Tag Archives: relax

What’s the best way to improve your work/life balance?

29 Monday Mar 2021

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Exercise regularly! Researchers from Saint Louis University found working long hours, and spending more time away from the family hurts our home life. But people who exercised regularly were less stressed at work, even if they were having personal problems. So, they got more done and were more likely to leave on time, which reduced the friction at home. Plus, exercise boosted their mood and confidence, making them better able to forget about work after hours. Making it easier for them to relax, unwind, and enjoy their family.

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Who has time to meditate?

05 Friday Feb 2021

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You do! Because all you need is 16 SECONDS a day to alter your brain! Yale University researchers found meditation decreases activity in the brain area responsible for negative thoughts, and a wandering mind – which is typically linked to ruminating, worrying about the past and future, and being less happy. But meditation keeps you focused in the present. It also physically changes the brain. It increases brain cell volume in the hippocampus, which regulates emotions. And decreases it in the amygdala, which is responsible for fear, anxiety, and stress. 

And all you need is 16 SECONDS a day – as long as you’re consistent! So breathe in for a count of 4… hold it for 4… exhale for 4 seconds… and pause for 4. Done.

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If you – or the people you’re around – need to calm down:

25 Monday Jan 2021

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Wear pink – or paint a room pink. According to the American Institute of Biosocial Research, when study subjects looked at something pink – in less than 3 seconds, 99% of them felt calmer. 

That’s because the color pink relaxes the endocrine system – the one that triggers our fight or flight stress response. So it has a tranquilizing effect. It creates slower, calmer brain waves. That’s why so many hospitals have walls painted pink. It works in prisons, too. From Missouri to Texas to Arizona, prisons have been painting jail cells pink to pacify the prisoners, and reduce violence. 

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Stop a fluttering heart from stress!

04 Monday Jan 2021

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Did you know that if your heart gets all fluttery from stress, there’s a way to “touch” it to make the flutter – and your stress – go away?

Just do this: Take your thumb, and press it firmly in the web between the pointer finger and thumb of your other hand. Or, press hard in the space between your second and third knuckles. Psychologist Dr. Sharon Melnick, who wrote “Success Under Stress,” says the nerves under those areas go directly to your heart. And when you apply pressure to those nerves, it activates them in a way that relaxes the heart, and creates a sense of, quote “instant calm.”

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How does soaking in a steamy bath scented with rose, vanilla, jasmine, or lavender essential oils sound?

09 Wednesday Dec 2020

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Like heaven, right? Well, doing that will raise blood levels of the feel-good and calming neurotransmitters oxytocin and serotonin… for SIX HOURS afterward! That’s according to research from Brown University. And because the bath itself soothes your brain’s anxiety center – it needs less of that surge of oxytocin and serotonin. So more of those feel-good chemicals will be used to relax the cells in the rest of your body.

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When you come home after a long and stressful day…

08 Tuesday Dec 2020

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…feel free to plop down on the couch and watch TV. A joint study between UC Santa Barbara and the University of Georgia found people’s stress hormones were slashed after watching their favorite shows. Sure, meditation and yoga can also help stress levels – but unless you’re really into those things, feeling the pressure to do something “healthy” can prevent your stress levels from dropping. So, if you have certain TV shows you’re really into – don’t feel guilty – enjoy! Because getting absorbed in the plot and characters takes your mind off your own stresses and turns your focus outward. 

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Here’s a new way to fight stress, tension and anxiety.

27 Tuesday Oct 2020

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Don’t ignore it – or try to suppress it. Instead, consider how you’re feeling and label it. As in, “I feel overwhelmed.” Or “I feel pressured,” or frustrated, or angry. Psychologist Hans Hagemann calls it cognitive jujitsu. It works because when we label our feelings, it activates our prefrontal cortex – the rational, analytical side of the brain, and switches off the limbic system, the area fueled by stress and emotion. So, during your next meltdown, try cognitive jujitsu. Analyze your feelings, and label them. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel more in control.

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Need to de-stress at work?

15 Thursday Oct 2020

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Do it in 2 or 3-minute increments called micro-rejuvenation. According to Dartmouth College, all you need to do is step away from whatever you’re focused on at least once an hour, and give your brain a break. You can take a brisk walk, or scroll through happy photos on your phone. Because spending even a few moments changing up your mindset can make you feel relaxed, re-focused and re-energized.

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Here’s a one-minute meditation to help kick your food cravings.

04 Friday Sep 2020

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It comes from Bob Roth, one of the most experienced and sought-after meditation teachers in North America. 

Here’s what to do:

Place 3 fingers of your left hand on your right wrist and find your pulse. 

Then, let both hands rest in your lap. 

Close your eyes.

Focus on the feeling of your pulse.

Allow your thoughts to come and go, not focusing or dwelling on them. 

After a minute, you’ll feel more relaxed – and you’ll be less likely to reach for food to self-medicate your stress.

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Indoor plants are a proven mood booster!

01 Monday Jun 2020

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Whether it’s a fern, English ivy or even a succulent, like aloe, being surrounded by greenery prompts an immediate mood lift, and lowers your risk of depression. According to the University of Michigan, our brains are naturally primed to release feel-good chemicals in the presence of nature, and it also triggers a relaxation response. Even when we’re stressed! Being near greenery also increases our ability to concentrate, makes us more productive, and boosts memory by 20%.

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