings or urges
  • Greater emotional balance
  • More confidence in their ability to cope without the habit
  • A sense of freedom rather than restriction

A Compassionate Path to Change

Addictions and habits are not personal failures — they are learned responses to life experiences. Once the brain understands that it no longer needs the old coping strategy, change becomes possible.

By combining a solution focused approach with subconscious work, hypnotherapy helps create change that feels natural, empowering, and lasting.

If you’re ready to move beyond willpower and work with your mind — not against it — support is available.

How Hypnotherapy Helps You Build Resilience and Cope Better With Life’s Challenges

by

Life will always bring challenges—stress at work, family demands, unexpected changes, or emotional setbacks. But what makes the biggest difference is how you cope. Resilience isn’t about being unaffected by difficulties—it’s about having the inner strength, flexibility, and mindset to move through them with clarity and confidence.

This is where hypnotherapy for resilience can be truly transformative.

Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy combines neuroscience, positive psychology, and the natural power of the subconscious mind. It doesn’t dwell on problems—instead, it helps you access the resources and strengths you already have so you can cope more effectively with life’s ups and downs.

What Does It Mean to Build Resilience?

Resilience is your ability to adapt, bounce back, and stay grounded when life gets tough. It includes:

Staying calm under pressure

Thinking clearly when overwhelmed

Trusting your own abilities

Recovering from setbacks

Maintaining emotional balance

Many people believe resilience is something you’re either born with or without. In reality, it is something you can develop, strengthen, and nurture—and hypnotherapy is an incredibly effective way to do this.

How Hypnotherapy Helps You Strengthen Emotional Resilience

1. Calms the Nervous System

Stress keeps the brain in a state of high alert. This makes it harder to think rationally, stay positive, or cope well.
Hypnotherapy guides you into a deeply relaxed state, reducing cortisol and allowing the mind and body to reset.
Clients often describe this as “finally being able to breathe again.”

2. Rewires Thought Patterns

When you feel overwhelmed or burnt out, the brain’s focus narrows onto problems. In trance, the subconscious becomes more open to positive change.
This allows you to shift from:
❌ catastrophising → ✔️ clearer thinking
❌ self-doubt → ✔️ self-belief
❌ overwhelm → ✔️ calm confidence

3. Builds Stronger Coping Skills

Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy helps you identify what’s working already and build on those strengths.
You begin to notice:

what helps you feel grounded

moments where you cope well

how to make small changes that create big shifts
These insights build confidence and emotional resilience over time.

4. Helps You Access Inner Resources

Many clients already have the tools they need—they just can’t access them when stressed.

Hypnotherapy helps unlock:

clarity

motivation

emotional stability

a sense of control

The result is a calmer, stronger version of you.

5. Reduces the Impact of Stress Trigger

By changing the way your subconscious responds to stress, hypnotherapy makes challenges feel manageable instead of overwhelming.

This helps you respond thoughtfully, rather than react emotionally.

Real-Life Benefits of Building Resilience Through Hypnotherapy

Clients often report that they:
✨ Feel calmer during difficult situations
✨ Bounce back quicker after stressful events
✨ Worry less and think more positively
✨ Sleep better
✨ Set healthier boundaries
✨ Feel more capable and confident in themselves

In short: they feel mentally stronger and more in control.

Who Is Hypnotherapy for Resilience Suitable For?

Hypnotherapy is ideal for anyone feeling:

overwhelmed

drained or fatigued

burnt out

anxious

emotionally exhausted

stuck in unhelpful patterns

It’s also powerful for people in high-pressure roles, carers, parents, students, and anyone who wants to strengthen their mindset.

Take the First Step Toward a More Resilient You

If you’re finding it hard to cope or you feel like stress is taking over, you don’t have to push through it alone.
Hypnotherapy can help you develop the mental strength and emotional balance you need to move forward confidently.

✨ Ready to feel calmer, stronger, and more resilient?

Book your consultation today and take the first step toward a healthier, more empowered version of yourself.

✨ Want support for overwhelm or burnout?

Get in touch to explore how hypnotherapy can help you reset and regain control.

Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking with Hypnotherapy

by

Does the mere thought of public speaking make your heart race? Do your palms get sweaty, your mind go blank, and your voice tremble when you have to speak in front of others? If so, you’re not alone. Fear of public speaking is one of the most common anxieties people face, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to control you. Hypnotherapy for public speaking anxiety can help you move from fear to confidence, allowing you to communicate clearly and effectively in any situation.

