Exercising With Mindfulness: Your Best Weapon Against Stress

Exercise has a lot of benefits for your mental and physical health. Exercising releases endorphins which are responsible to keep you relaxed and happy. Sounds like a great stress reliever, but how can you benefit from it even more? Where exercising improves physical health, exercising your mind or meditation can improve your mental health. Mindfulness is an excellent technique to de-stress yourself. It also helps with depression, anxiety, and sleep. According to doctors with the following techniques, you can stay fit in both, mental and a physical way.

Mindful Breathing:

Sit in a relaxed position, and breathe in through your nose, till you feel your stomach expand, hold it in for 5 seconds and then let it go, through the mouth. Just focus on your breath. With every breath, just let go of your every worry, every negative thought, imagine it leaving your body.

Use this technique when you are exercising, taking a walk or even jogging.  Focus on your breathing. This technique will help you focus and clear your head of the negative thoughts. Breathing exercises are known to have a calming effect and help you with physiological and psychological illnesses.

Mindful Observation:

It is recommended to go to a park to exercise or somewhere in nature, instead of the gym. A walk in nature is an excellent way to relieve stress. Go out, breathe in nature. Observe; the colors, texture, beauty, sounds and let it calm you down and take away all the stress that you have been holding inside you. Just let it all go. Observe your own body too; your heartbeat, your movements, your temperature, and breathing. Remember that everything will pass; everything that is holding you back, everything that worries you.

Stay On the Target:

Don’t worry if your mind drifts away and random thoughts swirl inside your head like smoke in the wind. Let them come and then let them go. Don’t coerce them out of your head. Even if your mind wanders, bring it back and focus on your breathing. Give yourself some time and don’t be too hard on yourself. You are doing your best and you are at your own pace.

Don’t look at others and how far they are from you, just focus on yourself and this very moment. Set yourself free and give yourself a positive self-talk. Let out the negativity and focus on the positivity. Allow your mind and body to be calm and relaxed. Feel every muscle tense and relax. When you are done, do some stretching and do the mindful breathing again, to calm your body and look forward to a relaxing day. Remember, that you are worth it and this time is yours, only yours so use it to boost yourself up.

If you are having mental stress that is interfering with your personal and working relationships, consulting a doctor is another reliable option. You can also book an appointment with a top psychologist in Islamabad, Karachi and Multan through oladoc.com, or call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT Doctor for any troubling mental concern.