New analysis reveals that UK searches for ‘how to stop stress’ increased 920% just hours into Blue Monday, which is the name given to what is known as the most depressing day of the year, Monday 16^th January, following the Christmas and New Year celebrations that have just passed.  

The lingering stress of the cost-of-living crisis weighs heavily on the shoulders of many, and with temperatures dropping and food prices skyrocketing, it is bound to have an added impact on the stresses of everyday life. Therefore, people up and down the country are looking for tips and tricks to ease and eliminate as much stress as possible.  

CBD experts Simply CBD have revealed some tips that will help encourage stress relaxation and a stress-free routine that you can implement into your weekly routine.  

Searches in the UK for ‘reduce stress’ increased 216% over the past month, proving just how desperate Brits are to find solutions for feelings of overwhelming stress. In fact, searches for ‘is stress normal’ has seen a huge 635% increase over the past month in the UK, showing how concerned people are about stress levels and how they can impact their health. 

Self-care for Blue Monday

Being mindful of your own needs is essential, and focusing on self-care will help reduce stress and anxiety tremendously. Some forms of self-care include maintaining a balanced diet and sustaining a healthy sleep schedule but indulging in pampering is often overlooked.  

Pampering doesn’t have to break the bank. Forget spa days or trips away; you can easily indulge in pampering at home: 

• Take a hot bath or shower. 
• Pop on a face mask and read your favourite book – time away from blue light from your phone also helps relax the mind. 
• Light some candles and listen to a meditation podcast. 
• Treat yourself to your favourite home-cooked meal (or takeaway if you prefer!). 

Exercise 

Although the thought of exercise can sometimes be exhausting, with long workdays feeling tiring enough, finding the time to get a good workout in can often be the release from a lot of pent-up stress.  

Sometimes getting past the mental barrier of doing physical activity is the only thing holding you back from releasing tension and endorphins, aka the body’s natural painkillers. 

The exercise doesn’t necessarily need to be intense, and there are many options when it comes to fitting in an hour of increased heart rate to beat those blue monday blues: 

• Go on a walk – Whether with friends, family or just by yourself, getting out for fresh air and moving your body will work wonders. 

• Take part in a local exercise class – there are many options, such as low-intensity Yoga and Pilates, which are great options if you don’t want to do an intense workout. 
• Take part in an online exercise class! – if physically leaving the house to exercise fills you with dread, you will be pleased to know there are thousands of online classes and pre-recorded free videos of workouts that you can do in the comfort of your own home. 

Listen to music 

Listening to music gives the brain a total workout, and we all know how vital brain health is. By listening to music, you can: 

• Reduce blood pressure. 
• Improve memory. 
• Reduce anxiety. 

• Improve sleep quality. 

Not only can it reduce stress, but it can elevate moods and clear the way for emotional expression; this is why it is great that there are so many genres of music to choose from; just pick whatever gets you out of a funk and makes you feel good! 

Experiment with hobbies 

By experimenting with hobbies you might have put on the back burner, you are allowing your body to remind itself of something you enjoy and take pride in. Hobbies are a great distraction and can be the perfect way to relax and forget about the stresses of everyday life.  

If you’re struggling to think of a hobby, it’s never too late to find one! By making a list of all the hobbies you would love to try, you are already one step closer to expanding your knowledge, widening your range of skills, and keeping your brain working and mind off all things stressful. 

Turn the phone off and stay off social media. 

In a world dominated by technology, we have everything at the push of a button, making it hard to imagine life without it, but keeping so up-to-date and caught up on social media can sometimes be exhausting and lead to unhealthy comparisons. 

By turning off your phone or limiting the time spent on social media, you can shut off the constant updates and remain solely focused on other things that might bring you joy. Instead of getting distracted by technology, you could be reading your favourite books, spending time with family and friends, giving yourself a well-deserved pamper or just taking a nap, whatever relieves stress from your day! 

Do you suffer on Blue Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

Ever felt the urge to open your laptop to check what is causing sudden, mild chest pain?

Ever googled what the symptoms of a serious medical condition are after discovering a small bump somewhere on your body?

With the continuous rise of the internet and with infinite, free information at our fingertips at all times, it is easy to fall into the temptation to start a quick online query.

Indeed, it has been found that 7% of Google’s daily searches are health-related.

Not only that, but when it comes to our online habits, UK residents are now 114% more likely to google health-related terms than they would three years ago.

Some searchers will look for basic information and take what they read with a pinch of salt.

Others, however, will jump from one website to the next, concerned about the list of daunting diagnoses they have stumbled upon.

This is known as cyberchondria, a ‘modern’ condition that can cause a great deal of stress for those suffering from it.

