Stress & slowing down by Ana Costa
“In the past year, 74% of people have felt so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope. […] Younger people have higher stress related to the pressure to succeed. 60% of 18-24 year olds and 41% of 25-34 year olds cited this, compared to 17% of 45-54s and 6% of over 55s).”
Mental Health Foundation, 2018
Looking for Success
In the strive to be successful, we easily lose ourselves. Recent surveys show scarily high levels of stress being reported across the UK, with only 7% of young adults reporting that they never feel overwhelmed or unable to cope. For the sake of being successful at work, in our family lives, and in our social lives we are compromising our own physical and mental health.
Like many others in my age group and profession, I am with the other 93% that never said never. Being overwhelmed and stressed is a constant in life and, instead of thinking of ways to find my footing again, I have instead embraced this way of life, completely neglecting my own self. I am terrified of a ‘quiet day’ because it brings an impending doom sensation that I must have forgotten something important.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has perfectly categorised my work-related stress under their ‘Work Contents’ where they explain that stress can come from long and unpredictable working hours, and the lack of control over pace and decision-making.
Not my most best photo, but it was a super proud moment! Submitted my thesis after 3 years of research and 1 year of writing!
For those who do not know me and have now started thinking I am just another millennial whose favourite sport is complaining, here is a quick peek at my life…
In the past year alone, I started a full-time job in academia, where 9-5 is non-existent. This includes weekend work and long days, followed by more work at home; I also wrote and, successfully, defended my PhD thesis – 160 pages of graphs and numbers, with 200 papers cited (I have lost count of how many I read to then filter these 200); I kept my hobby of teaching yoga (which pretty much saved my mental health, and kept my social life alive); and I worked as a consultant for a company. All of this at the same time. You might think money was no issue but yet…as every other millennial, I am counting every penny. Taxes and rent leave very little to live on. This brings us back to pressure and mental health. We work long, crazy hours, without adequate rest, only to go to bed and think of how we will be able to afford life.
The Cost of Stress
It is not surprising that sleep was the first thing to suffer. Short nights, with little deep sleep, and lots of waking up during the night turned this ‘morning bird’ into an even more flawed human with panda eyes and a deep craving for her bed all day.
“It is no coincidence that countries where sleep has declined most dramatically over the past century, such as the US, the UK, Japan, and South Korea, and several in western Europe, are also those suffering the greatest increase in rates of the aforementioned physical diseases and mental disorders.”
Why we sleep. Matthew walker, 2017. Penguin Random House UK
If you are still reading this, that probably means you identify in some degree. So you will know what I did next…
I kept pushing myself, ‘just one more month and it will get better’, ‘just one more activity/class/social event/project will not break me’. Meditation and yoga practice helped with my mental health, leaving only one more place for all of these worries to go: my physical health. First came the heavy body, which I dragged out of bed every morning, later each day. Then the lack of energy for anything strenuous: yoga, running, HIIT, it all became a challenge. Then the pain. It felt like my whole body was telling me to slow down. Screaming even. So much so that it landed me right in my GP’s practice, scared of how my body had become unknown to me.
At this point we were not even acquaintances. It felt like I was in someone else’s body, because this one sure was not answering to me. A big heath scare came along (one that I am not comfortable sharing just now, but will do later). I will forever remember the day I went to teach a vinyasa class after working all day and a GP appointment. I smiled, I demonstrated the poses, I chatted away. I felt mostly fine, just tired (nothing new). As I made my way home, my legs felt like they were made of lead. I walked up the stairs, lay on my sofa and remained motionless, in my outdoor clothes, with two blankets on top, shivering.
Learning to Slow Down
I slowed down. I had to slow down. Well, a broken toe was actually the last straw.
My practice is now full of slow stretches and cuddles…
I practice yoga at home now in a completely different scale from what I used to do before. My practice shifted from a strong, sweaty, core-engaging sequence, to a slow, loving-myself, hatha-style, free-flow movement. I start slowly from child’s pose, and I move mindfully through (mostly seated) postures. I wear my fluffy socks and oversized jumpers. Most days I am in my pyjamas. My love for yoga and myself has reignited. Most importantly, I started saying no. No to others, no to more unnecessary work, no to staying awake that extra hour blankly staring at the TV. Not only am I allowed to do so, I also have every right to stop letting others and myself step all over me.
Why am I telling you all this, you ask? Both as cautionary tale and an appeal. Please take care of yourself.
YOU come before everything and everyone else. If you are not ok, everything else that you are trying so hard to protect and cling onto will start crumbling before your own very eyes. As soon as you close this post, I ask you to do one simple thing: do something for yourself. Draw a bath, pick up that facemask you have been meaning to use and finally let it rest on your face while you watch that movie you have been wanting to watch.
Don’t have time for that? Pick your favourite song and sing along/bust a move. Cook your favourite meal. The options are endless, but please, take a minute for yourself. You only have this body and this mind.
About Ana
Ana first discovered yoga at a time when anxiety was predominant in her life. She attended her first class in 2010 after her mum gently (read firmly) suggested yoga might help, but not without first scrunching her nose up at the idea!
It took a while, but she figured she could get a workout without going to the gym, so why not?
But yoga turned out to be so much more than she expected.
Ana’s interest in the practice grew and developed until finally, she took a huge leap! Ana enrolled in MCY’s yoga teacher training programme with Judi in 2015. One year and 200 hours later she started teaching at the same studio that had watched her grow over that year.
Her learning did not end there though! Classes and workshops with respected and inspiring Vinyasa teachers followed – principally Taylor Harkness and Celest Pereira but without forgetting Coral Brown and Laura McCrimmon.
Over the years, Ana’s degree in Physiology (2012) and Masters in Exercise Science (2013) from University of Glasgow, along with her love for the science of movement started showing more in her teaching. Her PhD (2019) and full-time job in heart research have shown her beyond all doubt that being healthy on the inside is essential.
Ana’s classes have a strong focus on natural and functional body movement and easy to understand anatomy. You’ll leave each practice with Ana feeling stronger, safer and proud of your body for generating movement.
Where to find Ana
Teaching ONLINE Vinyasa Flow every Wednesday 6-7pm – BOOK HERE
Ana also has a special ONLINE workshop coming up! Join Ana on Saturday 5th September 2-4.30pm for Hips & Pelvis – Anatomy & Biomechanics Workshop. BOOK HERE
Instagram/ Twitter: @anacosta108
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