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3 Actos Cotidianos de Atención Plena

Por parte de Sharp Health News, una publicación de Sharp HealthCare

¿Pone la mente en blanco mientras se ducha? ¿Realiza múltiples tareas mientras prepara café? ¿Hace lista de compras mentales mientras conduce? Si es así, no estás solo. Los días ocupados se vuelven más y más ocupados, y es fácil perder de vista la tarea en cuestión.

Sintonizar cuidadosamente puede mejorar su concentración y disminuir su estrés. Pruebe estos 3 sencillos ejercicios que le ayudarán a estar atento a lo largo del día:

Preparando el Cafe

  • Pause en la cafetera.
  • Huela los granos de café.
  • Preste atención a los sonidos de preparación.
  • Sirvase el café con cuidado.
  • Pruebe lentamente su primer sorbo.

Manejando

  • Comience su viaje con tres respiraciones profundas.
  • Diga la intención de conducir con seguridad.
  • Cuando se detenga en el tráfico, dirija su atención a los automóviles Y a las personas que lo rodean.
  • Enfoque y vea el color de las luces.
  • Tome algunas respiraciones y proceda si es seguro.

Caminando

  • Salga a caminar: por placer, ejercicio o para llegar a un destino.
  • Observe todo con curiosidad y conciencia abierta.
  • Sea consciente de su respiración, siéntala entrar y salir.
  • Concéntrese en las sensaciones de sus pies y piernas moviéndose y sus brazos balanceándose.
  • Utilice las sensaciones para anclar su atención consciente.

VEBA ofrece clases de Actualización de Atención Plena al Mediodía. Mindfulness es la cualidad de prestar atención de forma abierta, equilibrada y curiosa. La atención plena se puede aplicar a todas las experiencias sensoriales, pensamientos y emociones. En esta clase, explore la atención plena del cuerpo, la respiración, las emociones y el corazón, una práctica diaria que puede realizar para mejorar su calidad de vida general y su sensación de bienestar. Consulte nuestro calendario para inscribirse en una clase.

3 Everyday Acts of Mindfulness

From Sharp Health News, a publication of Sharp HealthCare

Do you “space out” while showering? Multitask while making coffee? Make mental grocery lists while driving? If so, you’re not alone. Busy days get busier and busier, and it’s easy to lose sight of the task at hand.

Thoughtfully tuning in can improve your concentration and decrease your stress. Try these 3 easy exercises to help you be mindful throughout your day:

Making Coffee

  • Pause at the coffee maker.
  • Smell the coffee beans or grounds.
  • Pay attention to the brewing sounds.
  • Carefully pour the coffee.
  • Slowly taste your first sip.

Driving

  • Start your commute with three deep breaths.
  • Say an intention to drive safely.
  • When stopping in traffic, bring your attention to the cars and people around you.
  • Focus and see the color of the lights.
  • Take a few breaths and proceed if safe.

Walking

  • Take a walk — for leisure, exercise or to get to a destination.
  • Notice everything with curiosity and open awareness.
  • Be aware of your breathing — feel it come in and out.
  • Focus on the sensations of your feet and legs moving, and your arms swinging.
  • Use the sensations to anchor your mindful attention.

The VEBA Resource Center offers Midday Mindfulness Refresh classes. Mindfulness is the quality of paying attention in an open, balanced and curious way. Mindfulness can be applied to all sensory experiences, thoughts and emotions. In this class, explore mindfulness of the body, breath, emotions and heart — an everyday practice you can do to improve your overall quality of life and sense of well-being. Check out our calendar to sign up for an upcoming class.

Increase Your Concentration in Between Classes

By now, you are probably in a back-to-school routine — a routine that looks so different then years past. Your days, which normally includes a full classroom, may now include a virtual component. With so many meetings and lessons filling your schedule, it’s important to stay alert. Keeping your mind-body connection strong will help you keep you focused. VEBA Resource Center’s Holistic Practitioner, Dr. Ioanna Vouloumanou, shares some acupressure points and breathing techniques to improve your mental clarity.

Acupressure Points for Focus

In between meetings, take a few minutes to find some acupressure points to help activate the brain, body and blood flow. Rub your ears for 15 seconds until they are hot. This short, simple movement connects the brain with the body.

Another technique to try is called the Du 20 Point of the Sea of Marrow. For one minute, initiate some acupressure point stimulation by tapping the top of your head. This movement is an often-used acupuncture point to increase alertness, concentration and resetting of the body. Tapping helps to activate the point and increase blood flow, oxygen to your brain and stimulates your nervous system.  

Breathing Techniques for Mental Clarity

If you are experiencing brain fog or mental exhaustion, sometimes some simple breathing exercises will help. By focusing on your breathing, you can bring more oxygen to the brain and improve your concentration. Depending on your situation and how much time you have in between meetings or class, there are different types of breathing techniques you can practice any time of the day. 

Deep Breathing Technique: Most of the time, we take shallow breaths throughout the day. Taking deep breaths will bring as much oxygen as possible into as many cells as possible to activate all organs, the brain and body function. 

Gently place your hand onto your stomach. Inhale deeply for 10 seconds and exhale slowly for 10 seconds. As you breathe in, you should feel your hand move out; as you exhale, you should feel your hand go down. If 10 seconds is too long to start, try starting with five seconds and working your way up. Repeat five times.

Nostril Breathing: To change your body and mind from stress mode to a more relaxed mode, try nostril breathing. This technique will bring more oxygen into your body, help you find relaxation and activate your focus.

To do the nostril breathing technique, you’ll want to find a comfortable chair. Sit down and put your left hand on your knee and place your right thumb on your right nostril and “close” it. Then, breathe in and out with your left nostril. After you are done with your left nostril, use your right index finger to gently close your left nostril and breathe in and out with only the right nostril. You will notice that one nostril will be easier than the other — this is normal. Repeat the cycle 5-10 times depending on your schedule. Be sure to finish this technique on the left side.

Taking short breaks in between classes will help you stay focused and alert. To see demonstrations of the acupressure points or breathing exercises, watch VEBA Resource Center’s Acupressure & Movement for Focus and Breathing for Mental Clarity.