Stress and Mindfulness

It’s so easy to become stressed and obsessed these days with the news and all the craziness in the world. We have so little control over much of what happens around us but there are some things we do have control over, for example, we can control our actions and our reactions to people and situations.

I’m thinking for example about how my husband actually chooses not to watch the nightly news, especially before bed.  He finds it difficult to calm down and sleep when the messages we get make us feel as though the world is in such chaos.

We may not have control over a lot of things but we do have control over our actions. For example, we can choose to be happy and calm or we can choose the opposite. Similarly we can choose how we react to situations-especially stressful ones. How often do we grab something, whether it’s a something sweet like a chocolate chip cookie or something savory like a bag of chips, or for some of us some other kind of soothing substance because we felt stressed out?

Unfortunately we can’t all jump on a plane and head for an island to “unplug” and unwind at will. I am going to suggest some “tools” you can use to help you better cope with stress and become more mindful of how you react during uncomfortable situations.

Stress Coping Tools:

• Let’s first talk about everyone’s favorite, the nap. If you can take the time to separate yourself from something that is causing you unnecessary stress and take a quick power nap you may find yourself refreshed, energized and thinking more clearly when you wake up.
• How about a relaxing soak in a warm bath? Remember that commercial where the woman, stressed from her long day sighs and says, “Calgon, take me away!”? Rather than some chemical bath products just adding some Epsom salts and a few drops of Lavender essential oil can make it feel as if you have a spa in your own home.
• Having a relaxing cup of herbal tea or my favorite Matcha Green Tea can be another way to help you de-stress. Interestingly enough, even though Matcha is the powdered and more potent form of the green tea leaf, and naturally energizing, it does not cause the jittery, nervousness as other caffeinated beverages. The actual ritual of preparing and sipping the Matcha green tea is a ceremonial custom dating back to ancient Japan and is considered a form of meditation.
• Diffusing certain essential oils, particularly Lavender and the Young Living Stress Away blend is another way to help you feel calmer. I actually carry the Stress Away blend in my purse and apply it before a flight or if I am nervous before a presentation. Lavender applied to the soles of your feet is a great way to help you get a more restful sleep. I rely on Lavender essential oil to help me when I’m feeling overwhelmed and my mind just won’t shut down for the night.
• Deep Breathing Techniques are great because while you are paying attention to your breathing you are also quieting the noises in your head. Taking deep cleansing breathes also has a very calming impact. There are some deep breathing exercises like the 4,7,8 Breathe technique or Alternate Nostril Breathing, also known as Nadi Shodhana, which are very effective when you need to calm yourself.*
• Meditation is a very popular way to become more mindful of your surroundings and to de-stress yourself. I have tried but I am not able to quiet my mind without a guided meditation and I have found a couple great (and free) apps to help me. My favorite is called Stop, Breathe & Think and you can find that app here at stopbreathethink.org. Using this guided meditation is a really useful tool and doesn’t take much time at all.
• Some people like to write in a journal or to talk to a friend but both have a similar effect that you are getting your feelings out. Whether they are written down on paper or the spoken word, it often helps relieve the stress and bottled up feelings when you let them go.

Hopefully now that you have some tools to help you when you are feeling as though your life has become very stressful so you will be able to make a more mindful and responsible choice about how to better cope with your situation.  Even though reaching for something soothing to eat or drink may seem like a good choice, in the end you are only sabotaging yourself and your health. Think of sugar as the little devil on your shoulder encouraging you to do something you know won’t be good for you. It may taste good, but it’s more likely you won’t feel any calmer or any better after you had the cookie (or 10) or the bag of chips.

*Here are some of the steps for practicing the deep breathing exercises I mentioned above. In addition to calming your mind, these techniques can help improve your blood pressure, help you fall asleep and enhance overall wellness:

The 4-7-8 Breathing technique:

• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
• Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
• Hold your breath for a count of seven.
• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
• This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

 The Alternate Nostril Breathing technique:

• Take a comfortable and tall seat
• Relax your left palm comfortably into your lap and with your right hand bring your pointer finger and middle finger to rest between your eyebrows, lightly using them as an anchor. 
• Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out through your nose.
• Close your right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale through the left nostril slowly and steadily.
• Close the left nostril with your ring finger so both nostrils are held closed; retain your breath at the top of the inhale for a brief pause.
• Open your right nostril and release the breath slowly through the right side; pause briefly at the bottom of the exhale.
• Inhale through the right side slowly.
• Hold both nostrils closed (with ring finger and thumb).
• Open your left nostril and release breath slowly through the left side. Pause briefly at the bottom.
• Repeat 5-10 cycles, allowing your mind to follow your inhales and exhales.

Yours In Good Health,

Wholey Fit Nutrition, LLC
www.wholeyfitnutrition.com
info@wholeyfitnutrition.com