Dr Russell Kennedy on dealing with anxiety body first

This week I've been listening to Dr Russell Kennedy (physician, neuroscience expert, somatic intuitive, certified yoga instructor, meditation teacher, and a professional stand-up comedian- how could you not love that bio!) talking about anxiety. He spends some talking about distinguishing anxiety as a natural and healthy response to many situations (a tiger running at you, a child overconfidently jumping into deep water), and a more unnatural, constant state of low level (or high!) anxiety, that's become an emotional habit of sorts. This type of anxiety is on the increase, and it's taking its toll on our health and wellbeing in a myriad of ways.

Kennedy’s argument is that we tend to go to our psychological toolkits first to deal with anxiety - chewing over the problem in our heads, trying to work out solutions, mindfulness etc. Often though, there is no simple fix in this realm. Yes, if you think better, you feel better - but often this is really, really hard to do, particularly so when you’re already in this anxious or depressed frame of mind, your sympathetic nervous system has engaged, your brain has moved into survival mode, not necessarily in a dramatic way, but slowly in the background our bodies go through a whole host of physical responses like cortisol levels rising, digestion shutting down, peripheral vision narrowing, adaptations that don't help us 'think' our way out of the state. If you’ve ever been caught in this constant cycle of anxiety you’ll know exactly how draining and unproductive it can be. Kennedy argues that “it’s really difficult to think in opposition to how your body feels, it’s a constant uphill battle”. I can definitely relate to that! Instead, Kennedy argues that you should address your physical 'bodily' state first - look to change first how you are feeling in your body in order to shift your overall state. This will have the flow on effect to your mind and create the mental space and energy to be able to constructively deal with the root of the problem, to address how you are framing the issue, entering into gratefulness etc.

1. The first step he argues is learning to sit with the discomfort. Listen and locate it in your body.

Where are you are feeling that panic or fear, or emotion within your body? Close your eyes and let yourself just sit with the emotion. Where is it sitting? What does it look like, what size? What colour? They talk about Bessell van Der Kolk’s wonderful book ‘The Body Keeps the Score’, and how important it is to sit with the discomfort, the alarm, and explore it. Particularly so with the distracted, busy nature of modern life, where it’s easier just to pick up your phone and be distracted from how you’re feeling. As a side note, van Der Kolk argues that yoga is wonderful way to do this for a number of reasons.

2. Change your physical state to change your overall state

Kennedy talks about one technique that he finds really useful to change his physical state - the physiological sigh (Andrew Huberman, another excellent podcaster, talks alot about the science behind this). Controlling your breath is said to be one of the most direct routes to controlling your physiology, so learning some simple breathwork techniques are really worth having in your toolbox.

Other activities you might have in your toolbox might be jumping into a freezing cold shower (this really works!), go for a run getting the heart rate up, or a more gentle walk in nature. Put on a favourite song and dance like mad. It may also be that you need a quieter body connection, to nurture yourself, quiet breathwork, gentle stretching, connecting with that part of the body and having compassion for it, nurturing it as a good parent would.

Listen to the full interview on podcast Feel Better, Live More,