Three Ways To Give Yourself A Brain Spa During Chaos

 Photo credit : Erol Ahmed

Three Ways To Give Yourself A Brain Spa During Chaos

Despite a whirlwind of thoughts in my head, I hadn’t been able to put them on paper in a sensical manner, because, as often happens, my brain was  flooded with negative thoughts about sharing my insights, for fear of them not being  smart, witty or academic enough for consumption.  And so, negative thoughts would ultimately win. You can imagine  my relief when I learned that the National Science Foundation’s 2005 research on  human thoughts found the average person has approximately 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day of which of which 80% were negative. Even more troubling, 95% of those thoughts were exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before. There was something comforting about that piece of troubling data: I was happy to learn that was not alone! If your negative nelly has hijacked your mind during this chaotic time, give these three options a try;

Breathe to a Beat

A two minute breathing activity to reduce stress. Inhale and count to 5. Hold your breath for two counts. Exhale and count to 7. Repeat. Research found that The 5-2-7 breathing pattern  reduced stress and improved decision making.
 

Take A (Brief) Walk On The Wildside

If you have the option to catch a few moments of fresh air, research has demonstrated that communing with nature has immense benefits on stress reduction. You don’t have to wander into a park, simply staring at the budding leaves or hugging a tree can do the trick.

Tune In

Apps such as Headspace, The Mindfulness App and Calm offer short bursts of meditation exercises known to reduce stress and anxiety. Your state of our mind has an impact on the quality of your life, and though you may not be able to get to a wellness center, what other ways  will you give yourself a brain spa this week in service of your sanity and well-being?

Hugs and joy