Ideas to Help - 25 July, 2014 FROM THE COUCH BY RACHEL KELLY

From how to sleep to how to wake up: It might seem easy enough, but we know that those who suffer from depression and anxiety are at their worst in the mornings. Psychiatrists call it ‘Diurnal mood variation’; Snoopy said he thought he was ‘allergic to mornings’. For me, it means that sometimes I can start the day with a racing heart and sweaty palms. I can feel breathless and I occasionally throw up. The sides of the bed can feel like a cliff-face. I’ve learnt to diffuse such fears partly thanks to awareness: this is what happens, it is what it is, but it will pass. In practical terms, there’s nothing for it but to force myself up, to let go finger by finger of the pillow I am hugging with its faint reassuring scent of my husband. The very action of rising helps reverse the negative thoughts willing me to get back under the duvet. It’s important that I get out of bed instantly. Even a second’s delay could mean that I end up staying in bed for hours. Drinking water helps. So does opening the window and leaning outside: we know exposure to daylight is crucial to help combat low mood. A line of inspiring verse stuck to the bathroom mirror is another tool: at the moment, it’s from ‘Desiderata’ by Max Ehrmann. ‘You are a child of the universe, no less than the tress and the stars; you have a right to be here.’ And a morning routine, at roughly the same time each day, is crucial. This is not the moment to experiment with decision-making, bad at the best of times. By about nine o’clock, the worst of the anxiety has ebbed away. Oh, and don’t forget the cappuccino with an extra shot.