Tobias Alpsten, CEO and founder of my GP, comments: “Although the concept of cyberchondria (self-diagnoses from the internet) is a relatively young term, there is some evidence to support it is a growing concern across the nation.

It is crucial that patients remember to seek advice from their GP if they are concerned in any way, whether this is via a face-to-face appointment or convenient video consultation to allay any concerns caused by online searching.”

Here, we explore the ins and outs of cyberchondria, while also providing tips on how to both manage and prevent it.

What is cyberchondria?

In a nutshell, cyberchondria is a disorder where a person excessively searches for health-related information online.

But rather than finding comfort and relief from the answers they find on the internet, they self-diagnose with a concerning condition and end up worrying even more.

In fact, cyberchondriacs will read a list of potential explanations for their discomfort and only believe the worst-case scenarios.

It is in some ways similar to hypochondria, and, as mentioned, it can arouse strong feelings of anxiety.   

Journals first started talking about cyberchondria at the beginning of the 21^st century, as an increasing number of patients were taking print-outs of intimidating diagnoses to GP clinics.

With the advancement of technology, this condition has gradually begun to escalate.

As of 2016, 68% of British adults consulted “Dr Google” to diagnose themselves, whether every few months or on a regular basis.

By causing unnecessary health fears in cyberchondriac patients, this condition is costing the British healthcare system roughly £56m each year in avoidable appointments and exams.

This is because, while cyberchondriacs may have a genuine physical ailment, the disorder leads them to believe that their condition is far more serious than it perhaps is.

Behind the scenes: what causes cyberchondria?

There are many reasons why people may experience serious anxiety when looking up medical information online. In this respect, there is no exact science to determine what spurs cyberchondria, but here are a few risk factors:

• Recent experience of severe illness – If you have a medical history of developing serious conditions, even if you have recovered from them, you may be more inclined to overly worry when new symptoms emerge. Other unhappy experiences, such as the passing of a family member or knowing someone who has been diagnosed with a life-changing illness, can spark more concerns about your own health too.
• Free misinformation and sad stories on social media – When browsing and scrolling through social media, you may happen to read a sad story about someone dealing with a serious condition. Alternatively, you may visit unreliable websites with sensationalistic headlines about worrying symptoms that aim to scare you and lure you into clicking on their page. Often these websites are not fact-checked. Unfortunately, you are likely to retain this information, which may later have an impact on your health concerns. In fact, due to evolutionary survival purposes, our brain tends to notice and remember the negatives more than the positives.
• Low self-esteem – Low self-esteem is also identified as one of the most prominent causes of cyberchondria. This is because low self-esteem is a ‘vulnerability’ in itself and is often viewed as a risk factor for internet-related problems, including excessive online time and addiction.
• Inclined to worry – Are you a natural worrier? Googling medical information could cause you extra stress. People suffering from anxiety and depression are more likely to worry as well, which suggests that cyberchondria is more likely to appear in people with a tendency to ruminate.

Overcoming needless health concerns

Pinpointing what spurs cyberchondria is no easy task.

But if your heart races when googling your symptoms or you spend hours scrolling through several online portals, there are some useful remedies to give you much-needed peace of mind.

• Stay offline – One of the most obvious steps you can take to keep your cyberchondria under control is to limit your Google searches. Staying offline will protect you against misleading information that will do you more harm than good. Otherwise, make sure to visit credible websites and consult valid sources which you know have been fact-checked. This way, you will avoid stumbling upon menacing, daunting, and unfounded diagnoses.
• Book regular GP appointments – This is one of the best ways to minimise your worries. By scheduling regular appointments with your doctor, you will be able to benefit from general check-ups, receive a trusted GP prescription, and direct to a professional whatever concerns you may have. This will spare you from needless preoccupations and nip the problem in the bud whenever you are experiencing discomfort.
• Enjoy a balanced lifestyle – Embracing a healthy, balanced lifestyle is a great solution to manage your cyberchondria. By getting plenty of rest, eating healthy, and exercising on a regular basis, you can actively tackle sentiments of stress and anxiety. Having a balanced routine and eating nutritious food can make you feel assured that you are doing all you can to prevent unwanted illnesses.
• Meditation – If you are overly concerned about your symptoms, take some time to breathe, relax, and meditate. This will help you recollect your thoughts and find some lucidity to better assess the situation. Ultimately, meditation can quieten your anxiety and calm you down if you are feeling overwhelmed.

With a smartphone or laptop always within reach, the temptation to ask them personal health questions is difficult to escape.

However, some findings can raise a few eyebrows, and may even trouble people prone to stress and anxiety with unfounded medical suggestions.    

From bad medical experiences to low self-esteem, there are several different reasons for which one may develop cyberchondria.

But through meditation, a healthy lifestyle, booking regular check-ups and staying offline, there are many effective ways to tackle the condition and alleviate your worries.