A person typically takes around 22,000 breaths per day. So, bringing your attention to this occurrence for a few minutes daily can provide many health benefits. Furthermore, pausing for a short breathing break is a great way to enjoy a quick refresher during a hectic day. Conscious breathing or ‘breath awareness’ means paying attention to your breath instead of trying to ...
How to Boost Benefits and Reduce Risks for Older Adults
By Carol Krucoff, C-IAYT, E-RYT
In recent years, there's been a growing interest in making yoga accessible to everybody—thanks, in large part, to the work of Jivana Heyman, director of the Accessible Yoga Association, whose mission statement proclaims that "all ...
The “Three Good Things” exercise is a powerful positive psychology technique. From a biological perspective, our brains are hardwired to reflect, notice, and remember the negative as a survival mechanism and a way to avoid that which causes physical and emotional discomfort. This tendency to focus on the negative can feed depression and burnout. Taking time to reflect upon three ...
By: Duke Integrative Medicine Psychotherapy Team It is natural to feel afraid, exhausted, and overwhelmed as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters of life during a pandemic. Maintaining mobility in our bodies and a sense of connection to self and others will help us to ride the waves of our varied emotions rather than crashing with them. Check out our ...
By Duke Integrative Medicine Programs Team Guided imagery, or visualization, encompasses several techniques meant to explore our beliefs and attitudes about ourselves and the world around us by tapping into our subconscious mind. This exploration is intended to impact our physical and mental well-being, bringing about positive changes such as relaxation, better focus, and improved performance. Guided imagery has many uses ...
By the Duke Health & Well-Being Programs Team Mindfulness is an ability that can be practiced at any point in our day, either in stillness or in movement. Sitting still to meditate can be challenging for many of us, especially with long days of commuting and sitting at work. Though generally performed with the primary purpose of getting from one ...
By the Duke Integrative Medicine Programs Team
As we go about the activities of our day, it is often the case that we may not notice the tension in our muscles and the feelings in our bodies. With increased awareness, we can both notice and choose to relax those muscles that tend to hold habitual tension and stress.
By Carol Krucoff, C-IAYT, E-RYT If you think you're an expert in breathing just because you've been doing it all your life, take this test: Put one hand on your chest and the other hand on your belly. Close your eyes and take several full, deep breaths, paying close attention to the movement of breath in your body. When you inhale ...
By: Jocelyn Weiss. When we fail to reach our goals, a lack of willpower often takes the blame. There are many definitions of willpower. At its simplest, willpower involves the ability to put off what we want at the moment for the sake of what we want in the future. In recent years, however, psychologists and researchers have doubted the role ...
By: Riitta H Rutanen Whaley, Mindfulness Instructor, Yoga Teacher The current global COVID-19 pandemic has led to a holiday season, unlike anything most of us have experienced before. We may be grieving the death of a loved one, have been sick or limited in our movement, seen our children miss their friends and school, or lost some or all of ...
