Monday, January 19, 2009
Portable Stress Reduction
Whether you have one minute or 10, here are some tips in fitting in your own mini relaxation session, compliments of www.health.harvard.edu.
If you have 1 minute:
Feel the rise and fall of your breath as you breathe in slowly, count to 3, breathe out. Pause for a count of 3, repeat.Continue for one minute, pausing for 3 seconds after each inhalation/exhalation cycle.
2 minutes:
Count down slowly from 10 to 0, take a complete breath ( one inhale and one exhale) with each number. Space breaths apart by counting slowly.
3 minutes:
Take a BODY SCAN break in a chair (anywhere) by checking for tension. Start with the face, allowing jaw to open slightly, drop shoulders, arms fall at your sides. Loosen hands and feel thighs sink into chair, comfortably apart. Shins and calves are heavy, feet grow roots into the floor. Breathe in and out slowly and relax even more with each exhale.
10 minutes:
In a quiet room or space with eyes closed, imagine yourself in a peaceful, comforting place. Notice what you see, smell, hear, taste, touch. Take your time to find these pleasures. Focus on these sensory pleasures and let intrusive thoughts leave your mind with an exhale, gently returning to the calming world you've created.
If you have 1 minute:
Feel the rise and fall of your breath as you breathe in slowly, count to 3, breathe out. Pause for a count of 3, repeat.Continue for one minute, pausing for 3 seconds after each inhalation/exhalation cycle.
2 minutes:
Count down slowly from 10 to 0, take a complete breath ( one inhale and one exhale) with each number. Space breaths apart by counting slowly.
3 minutes:
Take a BODY SCAN break in a chair (anywhere) by checking for tension. Start with the face, allowing jaw to open slightly, drop shoulders, arms fall at your sides. Loosen hands and feel thighs sink into chair, comfortably apart. Shins and calves are heavy, feet grow roots into the floor. Breathe in and out slowly and relax even more with each exhale.
10 minutes:
In a quiet room or space with eyes closed, imagine yourself in a peaceful, comforting place. Notice what you see, smell, hear, taste, touch. Take your time to find these pleasures. Focus on these sensory pleasures and let intrusive thoughts leave your mind with an exhale, gently returning to the calming world you've created.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Why Bother?
Many people ask me, why bother, I can't stop stress so why should I take care of myself now instead of dealing with the aftermath later?
It's unrealistic to expect to have no stress in your life. We all have it. Processing stress, reacting to it, making poor choices are the problem-not the stress itself.
It's so much easier for many to fix what's broken than to anticipate preventative methods of staying healthy and dying quickly at the end of life rather than living sickly for a decade at life's end.
Why not take medicines to fix yourself later?
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CHOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe when you're 70, you'll look back and say "I did what I could, helped ensure that I'll see my grandchildren grow up, enjoy the freedom of growing old and not worrying about what others say about me"- you get the picture.
In Americans younger than 65, stress is said to cause half of all deaths. WOW- if you aren't scared of stats like this, contact me immediately-i want to borrow your blinders for a while.
Just change one thing and see what happens, start today to invest in your health account, just like a bank account, but with better returns...
Pick from one of the ideas below and sit back AND WATCH!!!
DO ONE OF THESE EVERY DAY FOR TWO WEEKS:
1. Smile while driving (use a post it note on your dash as a reminder)
2. Smile while yelling at someone on the phone (post it on phone)
3. Take a 10 minute daily walk after a meal of your choice
4. Put quarters in meters that are about to run out as you walk past
5. Write a letter with pen and paper
6. Pet a dog
7. Lick the plate
8. Take a 20 minute nap
9. Don't answer the phone for one hour a day
10. Color with crayons for five minutes
It's unrealistic to expect to have no stress in your life. We all have it. Processing stress, reacting to it, making poor choices are the problem-not the stress itself.
It's so much easier for many to fix what's broken than to anticipate preventative methods of staying healthy and dying quickly at the end of life rather than living sickly for a decade at life's end.
