Ready to Take 2019 On as a New and Calmer You?
By Sandy Schroeder
The issue of calmness seems to come up a lot these days. Knowing how to calm down in a turbulent world can be invaluable. If you find yourself streaking through the day, and struggling with sleep every night, you may correctly feel you need to calm down more and stress less.
Recently Harvard Health tackled this issue, telling us how to take everything down a notch to enjoy life more and stress less.
When I manage to pull it off, I feel like I have just moved into a new neighborhood. Everything looks better, feels better, and usually plays out well. Staying centered really can empower you. Everything becomes less urgent, as you let go of worries and move away from anxiety.
Here are some steps from Harvard Health to make it happen.
Slow your breathing down - Take a deep breath to ease tense muscles, lower those shoulders that may be up around your ears, and calm the emotional flood of hormones that whirl through the body to fuel anxiety.
- Close your eyes and breathe deeply through the nose as you count upward
- Hold for a few seconds
- Breathe out slowly through the nose and count downward
- Make each outward breath a few counts longer than the inhale
- Repeat for five minutes
Roll anxiety back with exercise - Researchers have found regular aerobic exercise lowered anxiety in individuals who had anxiety disorders, and people who scored high on anxiety tests. Both walking and jogging can bring relief.
Use short bursts of activity - If you don't have time for 20-minute walks or jogs to burn off anxiety use quick shots of activity when you can.
- Sprint up and down steps
- Do jumping jacks
- Run in place for a few minutes
- Step outside for a five- or 10-minute walk
Rewrite the script - If you often find yourself getting involved in emotional discussions that raise your blood pressure and sabotage your day, learn how to change the conversation. Take a good look at family, friends and co-workers and spot the issues before they get out of hand.
- Avoid people who simply never say anything good
- Watch out for individuals who jazz people up to get what they want, and then move on
- Have some ready-made replies on hand to gracefully sidestep people who absorb way too much time
- Know your emotional soft spots and be prepared to deal with them
- Watch out for people who need a lot but never give back
- Keep the door wide open for people who know how to laugh and love
Finding your calm may be one of the best things that you can do for yourself in 2019. Give it a shot.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Boulder, Colo.