In turbulent times, finding time to take care of ourselves is often the last thing on our minds…
Self-care is taking an active role in our well-being, health, and happiness, particularly in times of stress.
Why do we talk about self-care and why is it important? Because prolonged stress can impact our bodies and minds causing symptoms such as headaches, irritability, fatigue, digestive issues, muscle tension, and even anxiety and depression. Self-care can reduce the effects of stress when we incorporate it into our daily lives, but it doesn’t take a yoga master to practice it. It also only requires small changes, not a giant time commitment. Self-care is unique to every individual, and it starts with your mindset about it (Think P.M.A.).
Here are some tips to incorporate self-care into your life:
1) Find your “why.” Why is self-care important to you? What mindset do you want to have towards it? This is setting an intention.
2) Start with a small goal. Maybe this means carving out 30 seconds or a minute of your day to practice being in the moment. Set a reminder on your phone to help you remember!
3) Find things that feel good and do it. Find joy or relaxation in listening to a song, spending time with your pets, stretching, talking to a friend, taking a walk, or even taking a deep breath. These small activities can have a big impact. Most importantly, do it for you because you matter!
Practice Technique-
2-to-1 Breathing: This is a breathing technique in which you make your exhale twice as long as your inhale. Lengthening your exhale reduces cortisol production in your brain, cortisol is our body’s stress hormone. Cortisol is useful if we are in a dangerous situation or need some extra energy to give a presentation in class, but too much of this causes the symptoms we stated above (headaches, anxiety, etc.). So, by exhaling longer than you inhale, you are telling your brain that you don’t need the extra cortisol, and therefore decreasing those symptoms. Let’s try it.
1) Sit or stand comfortably. Notice your feet touching the ground.
2) Breathe in through your nose and send the air all the way down into your belly (put a hand on your belly if you are not sure if you are doing it or not. Pro tip: breathe slowly).
3) Breath out slowly (preferably through your mouth) and feel your belly fall as the airs leaves. You may notice it was easier to take a deep breath by breathing into your belly.
4) Now let’s try it with the breathing pattern:
– Breathe in slowly for 4 seconds
– Now breathe out slowly for 8 seconds
– Try it for 2-3 breath cycles to start
– What did you notice?
Try this anytime you feel like it and don’t forget to stop by to see Alyssa, Jencee, and Lincoln for more tips and support. Sometimes self-care also means getting support when we need it! So, feel free to reach out to our Counseling Team at counseling@jacobcenter.org.
