I am tired! Why you may wonder?
I could be tired because I have chosen to live life with a full plate. Being a mother and HR professional full time, along with a variety of volunteer activities, and fitting in time to workout and practice yoga regularly can certainly make one’s head spin. Isn’t a regular practice of yoga supposed to give you energy, relax your mind and make you feel better overall? I would argue that there isn’t a one size fits all answer to that question. There are certainly many benefits for practicing yoga poses, increasing flexibility, building strength and learning patience. However, all these benefits are null and void if your mind never shuts off.
I experienced this aha moment during the holidays. I can generally recharge and feel refreshed while on vacation. I find this to be true even if our vacation is full with activities. This past vacation, staycation really, was different. Despite eating well, exercising, practicing yoga, and getting a full night’s sleep, I still felt wiped out, and definitely not refreshed. So after some serious soul searching, and spending some time noticing my body, it finally hit me, my body was constantly on alert. At that moment, I realized I needed to change something and change it quickly. I reflected back to the last time I felt truly relaxed and at peace. What was I doing then, that was not happening now?
The answer: Meditation and Taking Time to Breathe
Taking the time to notice your breath is so important for resetting the parasympathetic nervous system. We are in a culture that promotes constant activity, whether it be constant travel, being on call 24×7, or even shuttling ourselves or our kids from activity to activity. For me, not taking time to tune out and turn off my mind, even for 5 minutes a day, caused a buildup of stress and tension in my body. My body wasn’t really resting because it was tense. My mind was also going non-stop, which added to the stress I was placing on my body.
I noticed an immediate change once I started meditating again. By taking the time to notice my breath and release the tension throughout my body, I started sleeping more soundly, thus waking more refreshed and more relaxed. I also noticed I was less reactive when my kids were arguing or my husband did something I didn’t agree with.
Feeling Stressed? Start with these 5 Simple Steps:
- So if you are feeling stressed, I challenge you to stop reading this and take a deep breath.
- If that feels good, you could experiment with taking another breath, maybe this time closing your eyes or noticing the rise and fall of your chest and you inhale and exhale.
- Then inhale and exhale again, and notice any space the breath created in your chest or lower belly.
- Continue on like this for as long as you like, all the while observing the sensations in your body.
- Congratulations, you just completed your first meditation!