Special to IFN
Seventy percent of adults identify as having chronic stress. Does that sound like you?
Nurse and yoga instructor Sara Neal, who teaches ways to stop stress, has several suggestions for reducing your stress levels.
Neal focuses on the whole person in her work as a nurse through Iredell Corporate Wellness. In addition to being a registered nurse, she holds a master’s in public health and is a certified yoga instructor with 500 hours of training. She encourages practicing mindfulness to release the constant stressors of life.
What is mindfulness?
“Simply put, mindfulness is bringing your awareness to the center, or the present moment,” explained Neal. “This is noticing things without judgement and not thinking about the past or future. If you think about your stress, it’s like a to-do list: ‘What are you making for dinner? What emails do you have to send? What are your kids doing?’ All that sits in your periphery all day, putting you in a constant state of stress. Mindfulness takes that awareness and narrows it down to the present, allowing your mind to take a break from the stress.”
Stress of the mind is directly related to the body, Neal explained.
“When you calm your mind, you can calm your body, which takes you out of that ‘fight or flight’ mode and regulates your nervous system,” she said.
Scientific studies suggest that regularly practicing mindfulness can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve sleep, and even lower blood pressure.
“Two of my favorite mindfulness practices are breathwork and meditation,” Neal said. “Anyone can do these, they don’t cost anything, and you can do them anywhere, even in the car or the bathroom at work.”
Breathwork
Breathwork has been around for centuries, and studies have proven the benefits. One of the biggest components is nasal breathing, which filters and humidifies the air that comes to your lungs.
Box Breathing
How to do it: Imagine a box with four seconds on each side. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds. Repeat.
“This practice was actually brought about in modern times by a Navy SEALS commander. He would have his SEALS practice this to prepare for intense situations and decompress afterwards. They called it tactical breathing,” said Neal.
Physiological Sigh
“Sometimes, my mind is just so full that I can’t even go through all the parts of box breathing, so I use the physiological sigh. If you hear someone sigh, you’re probably going to say, ‘OMG, are you okay?’ It’s our body’s natural way of releasing whatever it needs to release. You don’t think about it — you just do it. This can be turned into a breathwork practice.”
How to do it: Take a big inhale through your nose followed by a second inhale, then deeply exhale through your mouth. When you release your exhale, release the tension in your shoulders and allow your body to get heavy.
“The second inhale is going to pop open your lung sacs. You can even do this with kids. Tell them it’s like blowing out a birthday candle.”
Meditation
Ancient Yogic texts from India talk about meditation and, more recently, there has been scientific research showing the benefits. According to Neal, the most important thing about meditation is letting go of your expectations.
“Meditation can look different for everybody. It’s a practice, so it takes work. You can’t just jump into a 20-minute meditation and be able to sit through it all. I started with three minutes of sitting on my couch and narrowing my awareness to the present moment.”
There are several different types of meditations, including progressive muscle relaxation, breathwork meditation, and mantra meditation with the traditional “om” sound. Neal encourages using online resources for guided meditation.
“YouTube is a great place to start. It’s almost like there’s someone there with you, teaching you what to do. One of my favorite apps is called the Insight Timer. It’s free and has tons of meditations to try. Another good one is the UCLA Meditation app with simple, clear meditations.”
With some intentional practice, you too can stop the stress.
LEARN MORE
If you enjoyed this information, tune into the “Inspire Iredell” podcast on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts for more helpful healthy tips and information.
About Iredell Health System
Iredell Health System includes Iredell Memorial Hospital; Iredell Davis Medical Center; Iredell Davis Behavioral Health Hospital; Iredell Mooresville; Iredell Home Health; Iredell Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center; Community and Corporate Wellness; Occupational Medicine; the Iredell Physician Network and more. Iredell Memorial Hospital is the largest and only nonprofit hospital in Iredell County. The comprehensive healthcare organization has 391 licensed beds; more than 2,000 employees; and has approximately 365 healthcare providers representing various specialties. Centers of excellence include Women’s and Children’s; Cardiovascular; Cancer; Surgical Services and Wellness & Prevention. The health system’s Iredell Mooresville campus is home to the area’s only 24-hour urgent care facility, as well as an ambulatory surgery center, imaging center, rehabilitation services, and physician practices. The mission of Iredell Health System is to inspire wellbeing. For a comprehensive list of services and programs, visit www.iredellhealth.orgwww.iredellhealth.org.