How Hypnotherapy Helps with Public Speaking Anxiety

Hypnotherapy works by tapping into your subconscious mind, where deep-seated fears and negative thought patterns reside. While it’s natural to feel a little nervous before speaking in public, overwhelming anxiety can trigger a fight-or-flight response, making it nearly impossible to perform at your best. Through targeted relaxation and positive reinforcement techniques, hypnotherapy rewires your brain’s response to public speaking, replacing fear with confidence and control.

In my hypnotherapy sessions, we work together to identify the root causes of your public speaking anxiety. Whether it stems from past experiences, self-doubt, or fear of judgment, we will address these barriers and replace them with empowering beliefs that support your ability to speak with ease and assurance.

Building Confidence and Calmness Through Hypnosis

Using guided relaxation techniques, positive reframes, and stress reduction strategies, hypnosis helps you develop a deep sense of calm when speaking in front of an audience. Imagine stepping onto the stage or into a meeting with a clear mind, steady breath, and unwavering confidence. My tailored hypnotherapy approach ensures that you develop both the psychological and physiological tools needed to manage anxiety and present yourself with poise.

Some of the benefits of hypnotherapy for public speaking include:

Reduced nervousness and fear

Improved focus and clarity of thought

Increased confidence in your speaking abilities

Better control over physical symptoms such as shaking hands or a racing heart

The ability to enjoy public speaking rather than dread it

Recognising When You Need Support

Acknowledging that anxiety is affecting your performance is the first step toward overcoming it. Hypnotherapy has been proven effective for a variety of stress-related challenges, including exam nerves, social anxiety, and fear of failure. If public speaking is holding you back in your personal or professional life, now is the time to take action.

Take the First Step Towards Fearless Speaking

Imagine what it would feel like to stand in front of an audience and speak with confidence, clarity, and ease. Hypnotherapy can make that a reality for you. If you’re ready to overcome your fear of public speaking and unlock your full potential, I’m here to help.

Get in touch today to book your first session and start your journey toward fearless public speaking!

Understanding Anxiety: A Primitive Response in a Modern World

by

Anxiety is something that many of us experience, yet few truly understand. It can feel overwhelming, unpredictable, and even debilitating. But did you know that anxiety is actually an ancient survival mechanism? While our modern lives have evolved, our brains still respond to stress in the same way they did thousands of years ago. Fortunately, there are ways to take back control—and Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (SFH) is one of the most effective approaches.

The Origins of Anxiety: Your Primitive Mind at Work

Anxiety isn’t something that just appeared in modern times. It’s rooted deep within our primitive brain, specifically in the amygdala, which is responsible for detecting danger and triggering our fight, flight, or freeze response. Thousands of years ago, this response was crucial—it kept our ancestors safe from predators and other threats.

The problem? Our brains haven’t evolved as fast as our world has. Today, instead of being chased by wild animals, we’re bombarded with work pressures, social expectations, and the general chaos of modern life. Our primitive brain doesn’t differentiate between a real, life-threatening danger and a stressful email—it reacts the same way. The result? Constant worry, racing thoughts, and an overactive stress response, leading to chronic anxiety.

How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Helps

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (SFH) is a powerful tool that helps retrain the brain, shifting it from fear-driven reactions to a calm and rational state. Unlike traditional therapy, which often focuses on the past, SFH is forward-thinking—it helps clients develop new, positive thought patterns and behaviours that reduce anxiety over time.

Here’s how it works:

Accessing the subconscious: Hypnosis helps quiet the primitive mind, allowing us to introduce positive suggestions and reframe anxious thought patterns.

Rewiring negative thought loops: By focusing on solutions rather than problems, clients start to develop a more optimistic outlook.

Reducing the fight-or-flight response: Regular hypnotherapy sessions help calm the nervous system, reducing anxiety symptoms.

Teaching practical tools: Clients learn simple yet effective techniques, such as controlled breathing and visualisation, to regain control when anxiety strikes.

Empowering Clients with Anxiety-Management Tools

One of the most rewarding parts of my work is teaching clients how to manage their anxiety independently. Through tailored sessions, I equip them with practical tools they can use in everyday life. From relaxation techniques to mindset shifts, these strategies help break the cycle of worry and allow clients to feel more in control.

I’ve worked with countless individuals who have struggled with anxiety, and time after time, they report feeling calmer, more focused, and more confident after hypnotherapy. Anxiety no longer has to dictate your life—there is a way forward.

If you’re feeling stuck in a cycle of anxiety, know that there is hope. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy provides a safe, effective, and scientifically backed approach to reducing anxiety and creating lasting change. Your brain is incredibly adaptable—once you understand how it works, you can start training it to work for you, not against you.

Ready to start your journey to a calmer mind? Get in touch today to learn more about how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help you reclaim your peace and confidence.

