In our last blog post, we identified the ways in which our brains communicate stress and how that stress manifests in our bodies. The impact of anxiety and tension on our bodies can be insidious and looking out for signs is essential for preventing total burnout. (If you didn’t read our previous blog post, please read it before continuing with this one.) Now that you know some essential signs of chronic stress, you can begin to develop an arsenal of strategies to prevent future distress.

There are many options for stress reduction but this article focuses on the use of mindfulness-based tools for stress management. Mindfulness is an active mental process in which we draw our attention to our thoughts, without judgment, and allow them to simply exist. Not only do these techniques reduce anxiety and promote an inner sense of calm but they can prevent stress from flaring up in the future too.  Presenting the clinical research on mindfulness is beyond the scope of this article; however, this website is an excellent resource for understanding how mindfulness reduces our stress response to threats and helps us regulate our emotions.

Mindful awareness can be integrated into multiple parts of your day and does not need to be something you do only when stressed. In fact, thanks to neural plasticity (the brain’s ability to change and adapt), the more you practice the more resilient your brain will be in the face of stress.  

Below are two of our favorite introductory mindfulness exercises:

Mindful Breathing (This activity only requires about 30 seconds of your time)

1.  Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your back firmly against the seat back. 

2. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. 

3. Continue your deep breaths while gradually elongating each breath in and out. 

4. As you SLOWLY breathe, bring your attention to each breath and its sensations. Is the air cold or warm? Maybe its colder when the breath enters your nose and warmer when it is exhaled. 

5. Your mind will inevitably wander (because that’s what minds do!). Each time your mind wanders, acknowledge that it wandered off (because that’s what minds do!), and bring it back to your breath. 

6. Repeat steps 2-5 for as long as you deem necessary. 

Mindful Eating

1. Select something small that normally would take a millisecond to eat. We will be using a raisin to illustrate this exercise but chocolates or other small treats work too!

2. Place the raisin in between your pointer finger and thumb. Roll the raisin around in your fingers and tune into its texture. Does this raisin have ridges or is it softer than you imagined? You can do this with your eyes closed or open. 

3. Bring the raisin to your nose and take an inhale through your nose to sniff the raisin. As you are doing this, notice any sensations that accompany the smell (i.e. mouth watering).

4. Put the raisin in your mouth but instead of chewing right away, let it rest on your tongue. Spend a few moments investigating the texture of the raisin with your tongue. Tune into the way the raisin tastes in your mouth and pay attention to any sensation. 

5. Take a bite of the raisin and notice how the flavor becomes stronger as you break through the tough exterior. Savor the taste and tune into changes in flavor.

6. Swallow the raisin and follow its travels. You can do this by tracing the raisins path towards the back of your mouth, feel it slide down your throat and follow its journey until it disappears into your digestive system. 

Monitor how you feel over the course of the week while integrating these exercises into your daily routine.