Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain LIFE Winter 2014, Issue 10 | Page 7

COVER STORY - Research Update Mindfulness Techniques People Can Try at Home BREATHE PRACTICE BEING PRESENT Taking a conscious, deep belly breath and letting it out slowly has a profound effect on mind and body by sending a message to the nervous system to calm down. When feeling stressed or anxious it is common to take shallow breaths that can actually signal one’s mind-body to feel even more anxious. Some practice deep breathing by actually counting during each breath. One controlled breathing method is to breathe in to the count of four silently through the nose, hold your breath for seven counts, and then exhale through your mouth for eight counts. This can be repeated as often as desired. Set an alarm or set aside certain times of each day to check in with yourself. Focus only on what you are feeling inside and only in the present. Do you feel nervous, tense, happy, or angry? Observe what you are feeling, describe it to yourself, and then act with awareness moving forward without any judgment or “should.” You are now more aware of what is going on inside of you. You can also practice mindfulness by listening attentively to someone else or being more focused on your environment in the present moment. For example, do you hear any birds chirping, the noise of cars passing by, or any smells? It can be very enlightening when you bring your attention to what is around you and not the stories or talk going on in your head. STOP MULTI-TASKING SMARTPHONE? TRY A MINDFUL APP When you are doing everyday tasks and activities, try to be present during that time and put your attention on whatever you are actually doing instead of letting your mind wander. Whenever the mind wanders from watching what you are doing, gently and simply bring it back to the here and now. For example, if you are in the kitchen washing dishes, put your attention on that instead of focusing on your to-do list or other stressors. If you do start to think of other things, gently remind yourself to bring your mind back to the present without judgment. This transforms ordinary actions into mindfulness activities. If you need a reminder of this, place sticky dots or reminder notes in strategic places such as in the kitchen or on your toothbrush. Even a few minutes a day without anticipating, planning, or regretting can restore our sanity and peace. With so many apps available, here are suggestions: • Mindfulness Bell by Spotlight Six Software – Lets you specify a timeframe to practice and times for it to chime in that timeframe. • Headspace (on the go) by Headspace Meditation Limited – Provides meditation sessions and animations about how the mind works and tips on how to sit and breathe; also allows you to set meditation reminders and track your activity. • The Mindfulness App by MindApps - Comes with guided meditation practices of 3, 5, 15, and 30 minutes in length. There’s also a silent meditation option and a brief body-scan practice. • Mindfulness Meditation by Mental Workout – Six different lengths of meditation practice with less guidance, but that might be preferable for those who seek instruction but not a constant stream of it. • Conscious by Makan Studios – A daily challenge that focuses on one thing to be more mindful that day. An example of a challenge would is noticing the sound of the wind for that day. Further Mindfulness Resources www.mindful.org/ marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=16 health.ucsd.edu/specialties/mindfulness/mbsr/Pages/audio.aspx www.pennmedicine.org/stress/ www.mindfullivingprograms.com/ Winte r 2 01 4 Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Life  7