ABSTRACT
People who present with minor illness may also have underlying mental health problems. Disclosing anxiety and phobias can be much more difficult for patients than talking about physical symptoms – be careful not to appear to pass any judgment or to trivialise the problem. Over-breathing lowers the blood carbon dioxide level. This in turn reduces the transfer of oxygen to the brain, which may cause dizziness and headache, and disturbs blood chemistry. Phone apps for mindfulness and breathing techniques may be helpful, for example, Headspace and Breath2Relax. They do not require a large time commitment and are free or low cost. Depression in children requires specialist management. Tiredness is often considered the enemy, but building up a healthy level of tiredness over the course of a day can promote better sleep at night.