 

🌙 The Impact of Sleep on Mental Health 🌙

by

Did you know that quality sleep is just as vital to your mental health as a balanced diet and regular exercise? Sleep is the body’s natural reset button, playing a critical role in emotional regulation, cognitive function, and overall wellbeing. When we don’t get enough restorative sleep, the effects are profound—heightened anxiety, mood swings, and poor concentration can disrupt daily life and strain our mental resilience.

How Sleep Affects Mental Health

When sleep quality suffers, our minds bear the burden. Poor sleep can increase stress levels and even worsen symptoms of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. By contrast, when we get adequate, restful sleep, our mood improves, problem-solving skills sharpen, and our ability to handle life’s challenges strengthens. Restful sleep isn’t just about feeling refreshed in the morning; it’s about supporting a healthy, balanced mind that can respond effectively to stress.

Introducing My Sleep Program for Better Mental Wellbeing

To help you reclaim restful nights and support your mental health, I’m excited to introduce my Sleep Programme—a comprehensive approach to prioritise sleep and improve overall mental wellbeing. Here’s what you can expect:

✨ Understanding the Neuroscience of Sleep
Dive into the fascinating world of sleep science! Learn how your brain cycles through different stages of sleep, the significance of REM sleep, and why restorative sleep is essential for optimal mental function.

✨ Techniques to Calm a Racing Mind
Discover simple yet powerful techniques to slow down your thoughts and prepare for peaceful rest. With mindfulness, breath awareness, and guided imagery, you’ll be able to gently quiet your mind and ease into sleep more readily.

✨ Relaxation Recordings
Relaxation recordings, designed specifically for bedtime, will guide you into a calm, relaxed state, helping you drift naturally into restorative sleep. These recordings make it easier to switch off from the day, promoting deep relaxation right when you need it most.

✨ The Power of Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is a powerful tool for addressing sleep challenges. Shown to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation, it can mirror the benefits of REM sleep, helping you tap into your subconscious to process stress and restore emotional balance. This guided process encourages a peaceful state of mind, supporting restful, uninterrupted sleep.

Ready to Reclaim Your Sleep?

If you’re ready to improve your sleep quality and enhance your mental health, my Sleep Programme is here to support you with the tools and guidance you need. Don’t let sleepless nights take a toll on your wellbeing. Invest in yourself and experience the transformative power of quality sleep for your mind and body.

💙 Embrace the peace that a good night’s sleep brings, and unlock the path to greater mental resilience and wellbeing.

Why Alcohol Can Make You Feel More Depressed and Anxious

by

Have you ever noticed when you have had one too many drinks the night before and you wake up with that horrible feeling of anxiety that washes over you?  There is actually a name for this – “Hangxiety” !!!!!

I have never been a big drinker myself and also being half Vietnamese, I fell into the bracket of people that experience Asian flush.  This is a condition where you develop flushes or blotches on your face and neck.  It is due to a deficiency of a liver enzyme called ALDH2.

Having experienced “hangxiety” on a few occasions, lead me to make the decision to pretty much give up alcohol.   I may have the odd glass on special occasions but those days of going out with friends when I was younger and drinking one too many are now a distant memory!  I figured, it just wasn’t worth that anxious feeling the next morning or the blotchy face for that matter!!!!  This was just a personal decision for me, and I am not suggesting others give up alcohol.  However, it is helpful to understand what happens in our brain when we drink. People that are already prone to suffering with anxiety and depression, are more likely to suffer the negative effects of alcohol.

When we drink alcohol the brain’s reward system is flooded with dopamine.  While it may initially provide a temporary sense of relaxation or euphoria, alcohol can ultimately exacerbate feelings of sadness, anxiety, or depression. When alcohol is consumed in large amounts over extended periods of time, dopamine levels start to plummet.   Your brain will be looking to regain that buzz and will overcompensate by encouraging you to drink more to feel better. While drinking alcohol initially boosts dopamine levels, the brain adapts to the dopamine overload, so with continued use, your brain will start to produce less dopamine.

It takes up to 72 hours for alcohol to leave your body and in that time you may experience low mood and anxiety as your brain and body are trying to get back into balance. Therefore, alcohol addiction can create a complex imbalance of dopamine in the brain.

Alcohol can also disrupt normal sleep patterns, which can have a significant impact on mental health. Poor sleep can lead to irritability, anxiety, and depression, as well as fatigue and lack of concentration.

As mentioned earlier, individuals who already struggle with depression or anxiety may be more vulnerable to the negative effects of alcohol on mood and mental health. If you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional and to avoid using alcohol as a way to cope with negative emotions.

Please contact me to find out more how hypnotherapy can help you overcome these issues.

