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digestive functioning, reduced overeating and
weight gain.

you bring your full awareness to both your physical
and emotional sensations as you move through the
poses. Step 3: Observe how the physical sensations from
3. Open Awareness Meditation
each pose give rise to emotional sensations, such
Step 1: Set aside a time and place in your day
where you can sit comfortably and you won’t be
distracted or disturbed.

feelings like pain leading to frustration.

Step 2: Find a comfortable but attentive seated
position, close your eyes and bring your attention
to the thoughts and feelings you’re experiencing
moment-to-moment. Step 3: Observe these thoughts and feelings in
an open, non-judgmental way; don’t try to change
them, but simply acknowledge their presence,
gently guiding your focus back when your mind
wanders. What you’ll need: A comfortable, quiet place to
sit where you won’t be disturbed.

Pro Tip: Try silently referring to thoughts as
“thought” and emotions as “emotion” in your
head. This will help you separate yourself from
these sensations and gain a more open, objective
perception. Why it works to reduce stress: Being able to
recognize and separate ourselves from the strong
thoughts and emotions we experience can help us
learn how to regulate our moods more effectively.

Health Benefits: Reduced Stress, increased self-
awareness and improved emotion regulation and
resilience. as released tension leading to relaxation or even
What you’ll need: A yoga mat, comfortable
clothing and an open, airy space.

Pro Tip: Try reducing the number of poses and
spending more time on each pose to increase
the level of mindful awareness you bring to the
practice. Why it works to reduce stress: In addition to all
the benefits of mindful meditation, mindful yoga
adds a physical element that provides a boost of
energy and positive chemicals in the brain.

Health Benefits: Reduced stress, enhanced
concentration and improved memory and
performance. Make it a Habit
The best way to get the most out of your
mindfulness practices in the New Year is to perform
them regularly. MRI scans have shown that
practicing mindfulness regularly actually changes
the structure of the brain, making it better wired
for awareness and concentration and less prone to
overly emotional responses. Reducing stress is just
the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the myriad
of health benefits of mindfulness.

4. Mindful Yoga
Step 1: Set aside at least 15 minutes in a quiet,
open, airy space for your favorite yoga poses.

New to yoga? Find the right yoga poses for you at
yogajournal.com. Step 2: Instead of treating your practice like a
session at the gym, treat it like a meditation where
10 January 2018 washingtonFAMILY.com
Nicola Brown is an award-winning writer and
communication consultant. She is passionate
about travel, food, digital media and psychology.

Article Source: www.fix.com/blog/
mindfulness-techniques-to-reduce-stress.