Facing every day with its challenges

Day-to-day problems can cause nervous tension and irritability which may become chronic if you do not take time to relax and unwind. Natural remedies such as yoga and meditation can help.

The sources of stress and anxiety in everyday life are numerous. Problems with work, relatives, finances and personal relationships can all deplete your emotional reserves, making you prone to insomnia and fatigue.

Being short tempered, irritable or easily angered is a natural emotional and physiological response to events that seem threatening. Irritability can be due to depression, overtiredness or the pressure of multiple responsibilities; it can also be a symptom of premenstrual tension. Feeling irritable can increase your pulse rate, put a knot in your stomach and make your muscles tense up.

It is unlikely that a doctor will prescribe a drug for someone suffering from irritability. Rather, a doctor will question you about underlying stress and strains and advise you to get enough rest or perhaps try some form of relaxation. Yoga, herbalism, homeopathy, massage and exercise may help to dispel your irritability.

The following techniques

may come in handy:

If you are feeling irritable, anxious or tired, the following yoga position may help. Start by sitting with your legs alongside a wall, then slide your legs up the wall so that your back is flat on the floor and your legs are at right angles to your body, resting against the wall. Let your hands lie, relaxed, on your tummy. Relax and breathe evenly for five to 10 minutes and then come out of the position in reverse order.

Sit the person to be massaged in a straight-backed chair. Place your hands, palms down, on the top of the shoulders near the neck. Your touch should be firm and reassuring. Leave one hand resting on one shoulder while you concentrate on the other. Start by using your thumb and fingers to make gentle circular movements on the muscles. Then lightly knead and squeeze them. Gradually work along the shoulder to the shoulder joint. Repeat the process on the other shoulder. End the massage by gently stroking the arm from the top of the shoulders to the fingertips three to four times.

Regular exercise will improve your energy levels and relieve built-up anger. Try to go for a 20-minute swim, jog or walk at least three times a week.

Emotional exhaustion or nervous tension is usually caused by an inability to cope with the pressures of life. They are characterised by feeling unable to concentrate or complete a task and may be accompanied by fatigue, insomnia or anxiety. Depending on the severity of the problem, a doctor may simply recommend rest and a period of time off work, with or without counseling. In very severe cases of nervous tension, drugs such as benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety drugs) may also be prescribed, but only for definite anxiety states and only for a short period of time because of the problems of dependency associated with most of these drugs.

The natural treatments for nervous tension include herbalism, Bach flower remedies and aromatherapy. These can help to calm and restore the nervous system.

Infusions of wood betony, lavender chamomile and lemon palm may all help to calm the nervous system.

The Bach flower remedies for nervous tension are cherry palm for hopelessness and hornbeam for procrastination.

Essential oils that may be useful to relieve nervous tension include bergamot, chamomile, juniper, neroli, rose and sandalwood. You can combine any of these oils with a base oil (such as grapeseed oil) and use them in a massage or you can add five to eight drops to a warm bath.

Alternatively add five to eight drops to a bowl of steaming water, put a towel over your head and the bowl and inhale deeply.

Lavender oil added to your bath or placed on your pillow and inhaled during the night may help you relax. A rosemary oil bath may raise your spirits if you feel depressed.

Problems with getting to sleep or staying asleep are common – one in three adults suffers from insomnia at some time in their life. Insomnia is often associated with irritability and tiredness during the day.

The most common cause of insomnia is anxiety. Other causes include snoring, a noisy environment, high caffeine intake, inactivity during the day or keeping erratic hours. Sleeplessness can also be associated with depression, the misuse of sleeping pills or may be a symptom of withdrawal from drugs such as anti-depressants or narcotics.

Self-help measures include exercising during the day, going to bed at the same time every night, reducing alcohol and caffeine intake and taking a warm bath before going to bed. These should be tried before sleeping pills are resorted to.

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