 

 

How To Improve Your Self Talk For Better Mental Health

by

What is Self-talk?

Self-talk refers to the internal dialogue we have with ourselves, which can greatly impact our mental state and overall well-being. If your self-talk is negative or self-critical, it can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

Strategies to help you manage and improve Your Self- Talk

Identify negative self-talk: The first step to improving your self-talk is to identify any negative thoughts or self-critical statements you make to yourself. Start paying attention to your internal dialogue and write down any negative thoughts you notice.

Challenge negative thoughts: Once you’ve identified negative self-talk, challenge those thoughts by questioning their validity. Ask yourself if there is any evidence to support those thoughts or if they are based on assumptions or past experiences.

Replace negative thoughts with positive ones: After challenging negative thoughts, replace them with positive and empowering ones. For example, instead of saying “I can’t do this,” try saying “I’m capable of figuring this out.”

Use affirmations: Affirmations are positive statements that you can repeat to yourself to boost your self-confidence and self-esteem. Choose affirmations that resonate with you and repeat them to yourself regularly.

Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, just as you would treat a friend. Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses and be gentle with yourself when you make mistakes.

Surround yourself with positive influences: Surround yourself with positive people and messages that reinforce positive self-talk. Limit exposure to negative influences, such as social media or news outlets that can fuel negative self-talk.

Helpful Reminders:

* Thoughts are not facts.
* Recognise when a thought pattern is no longer serving you.
* Do something that you enjoy to distract yourself.
* Remember we can’t control our thoughts, but we can control how much impact they have on us.

Seek Professional Support: If you are still struggling with managing your internal dialogue and it is affecting your mental health seek professional help from a registered therapist.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy:

As a clinical Hypnotherapist, I use Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy which works by helping you to identify and change negative thought patterns and replace them with positive, empowering ones. Hypnotherapy uses trance and deep relaxation techniques to access the subconscious mind and introduce new, positive suggestions.

Through hypnotherapy, you can learn to identify and challenge negative self-talk patterns and replace them with positive affirmations. I guide my clients to focus on their strengths and abilities and to visualise their desired outcome.  I will also ask the right questions that will help you to find solutions that help you to move forward.

If you would like to book an appointment, please contact me on 07795556301.

 

 

How To Overcome Morning Anxiety

by

Waking up with a feeling of anxiety can be a frustrating and overwhelming experience, but please do not worry.  You are not alone.  I myself have experienced this in the past and know first hand how it feels!  Morning anxiety is actually very common and it can affect your daily routine and overall quality of life.  I will explore what morning anxiety is, its potential causes, and give you strategies to manage and overcome it.

What is Morning Anxiety?

Morning anxiety is a type of anxiety that occurs in the morning or upon waking up. It is a feeling of tension, worry, or fear that can be mild or severe. It can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as sweating, racing heart, and trembling. Morning anxiety can interfere with a person’s ability to carry out daily tasks and can lead to social, occupational, and academic impairments.

Potential Causes of Morning Anxiety

Biological factors can come into play here.  Did you know that cortisol, a stress hormone is at its highest in the mornings.  It’s job is to motivate you to get out of bed and help you to be more alert and focused.  If however your stress levels are high, your body will be producing higher levels of cortisol and adrenaline which triggers the ‘fight or flight’ response.  Our blood sugar levels are also lower in the mornings which can be a trigger for anxiety sufferers.

Strategies To Manage Morning Anxiety

  • Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can help reduce anxiety symptoms.
  • Maintain a Consistent Sleep Routine: Maintaining a consistent sleep routine can help improve the quality of sleep and reduce morning anxiety.
  • Limit caffeine and alcohol as this can impact the quality of your sleep.
  • Practice Relaxation Techniques: Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, visualisation,  can help reduce anxiety symptoms.
  • Practice Positive Self-Talk: Engage in positive self-talk and try to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones.
  • Before you go to bed write down 3 good things that have happened that day.  This will help you get into a positive mindset before you drift off to sleep.
  • Make sure you engage in positive activities that make you happy.  This could involve spending time with family and friends, taking up a new hobby, or reading a good book for example.  All these things will give you a lovely boost of serotonin enabling you to feel happier and calmer.

Living with anxiety can feel like an endless cycle of worry. But it doesn’t have to control your life.

If you’re finding that your morning anxiety is becoming unmanageable and negatively impacting your life then the next step would be to seek professional support.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can be a valuable treatment option for anxiety. By combining hypnosis with solution-focused brief therapy techniques, it can help individuals to develop practical solutions to their problems and improve their overall well-being.

Contact me to find out more or to book an Initial Consultation where we can discuss how I can help you.