Have you ever found yourself clenching your jaw or breathing shallowly? Perhaps it’s been a good day and there’s nothing overt to explain the feeling. Ever get a pit in your stomach and wonder if it has something to do with the stress you have faced this week? You may have a sense that stress impacts your body but do not know exactly what to do about it. Maybe you’ve taken a deep breath and finally released some of that all-too-familiar neck or shoulder tension and found yourself encountering some emotion, like sadness or grief, a bit unsure of where it’s from? Feeling a disconnect between mind and body can be disorienting, but it is very common.
Our minds and bodies are connected. Our thoughts, emotions, desires, and core needs, exist internally, but are often exhibited externally. Every day, our inner selves and outer selves are engaged in an interconnected dance, one impacting the other. Paying attention to this connection can be empowering. When we recognize the relationship between mind and body, we get an opportunity to know ourselves better, process our experiences, and evaluate and access our realm of control for positive change.
Understanding and increasing our mind-body connection is a tool for improved well-being. But how do you practically work on it? Here’s some practical strategies for getting started:
- Notice and Use your Breath
The breath is an easily-accessible inroad to mind-body practice. Take a moment and notice your breath right now. How fast or slow is it? Does it feel pressured or tight? Is it shallow or deep? Next, take a full, deep breath and notice what shifts. Try that again.
Continue to self-observe as you breathe deeply.Our breath is both automatic and something we can control. It responds to our environment and our mental and emotional states. When we pause to notice it, we can obtain some insight into how we are doing, feeling, and thinking. Our breath is also something we can actively control. Our exhale can be thought of as a connector to our parasympathetic nervous system, the part of our nervous system that invites rest and relaxation. Next time you find yourself stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, practice a few deep breaths, focusing on lengthening your exhale. Breathwork will not magically change the stressors in your life, or even your automatic responses to them, but it can help you regulate and cope.
Looking for a specific breath exercise to practice more? Check out these simple, quick breath exercises- Breathwork Minis: Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine
2. Practice Mindful Body Awareness Moments
The idea of adding a lengthy mind-body practice to an already-too-busy day can feel daunting. Many of us already have full to-do lists and are trying to simplify our lives, not add more to them.
Take a moment of your day where you already practice a regular routine. Perhaps it’s waiting for your morning cup of coffee to brew. Perhaps it's walking your dog in the afternoon. Perhaps it’s your lunch hour. Use this established routine and add a short, mindful moment of body observation. No extravagant agenda is needed. Just observe. What’s going on in your body? What’s noticeable about your posture? Do you feel muscle tension in specific body parts? Get curious about how your body is doing and how it informs you.
The goal is to increase your awareness of bodily sensations
and states. The more you do this, the better at it you will become, which nurtures an improved mind-body connection. Simply attuning to your body may be grounding during a chaotic day. Noticing what is going on in your body may help you understand your stress. It might also support you in understanding how your thoughts and emotions have been impacting you. Awareness leads to understanding and understanding can lead to personal lifestyle change.
Here’s three simple, guiding questions to consider when taking a mindful body awareness moment:
-What am I noticing in my body right now?
-What sensations am I aware of in my body?
-How do these observations inform me
3. Explore a new Mind-Body Practice
Mind-body practices have become mainstream. They take on many shapes and forms. It can be easy to get overwhelmed with where to start but consider just one small step of exploration. Try something new that can support further mind-body learning and exploration. Perhaps it’s a meditation app you heard about from a friend. Perhaps it’s that beginner yoga class at your gym that you haven’t tried yet. Perhaps it’s adding just one short body scan into your day (Here’s a 2.5 minute body scan as an example).
Be gentle with yourself as you embark on exploring
something new. Not every mind-body practice is for everyone. If you forget to do it or it doesn’t work for you, that’s okay. Try again or try something else. A theme of mind-body work and mindfulness is to have a non-judgmental, self-compassionate approach. As you work to increase your own mind-body connection, rather than being overly rigid or self-critical about what you do or how you do it, try to maintain curiosity and kindness toward yourself. Mind-body work takes time and happens in microsteps, but developing this powerful connection can prove highly rewarding.
Looking for more ideas for mind-body practices? Here’s some additional resources:
Mind and Body Practices- NIH National Center for Complementary & Integrative Health
Relaxation Techniques for Mental Wellness- American Psychiatric Association
Beginner’s Body Scan Meditation- Mindful.org
Interested in the mind-body connection and want to learn
more? At Spring Tree, we have an experienced team of counselors that can support you in understanding and practicing mind-body techniques to improve well-being. Check out our diverse staff here and consider making an appointment today!