Why not take medicines to fix yourself later?
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CHOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe when you're 70, you'll look back and say "I did what I could, helped ensure that I'll see my grandchildren grow up, enjoy the freedom of growing old and not worrying about what others say about me"- you get the picture.
In Americans younger than 65, stress is said to cause half of all deaths. WOW- if you aren't scared of stats like this, contact me immediately-i want to borrow your blinders for a while.
Just change one thing and see what happens, start today to invest in your health account, just like a bank account, but with better returns...
Pick from one of the ideas below and sit back AND WATCH!!!
DO ONE OF THESE EVERY DAY FOR TWO WEEKS:
1. Smile while driving (use a post it note on your dash as a reminder)
2. Smile while yelling at someone on the phone (post it on phone)
3. Take a 10 minute daily walk after a meal of your choice
4. Put quarters in meters that are about to run out as you walk past
5. Write a letter with pen and paper
6. Pet a dog
7. Lick the plate
8. Take a 20 minute nap
9. Don't answer the phone for one hour a day
10. Color with crayons for five minutes
Sunday, November 16, 2008
The Dalai Lama said “If you don’t like what’s happening in your life, change your mind.”
What you see when you look at a half glass of water could make a difference in your daily health and how long you live.
So say the results of a new study that tracked 839 people over 30 years. In the 1960s, study participants took a standardized test to determine whether they were optimistic, pessimistic or somewhere in between. Those who scored high on the pessimism scale turned out to have a 19 percent greater chance of premature death than those who scored more optimistically.
There are at least four ways that optimism can affect healthy aging:
·Optimists tend to be less passive and less likely to develop negative responses to things that happen to them.
·Optimists tend to be more likely to practice preventive health measures because they believe their actions make a difference.
·Optimists suffer depression at a lower rate than pessimists; depression is associated with mortality.
·Optimists' immune systems function more effectively than those of pessimists.
Self Evaluation:
Optimists see setbacks as specific, temporary and changeable, and are therefore motivated to take action. Non-optimists tend to look at setbacks as general, permanent and hopeless, symptoms of widespread failure that cannot be changed.
For example, an optimist who didn't follow through on an exercise routine for a week might say, " I'll have to do better next week."
A pessimist in the same situation might say, "I have no self-discipline so exercise just isn't for me."
Mood has an influence on whether optimistic or pessimistic thoughts dominate your brain. Three methods optimistic people tend to use to lift their moods:
·Alternative thinking
When bad things happen, optimists tend to take them less personally and come up with multiple alternatives for why they might have happened, then work actively to fix the situation.
·Downward comparison
Though it sounds unkind, optimists compare themselves to others who are in worse situations as a way to brighten their own spirits.
·Relaxation
Optimists tend to use exercise, yoga, and even "putting on a happy face" as ways to relax and thereby improve their moods.
SO...take a good look at your half glass, you may be able to change your mind,impact your health and stay well longer.
What you see when you look at a half glass of water could make a difference in your daily health and how long you live.
So say the results of a new study that tracked 839 people over 30 years. In the 1960s, study participants took a standardized test to determine whether they were optimistic, pessimistic or somewhere in between. Those who scored high on the pessimism scale turned out to have a 19 percent greater chance of premature death than those who scored more optimistically.
There are at least four ways that optimism can affect healthy aging:
·Optimists tend to be less passive and less likely to develop negative responses to things that happen to them.
·Optimists tend to be more likely to practice preventive health measures because they believe their actions make a difference.
·Optimists suffer depression at a lower rate than pessimists; depression is associated with mortality.
·Optimists' immune systems function more effectively than those of pessimists.
Self Evaluation:
Optimists see setbacks as specific, temporary and changeable, and are therefore motivated to take action. Non-optimists tend to look at setbacks as general, permanent and hopeless, symptoms of widespread failure that cannot be changed.
For example, an optimist who didn't follow through on an exercise routine for a week might say, " I'll have to do better next week."
A pessimist in the same situation might say, "I have no self-discipline so exercise just isn't for me."
