Mindfulness is the basic quality that a human being has instinct i.e. everyone knows what we are doing, where we are, and how we are, all the time.
Since it is an innate quality, we can practice this Mindfulness in the following methods so that we can be aware of our body, mind, and feelings in the present moment:-
- Sitting, walking, standing, moving, and even in lying down meditation
- Doing Yoga and Sports activities
Many of us are not able to spend even five minutes to sit and relax. Take a few minutes to provide space for our minds so that we can balance our bodies and mind.
Need for Mindfulness
When you cultivate the habit of building awareness about our neighboring environment in every note is a practice, that supports you to cope up with the difficult feelings and emotions that may lead to pressure and stress in your life.
By practicing regularly, we can come out of negative past experiences and unnecessary fears about our future.
It will help us to focus on positive emotions that increase kindness, tolerance, and understand ourselves and others.
How Does Mindfulness Help In Mental Health?
Mindfulness helps to reduce:
- Stress
- Pain
- Anxiety
- Addiction and
- Physical harm associated with chronic stress.
Most of us are not aware when we are becoming stressed as it moves on gradually.
By practicing every day, there are two benefits.
- It is a daily break when one can sit quietly and intentionally relax so that it prevents stress from accumulating
- One can become aware of what is going on in mind and body and accordingly plan to relax
If we know how and when to relax, it is an essential skill for managing anxiety and opioid addiction symptoms.
This article explains a mindful practice that can be followed starting from morning till night in a seriatim order.
Mindful Breathing By Sitting Or Standing
We constantly feel overwhelmed, and before we know it, we were blown up in anger or — or worse, turning to alcohol or other drugs to manage the situation.
Instead of getting upset with the external things we are not having any control over it, we can concentrate on our internal things where we can have control ie. breathing.
Mindfulness Breathing can be done by sitting or standing position.
This can be practiced in the mornings as the first thing. While sitting in a meditation position, it will be good.
- While sitting on your bed, close the eyes, and stay connected with the sensations of your body. Sit in a posture that your spine is straight, not rigid
- Take breathing in and out slowly and it lasts for 6 seconds.
- Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth
- Just have a thought of your ongoing or pending projects and plan how to execute it
- Watch your breath of how it enters your body, fills and way out of your mouth
When we are under stress, we imbibe into a damaging spiral of self-defeating thoughts. At this juncture, we have to take care of our emotions and control them. By focusing on breathing exercise, it brings back a sense of calm and control so that recovery is possible.
Eating by Mindfulness
‘Health is Wealth’.
If we follow good food habits, physically we will be strong enough thereby our mental health also will be strong. Only healthy people can think positively and can face any problems with ease. They will not easily get affected by their failures and even addicted people also can come out easily once they start practicing this technique.
- Before eating, take an in and out-breath slowly from the belly for 8 to 10 deep breaths
- After breathing, eat if you feel hungry physically i.e. empty stomach. Eat for the body condition not for your feeling to eat.
- According to your hunger, choose what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat so that you can tune yourself to the real needs.
- Practice for peaceful eating habits
Also Read: Taking Vacations is Good for you
Workout by Mindfulness
The most common mental health issues are depression and anxiety disorders. 17-18% of depressed people are addicted to either alcohol or drug usage.
Mindfulness reduces the risk of recurrence of major depression.
Bike Riding, weight lifting, car driving, football playing, gardening – each can be a mindfulness practice.
- By diversifying our mind from depression, you have to master any one of the above skills or some other skills of your choice and improve the condition.
- Before riding your bike/driving a car, be clear about your aim/destination. Ensure that this trip is enjoyable and memorable by watching the scenery, observe all activities on your way
- Try to increase the speed gradually and be alert
- Slow down steadily till you come to standstill.
- Notice how your body feels and take a drink
- Take a rest for 5 to 10 minutes
- Now you can recognize the sensations flowing around you
- You will feel awake and alive from head to toe.
Also Read: 7 Effective Ways to Improve Mental Health with pogo Sticks
Observation Through Mindfulness
It is a very simple exercise but most powerful.
- Select a natural object like fish on the tank, plants, pets, etc. around you, focus and watch it for one or two minutes
- Be Relax and watch as long as you can concentrate
- Just watch it as if you are seeing it for the first time and explore its formation
- Empower yourself to link with its liveliness and its reason
Removing Negative Thoughts Through Listening – Mindfulness
Most of us give little attention to our thoughts. Whether we recognize them or not, our ideas are the driving power behind our thoughts and activities.
Our feelings are influenced by our past experiences. When we hear a particular song it may remind us of our joyful experience of sorrow. By doing listening exercises, your ears are opened to sound in a judgemental way and our brain is trained to stay away from past experiences and preconceptions.
Mindfulness teaches us to become aware of our thoughts, empowering us to let go of harmful ideas that work against us.
The purpose is to hear some music from a neutral viewpoint, with a current knowledge that is unhindered by prejudice.
- Select a song, which you have never heard or listened to
- Put on your headphones and close your eyes
- Listen to the song and its wordings, without analyzing the meaning or singer
- Listen to every sound separately
- Don’t think about anything.
Negative self-talk is a common activity and it is harmful. If we think that “I am not good” or “Everyone is against me”, we lose hope and energy is needed to sustain positive change in drugs like opioid addiction recovery.
Yamini is a content strategist at Addiction Recovery Center
and she enjoys learning about the Addiction Recovery field. She
specializes in guest blogging, blog publishing, and social media. She is
an avid reader and loves writing impeccable contents pertaining to
Addiction Recovery. She holds a bachelor degree in commerce.
