Feeling Overwhelmed? Consider Mindfulness
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and in recognition of this month, we want to share a helpful practice to assist with managing stress - Mindfulness. The practice of mindfulness teaches us to focus on the present moment, helping us to manage our feelings and our thoughts. Essentially, mindfulness can be a powerful tool in our toolbox for managing stress and the ups and downs that come from life. After all, every person experiences stress in some way, shape, or form. Learning how to deal with stress in healthy, relaxing ways can have positive impacts on both our overall mood and wellbeing.
How Mindfulness Can Help Improve Mental Health
The benefits of mindfulness can include:
Reducing stress
Minimizing anxiety
Promoting relaxation
Giving us a sense of calm
Improving attentiveness
Helping us with patience
Promoting happiness
3 Mindfulness Practices
Are you new to mindfulness? Here are three practices you can try at home to get started:
1. Belly Breathing: For belly breathing, sit in a comfortable position. Breathe in and let your stomach expand, breathe out gently and allow your stomach to become smaller. The purpose of belly breathing is to pay attention to the breath. This is an exercise that can be done at any time of day, no matter where you are.
2. Mindful Walking: For those who are able to walk, this can be a great practice for focusing on each step. Walk forward, moving as slowly as you can. Try to pay attention to where you place your feet, and where your arms are moving. Continue to gently breathe as you walk forward.
3. Pay Attention to Your Breath: Breathing in and out and noticing our breath, even if only paying attention to it for five seconds, is a mindfulness practice. Similar to the above, noticing your breath and slowing down can be done at any time - before meals or when taking a break at work.
Mindfulness can be a very helpful practice that only takes a few seconds or minutes and offers life-changing benefits to our mental health.
How Enabling Technology with SimplyHome Can Benefit Mental Health
Enabling technology can also help improve mental health as a critical tool that can be used to proactively monitor for changes in behavior, connect individuals safely to their support network, and allow for dignity of risk and self-determination. You are not alone in your mental health journey.
Want to learn more about how enabling technology can help you or a loved one live a life of independence and self-determination?