Mood has an influence on whether optimistic or pessimistic thoughts dominate your brain. Three methods optimistic people tend to use to lift their moods:
·Alternative thinking
When bad things happen, optimists tend to take them less personally and come up with multiple alternatives for why they might have happened, then work actively to fix the situation.
·Downward comparison
Though it sounds unkind, optimists compare themselves to others who are in worse situations as a way to brighten their own spirits.
·Relaxation
Optimists tend to use exercise, yoga, and even "putting on a happy face" as ways to relax and thereby improve their moods.
SO...take a good look at your half glass, you may be able to change your mind,impact your health and stay well longer.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Lessons from the Back Bumper…
I saw a funny bumper sticker the other day:
"What if the hokey pokey IS what it's all about"?
I chuckled and of course thought of a great wellness tip...
What better way to lift your spirits, stay in shape, tone muscles, feel youthful and be silly than to do the hokey pokey.
If not, then at least the words can inspire you, they actually carry much wisdom if you listen...
Put your right foot in ("try something you've always been curious about like learning to belly dance or taking cooking lessons")
Take your right foot out ("listen to your gut, if it feels unsettling in there-don’t do it")
Shake it all about ("shake off people/stuff/negative thoughts that bring you down by taking deep breaths and putting on a fake smile which actually works to lift your spirits")
Turn yourself around ("you can start anew or re invent yourself at any age-I learned to swim the freestyle stroke at age 40")
George Carlin said 'Cloud nine gets all the publicity, but cloud eight actually is cheaper, less crowded and has a better view.'
My kind of attitude!
Try this dramatic exercise for a better attitude, calmness and relaxation:
WRITING ABOUT WHAT BOTHERS YOU
This exercise can contribute to the prevention of illness and help you move ahead by reducing the anxiety associated with things that concern you. This is different than keeping a daily diary or journaling because no one ever reads it and you are free to express yourself fully. You can use this technique to write about things that have bothered you for years, or something that occurred yesterday. It is simple to do, and yet the effects are usually dramatic. Pick any issue of concern to write about but at first start out with some unemotional topics.
Take a sheet of paper and something to write with. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for 15 minutes.
·The only rule is that you write continuously for 15 minutes. If you run out of things to say, just repeat what you have already written. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, or sentence structure.
·While writing DO NOT READ what you have already written.You can also write in letter form.
·Do not be concerned if you start crying while writing, it is common for this to happen.
·Your writing is completely confidential. When you finish writing, tear up what you have written and toss it out so that no one will ever see what you wrote.
·If you find it helpful you can write 3-4 times a week.
Modified from the original by Dr. Bruce Rabin
UPMC Healthy Lifestyles Program
Pittsburgh, PA
I saw a funny bumper sticker the other day:
"What if the hokey pokey IS what it's all about"?
I chuckled and of course thought of a great wellness tip...
What better way to lift your spirits, stay in shape, tone muscles, feel youthful and be silly than to do the hokey pokey.
If not, then at least the words can inspire you, they actually carry much wisdom if you listen...
Put your right foot in ("try something you've always been curious about like learning to belly dance or taking cooking lessons")
Take your right foot out ("listen to your gut, if it feels unsettling in there-don’t do it")
Shake it all about ("shake off people/stuff/negative thoughts that bring you down by taking deep breaths and putting on a fake smile which actually works to lift your spirits")
Turn yourself around ("you can start anew or re invent yourself at any age-I learned to swim the freestyle stroke at age 40")
George Carlin said 'Cloud nine gets all the publicity, but cloud eight actually is cheaper, less crowded and has a better view.'
My kind of attitude!
Try this dramatic exercise for a better attitude, calmness and relaxation:
WRITING ABOUT WHAT BOTHERS YOU
This exercise can contribute to the prevention of illness and help you move ahead by reducing the anxiety associated with things that concern you. This is different than keeping a daily diary or journaling because no one ever reads it and you are free to express yourself fully. You can use this technique to write about things that have bothered you for years, or something that occurred yesterday. It is simple to do, and yet the effects are usually dramatic. Pick any issue of concern to write about but at first start out with some unemotional topics.
