In today's fast-paced world, taking a break from our busy lives to sit in silence and meditate may seem like a luxury we can't afford. However, meditation retreats offer a unique and invaluable opportunity for personal growth and self-discovery. Let's explore the benefits of attending a meditation retreat supported by references to scientific studies and expert opinions.
We breathe without much thought, yet it is an essential and often overlooked aspect of our health and well-being. Breathing consciously can profoundly benefit our physical, mental, and emotional health. Explore the surprising benefits of conscious breathing.
Stress Reduction
One of the most immediate benefits of conscious breathing is stress reduction. Taking slow, deep breaths ...
Sleep is a fundamental aspect of our daily lives, crucial to our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Yet, in today's fast-paced world, many need the recommended 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Here are a few strategies to maximize your rest to reap the full benefits of sleep.
We've all been there – setting big goals, making promises to ourselves, or planning exciting projects, only to struggle to make them happen. This is known as the intention-action gap, a common challenge where our intentions don't always translate into actions. Understanding this gap is important because it affects our personal growth, productivity, and ability to achieve our dreams. Understanding the ...
By Duke Health & Well-Being Team
In mind-body techniques, visualization is a powerful tool for achieving personal growth, wellness, and self-transformation. Visualization empowers individuals to tap into their imagination and manifest their desires by harnessing the innate connection between the mind and body. This blog post explores the transformative potential of visualization as a mind-body technique.
As we head into 2023, we have an opportunity to explore well-being tools and resources that can help us pursue activities, choices, and lifestyles that can get us closer to the most vibrant version of ourselves. Our team compiled some fun resources for the third year in a row to help you explore your version of well-being. The Best of the ...
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 ...
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 We can easily let go of our healthy routines and boundaries when dealing with crises. During a crisis, we may let go of important practices that cultivate the four pillars of a stable mood: nutrition, connection, movement, and rest. During highly stressful times, it's important to do what we can to maintain and bolster ...
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 ...
