In the demanding environment and high-stakes situations that you navigate daily, the implementation of stress reduction strategies is not just beneficial but imperative for your overall well-being. Deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation are invaluable tools in mitigating the cumulative stress and trauma experienced in your profession.
Deep breathing techniques facilitate a sense of calm and help regulate the body's stress response, enabling a more composed approach to critical situations.
Mindfulness meditation fosters present-moment awareness, allowing medical professionals and first responders to navigate the chaos with clarity and emotional resilience.
Progressive muscle relaxation, through systematic tension release, contributes to physical relaxation, easing the toll that chronic stress can take on the body.
By incorporating these strategies into your routine, you can enhance your ability to cope with stress, promote mental and emotional well-being, and ultimately sustain your capacity to provide exceptional care to those in need.
Stress Reduction Strategies Just for You:
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as "belly breathing," is a type of deep, even breathing that involves using your diaphragm instead of your chest to breathe. Typically, adults breathe in their chests, which many refer to as 'shallow breathing' that can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and worry.
During diaphragmatic breathing, the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle at the base of the lungs, contracts and moves down, giving the lungs more space to take in more air. This breathing technique, which increases lung capacity and elasticity, helps increase oxygen levels, allowing our brains to function better and stimulates endorphins, which make us feel happy and relaxed. It also slows the heart and breathing rate during strenuous exercise or a stressful situation, reduces cortisol levels, improves circulation and deactivates the fight or flight response
Give it a try:
lie on your back with your knees bent
place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly
breathe in slowly through your nose, letting the air draw down towards your belly. The hand on your chest should remain still, while the one on your belly should rise.
exhale slowly through slightly pursed lips. The hand on your belly should move down to its original position, and the hand on your chest should remain still.
repeat for several minutes
Body Scan
A body scan is a specific form of mindfulness meditation that invites the practitioner to bring their full attention to what’s happening in the present moment by focusing on the physical sensations in the body. During a body scan, we attempt to stay with whatever sensations arise within the body and allow them to come and go on their own, without attachment. With practice, the body scan will increase our ability to focus and be fully present in the moment.
Give it a try:
sit comfortably and tune into your breath
notice the breath moving in and out of your body
notice how the body feels in this moment
bring your attention to the top of the head and gently scan your way down the body
imagine your breath moving in & out of different parts of the body: head, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, belly, back, pelvis, legs, feet
if your mind wanders, without making any judgments, gently bring your attention back to the sensations in your body
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive Muscle Relaxation is an exercise that reduces stress and anxiety in your body and induces feelings of deep relaxation by slowly tensing and relaxing each muscle. During this exercise, each muscle should be tense but not to the point of straining. Pay attention to the feeling of releasing tension in each muscle and the resulting feeling of relaxation. (Harvard.edu)
Give it a try:
lie down in a comfortable position and bring your awareness to your breath. Breathe slowly and evenly
bring your attention to your forehead. Squeeze the muscles in your forehead for 10 seconds, feeling the muscles tighten and tense. Then, slowly release the tension in your forehead while counting for 30 seconds
work your way down the body: the jaw, neck and shoulders, arms and hands, buttocks, legs, and feet. Tense each area for 10 seconds, then slowly release for 30. Notice the difference in how your muscles feel as you relax
continue breathing slowly and evenly and enjoy the feeling of relaxation sweeping through your body
Try these out and let us know what you think in the comments below!