Dealing with day to day stresses such as work obligations, academic requirements and standards and any other personal issues that may arise is difficult to say the least. What’s even more difficult is managing your time in a way that would allow you to relax and collect your thoughts. It can sometimes seem as if taking a personal day is now an obsolete term. Anecdotally, I found that the practice of mindfulness and meditation is essential in maintaining a more harmonious and accepting perspective of life events that attempt to dismantle the spiritual foundation on which we stand.
Dr. Marcie Walsh, administrative director of the College Behavioral and Emotional Health Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University, recently presented to a group of undergraduate research students on the matter. Walsh cited a study in which attending mindfulness-based stress reduction program was positively correlated to emotional regulation and response control. The study also found that those who participated in the eight-week program experience improved memory and a bettered ability to remain attentive. A similar study found differences in the structure of the brainstems in those that practiced meditation in the long-term rather than the short-term, these structural differences were related to cardio respiratory control.
Making time to for your practice is difficult. I found that physically writing my practice into my schedule resulted in me simply closing my eyes for a few seconds without actually taking time to be at peace with myself. To modify my practice, I began using Dr. Weil’s guided breathing techniques each time I began to feel overwhelming anxiety. The technique requires an inhale of four seconds, holding that breath for seven seconds and then an exhale of eight seconds. Weil suggests completing four or less breath cycles at the beginning of your journey to a more tranquil spirit.
Other mindfulness activities include savoring food which involves the slow and methodical experience of tasting food, coloring and mindful stretching such as yoga. An important key to mental health is physical health. Removing tension from the muscles and reducing bodily fatigue are impactful ways to energize your mind. This can be done by utilizing VCU’s massage services and recreational activities.
Before performing any of these activities, it is important to discuss their impact on your body with a professional, well-versed in the areas of both physical and mental health. Each body is different and requires a certain attention to its specific needs.
Photo Credits: cover image, 1, 2.