Resources For Stress
The mind and body are not separate but intrinsically linked. It is common for emotional or psychological stress to effect the body physically and this may manifest in jaw clenching, IBS, headaches, neck, shoulder or back pain. We are all a bit different with how we express emotional issues somatically (in the body) but whatever the cause of the stress may be, even if we can’t control the circumstances, we can help our body to deal with the stress more effectively. In the same way that our bodies are different in expressing our pain, we as individuals are differ with what we might find stress reliving or relaxing. So bear in mind that what works for one person might not be helpful to you and vice versa. To start you off with some ideas I have listed some resources below. Most of these things require a level of commitment to practice in that you get maximum benefits when you do them regularly. That being said, if you suddenly find your self feeling burnt out, overwhelmed or anxious then even just 2 minuets of mindful breathing WILL help.
MEDITATION
If you have never meditated before and feel a bit overwhelmed by the thought of it, the having the guidance and the structure of an app can be helpful. The following are good ones, just clink on the the name and the link will take you to the relevant websites.
Meditation can also take the form of mindful walking. Resist the urge to listen to music or a podcast and go for a walk. If you can be in or close to nature all the better but you absolutely can do this in a more urban setting. Really take in your surroundings - What can you see? What season is it? - What in nature is showing you that is Spring or Autumn etc. You might like to take photos as getting lost in the activity of looking and capturing can be distracting to the mind. What can you smell? Can you feel the air or the sun on your skin? What is different today compared to what you saw yesterday or last week?
MOVEMENT
Try the mindful walking as described above which is good for the mind and body
Yoga With Adriene - Adriene creates free Yoga videos on You Tube and has a whole series specifically for stress/anxiety/mental health.
Sport - you might prefer something faster paced like running or the gym or a game with a friend like tennis or golf.
BREATH WORK
When we are stressed or anxious we tend to alter our breathing patterns usually towards a state of ‘hyperventilation’ - we breathe in more than we breathe out. The action of breathing is very mechanical, using the muscles of our neck, shoulders, ribs and the diaphragm. If we regularly hyperventilate these muscle groups may tighten up causing pain and altered function. There are lots of forms of breath work your can get into but the most simple breathing practice you can do anywhere, at any time is as follows;
Count with your fingers how long it takes for you to breath in - Say 6 then add 2 more counts to the out breath.
Breathe in through your nose for 6 then out through your mouth for 8. You should find that as you breath out more you can then take a longer breath in.
It can take time to adopt new habits and routines so be patient with yourself. Try one new thing at a time and go from there.