Mental health: What is anxiety and how do you manage it?

One in four of us will be affected by anxiety at some stage in life.

According to Mental Health Aotearoa one million Kiwis could be suffering from anxiety right now.

1News interviewed Dr John McEwan, also known as ‘Dr Stress’, to provide an insight into what anxiety is and how to deal with it.

“Anxiety is the brain’s way of trying to deal with the overwhelming desire to run from something… for some people that means just sheer panic because they can’t run” he says.

It can show up as heart palpitations, chest pains, stomach bowel trouble or a frequent need to urinate, says Dr Stress.

But it can also send your brain into overdrive, which can affect your sleep.

He says it can stop your brain from sleeping because it feels threatened and instead it’s revving it up to run away.

“But actually you don’t need to run and that’s the key to managing it and dealing with [anxiety],” says Dr Stress.

Dr Stress recommends listening to what your brain is telling you and do some gentle exercise.

“So, my starting point is always very light exercise like walking and swimming or some strength and power movements… but just don’t overdo it.”

He says that sends the brain a message: "We are cool, we are relaxed, we are strong.”

Secondly, speak to someone who is an expert.

“Talk to someone who can really give you personal strategies because each one of us is going to have a different array of symptoms.”

Dr Stress says one idea is to exercise with a one-kilogram weight each evening to unwind as that sends a signal to the brain to relax.

He proposes the movements of butterflies, flying, 3 shoulder presses and curls for eight repetitions per exercise.

Breathe deeply and slowly during each movement for four seconds in and out.

Rest in between each movement and repeat all together for 20-40 minutes to wind down before hopping into bed.

He says this “gives the message of strength and power to calm the primal brain”.

Dr Stress credits Don Oliver’s method of ‘slow and controlled’.

“Don got it right. The more stressed we are the lighter and slower we go”.

David Neithe is a high-performance coach for multiple elite athletes like the Northern Stars netball side, Lydia Ko and Israel Adesanya, just to name a few.

He gives his athletes tips and tricks to manage their stress levels.

Neithe gave 1News a ‘three-step stress buster’ to help manage anxiety when it comes to sports.

Stage one: Recognise the signs

Being stressed can be identified as having butterflies, shaky hands and fog in the brain.

"The key thing is you don't wont to surrender to that. We can manage it," Neithe says.

Stage two: Breathing

Put your hand on your chest and the other on your belly.

Close your eyes and take a nice deep breath.

David suggests, "In for four through the nose, hold for five and out through your mouth slowly".

"Repeat for a couple of times.

"That will change the neurology and help reduce that stress response"

Stage three: Act like a champion

"Shoulders back for the physiology that is congregant with what you want to recreate" says Neithe.