Take a sheet of paper and something to write with. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for 15 minutes.
·The only rule is that you write continuously for 15 minutes. If you run out of things to say, just repeat what you have already written. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, or sentence structure.
·While writing DO NOT READ what you have already written.You can also write in letter form.
·Do not be concerned if you start crying while writing, it is common for this to happen.
·Your writing is completely confidential. When you finish writing, tear up what you have written and toss it out so that no one will ever see what you wrote.
·If you find it helpful you can write 3-4 times a week.
Modified from the original by Dr. Bruce Rabin
UPMC Healthy Lifestyles Program
Pittsburgh, PA
Thursday, September 4, 2008
I have noticed that knitting is this era's answer to stress management. Women knit on my bus heading downtown, women knit at book club, women knit while they wait or watch TV. Everywhere I go someone is knitting.
Studies show that this type of "active stillness" activity can lower blood pressure and heart rate, provides a repetitive, rhythmic, calming response similar to meditation and Tai Chi.
When I have asked these knitters why they do it, they claim :
alertness
calm
focus
enjoyment
It's a good distraction that keeps you away from the fridge
I can ignore people I don't like...
Skill of the month:
Autogenics is an effective way to relax your entire body.
Try this easy technique as you transition into work or home to make a distinct dividing line between needing to DO and just BEING. After all, we are humanBEINGS, not humanDOERS.
Take a deep breath, way down into your belly. Say the word "warm" to yourself as you breathe in.
As you exhale, say the word "heavy" to yourself.
Repeat the in breath, thinking "warm"to yourself.
Pause.
Let it go and think "heavy" upon breathing out.
Feel the warmth and heaviness in your arms and legs and let this feeling spread through your whole body. Feel each muscle become heavy and warm as you become totally relaxed.
Stay in this "BEING"moment for as long as you wish...
Studies show that this type of "active stillness" activity can lower blood pressure and heart rate, provides a repetitive, rhythmic, calming response similar to meditation and Tai Chi.
When I have asked these knitters why they do it, they claim :
alertness
calm
focus
enjoyment
It's a good distraction that keeps you away from the fridge
I can ignore people I don't like...
Skill of the month:
Autogenics is an effective way to relax your entire body.
Try this easy technique as you transition into work or home to make a distinct dividing line between needing to DO and just BEING. After all, we are humanBEINGS, not humanDOERS.
Take a deep breath, way down into your belly. Say the word "warm" to yourself as you breathe in.
As you exhale, say the word "heavy" to yourself.
Repeat the in breath, thinking "warm"to yourself.
Pause.
Let it go and think "heavy" upon breathing out.
Feel the warmth and heaviness in your arms and legs and let this feeling spread through your whole body. Feel each muscle become heavy and warm as you become totally relaxed.
Stay in this "BEING"moment for as long as you wish...
I hope these simple yet effective stress reduction tips will help you see that you are in control of how stress affects you. I can't take away your stress, but I can help you change your perception of the things you experience and then control how these events affect your mood, health and longevity.Take full deep belly breaths often when you feel good and you can eventually use deep breaths to calm yourself when you need it. Breathe in through your nose, belly pushes out/breathe out through nose or mouth and belly comes back down.
Finding some quiet time is also good when you are becoming more aware of how you feel about and how you respond to stressors in your life.
Stressors can be people, events or even thoughts, feelings and memories.They affect you differently than they affect others, stress is personal and perspective oriented. How you respond though, will determine many things, from how those around you respond to how your body ages.
Lower heart rate, blood pressure and increase feelings of well being by doing one easy, free, thing the next two weeks:
Listen to only classical music while in your car or on headphones (try 89.3FM in Pittsburgh). This is most beneficial during commutes and for some transitional quiet time before going into the house after work. Try this for two weeks. Let me know what you think. Keep breathing!
Fabi
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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