Mindfulness Exercises to Help Reduce Pain and Stress
Whether we like it or not, everyone is going to deal with pain or stress at some point. While these are unfortunate and unpleasant issues to deal with, there are a lot of different ways to handle pain and stress, such as using mindfulness exercises. However, mindfulness can mean any number of things that can sometimes get confusing, so we made a short guide to help you out and give you a head start!
Pain-Reducing Mindfulness Exercises
Stretching: Take the time to gently stretch your body rather than forcing the muscles to move. Try to imagine that you’re leaving space inside of your body for your breath. You can also try to keep your breathing even during this gentle stretching-- if you breathe in for four counts, breathe out for four counts, as well.
Conduct a Body Scan: Lie down in a comfortable place with no distractions and take notice of which parts of your body are touching the surface you’re laying on. Focus on being present in that moment and take inventory of how each and every part of your body feels, from head to toe. This can help you become more aware of your body, as a whole, and focus on which parts of your body may need more attention.
Remember that Pain is Natural: Rather than allowing chronic pain to become part of your identity or constantly asking yourself, “Why is this happening?”, remember that pain is a natural part of the body trying to heal. In addition, it can be helpful to allow yourself to experience any pain for what it is for just a few moments, without focusing on how it makes you feel, emotionally.
Stress-Reducing Mindfulness Exercises
Meditative Walking: This is done by slowing down your walking and being aware of your breathing, posture, and forward momentum. You might focus on keeping your breathing relaxed and steady, as well as putting an even amount of weight on each leg as you walk. Meditative walking can help to stabilize and strengthen your muscles, relieving both physical and mental stress.
Drink a Cup of Tea: As simple as it may sound, drinking a cup of tea can be a wonderful stress reliever if you slow down and take the time to enjoy the experience. Slowing down to truly experience the process of making and drinking the tea can help you to become more present and quiet the mental conversation that goes on in your head every day.
Get Connected with Nature: Being in nature can give you an opportunity to easily disconnect from technology and be more mindful of yourself. Nature sounds such as the crunch of leaves or the sounds of animals scurrying around the forest can also help to relax your mind and nervous system.
Of course, sometimes all it takes is a good massage to get you back into tip-top shape, mentally and physically. At Holistic Massotherapy & Wellness, we offer a wide variety of massages that could help your mind, body, and soul. If you think this could help you, book an appointment with us, today!
