Mindfulness meditation

It is far too easy to get lost in thought and be consumed by the problems of everyday life. Spending too much time focusing on problems has a negative impact on our body and our health. Meditation is a practice accessible to all that is very helpful to allow the mind to find calm at any moment of the day.

Mindfulness meditation is a type of meditation that encourages you to bring your awareness to the present moment to quiet the mind. Unlike what many believe, one does not need to sit cross-legged for long periods of time to meditate. It can be done sitting down comfortably at home, on public transport, while walking, or even while doing the dishes!

You must simply turn your attention to your breath (without trying to control it), to the sensations in your body, to the sounds around you, for around 10 minutes. By doing this, your attention is shifted from your thoughts to the present moment.

Of course, thoughts are an unavoidable and necessary part of life, so they will still arise during mindful meditation. When they do, the trick is to bring your attention back to the present moment. Even if you struggle with this at the beginning, with more practice, you become better at quieting the mind.

The benefits of mindful meditation are numerous. Studies have shown that mindful meditation can help decrease stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. It can also help increase attention and concentration and protect the brain from aging.

So why not give it a shot?

Proper breathing

You may not know it, but some of the best advice that have likely received is to “take a deep breath.”  

Many people do not realize that breath improperly. Improper breathing includes breathing through the mouth and taking shallow breaths and has been linked to a variety of negative health outcomes. While breathing through the mouth is at times necessary, like during intense exercise, mouth breathing is generally less efficient and beneficial. Shallow breaths can elicit a fight-or-flight response in the nervous system and contribute to feelings of agitation, anxiety, and depression.

Proper breathing involves:

• Breathing through the nose. The nose helps to clean the air that we breathe by filtering out dust, pollution, allergens, smoke, bacteria, viruses, etc. The nose also warms and humidifies air as our lungs do not tolerate dry air well. Breathing through the mouth does not provide these important benefits.
• Deep breaths. Deep breaths engage the diaphragm, a key muscle in breathing that sits above the stomach and helps the lungs to expand and contract. As you take deep breaths, the diaphragm is pulled down, increasing the space, and creating negative pressure, in the chest cavity. This allows the lungs to expand and fill with air. 

Some of the many scientifically proven benefits of proper breathing include: 

• A greater sense of mental clarity
• Reduced feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression 
• Better sleep
• More efficient food digestion
• Improved body's immune response
• Boosts energy and increases vitality.

As breathing is mostly done unconsciously, breathing exercises are needed to practice proper breathing. It is recommended to practice proper breathing for 5 minutes a few times during the day. 

Here is one simple breathing exercise:

• Sit down comfortably on a chair or on the floor with your straight posture.
• Breath in through the nose for 5 seconds.
• Breath out through the nose for 5 seconds.
• Repeat for around 5 minutes. 

Over time, you can increase the duration of your inhalations and your exhalations.

Hot shower or cold shower?

One of my favorite things in the world is a good shower at the end of a long day. You come out feeling relaxed, refreshed, and much lighter than when you entered in. Did you know that the temperature of your water during a shower can have an impact on the benefits you can get from it?

Most people tend to prefer hot showers. And understandably so! Indeed, hot showers have been linked with many benefits, including: 

• Muscle relaxation
• Stress relief
• Clearing out nasal passages
• Joint relief
• Improved circulation
• Improved sleep

On the other hand, most people tend to shy away from cold showers. However, it may be appealing for some to try them out as they may have a lot to offer as well! Some suggested benefits of cold showers are:  

• Increased alertness 
• Improved circulation
• Immunity boost
• Muscle recovery
• Improved mood 
• Increased metabolism

One benefit of cold showers that I personally love is that they can help in developing mental toughness. This is because they force us to push through the discomfort of the cold, with the determination of our powerful minds. And once the cold shower is over, you feel great!

Here are some articles providing more details about the benefits presented here, as well as potential risks, if you are interested taking a deeper dive in the topic.

Grounding/Earthing

We often hear about the benefits of spending time outdoors in nature, connecting with our planet. When we allow it, connecting with our planet allows us to disconnect from our often-tumultuous inner worlds, slow down, and find inner peace. This can be particularly beneficial for those who struggle to find such an inner peace going about their daily lives. 

One of the most accessible benefits of connecting with our planet is attained through grounding, or “earthing.” Grounding refers to direct skin contact with the surface of the Earth. This can be with bare feet, hands, the back, etc. 

Grounding is said to be very healthy for the body. While accounts on grounding have existed across various cultures from around the world, it is only in recent years that this phenomenon has been studied scientifically. Some of the many reported benefits in these peer-reviewed scientific studies are:

• reducing pain and inflammation in the body
• reducing red blood cell clumping (good for cardiovascular health)
• improving the body’s immune response (decrease in white blood cells)
• accelerating wound healing
• improving sleep
• reducing stress

The reported benefits of grounding are believed to be the result of the Earth’s natural electric energy influencing our bioelectrical bodies when we get in direct contact with it. 

Grounding for as little as half an hour per day is claimed to be enough time to start reaping the benefits of this natural practice. 

The benefits of dancing!

Most people used to love to dance as kids, but as we grow up, many of us disconnect from this love as we become more self-conscious and preoccupied with other life matters. However, as my mom who recently started dancing every week (now in her 60’s) showed me, it is never too late to start dancing again! 

We all know that staying physically active is essential for nurturing and maintaining our physical, mental, and cognitive health. Dancing is an excellent activity that provides many benefits and offers a wide variety of options within it. The benefits of the dance movements are combined with the benefits of music, which stimulates the reward center of the brain and elevates moods.

Some reported benefits of dancing are:  

• Improved mood (release of endorphins)
• Lowers risk of cardiovascular disease
• Helps weight management
• Better coordination, agility, flexibility
• Improved lungs
• Increased endurance

There is no shortage of dance varieties to try. My mom found her niche with salsa classes and other group classes that involve simple choreographed moves. This type of choreographed group dancing improves memory and other cognitive functions, and also helps individuals to develop and nurture social bonds, closeness with others, and friendships, which are all important for a fulfilling life. 

Others (like me) prefer to simply follow the rhythm of music and improvise as they dance, without learning specific moves. This type of self-led dance, called free flow, is more meditative in nature and invites reflection, making it easier to let go. There are no instructions to follow!

Interestingly, one study also found that recreational dancers are more productive at work compared to non-dancers. This is because dancing improves well-being, and the better we feel, the more productive we can be in our life! Sounds to me like we need more office dance parties!