Mindfulness & Meditation Month

September 4, 2019

What is Mindfulness?  Merriam-Webster defines mindfulness as “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.” Basically, mindfulness means being aware of and controlling your experience.

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Mindfulness and meditation are mirror-like reflections of each other: mindfulness supports and enriches meditation, while meditation nurtures and expands mindfulness. Where mindfulness can be applied to any situation throughout the day, meditation is usually practiced for a specific amount of time. Mindful exercises such as yoga, meditation and breathing have been shown to have multiple health benefits including:  stress relief, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep and alleviate Gastrointestinal issues.  It also helps with making happier humans…..and who doesn’t want to be happier?!

Below are a few apps that you may want to try!  Remember that you as the employee are responsible for any costs incurred with the app purchase and you may only download apps to your personal device.

Calm– available for IOS and Android- offers music, guided meditation, relaxing sounds and pictures, breathing exercises, bedtime “sleep stories”, and is kid-friendly. Most of these sessions last at least 10 minutes or longer and you can do them anywhere.  Complete access is normally $59.99/year, but you can use the discount link to receive 25% off for 1 year.  Be mindful….this will auto renew at the full price in 1 year (there is a limited version for free). Many staff members already use this app and all agree, not one person has ever heard the end of a sleep story!

Simple Habits– Available for IOS and Android.  Offers music and relaxing sounds, guided meditation and breathing exercises.  The best thing about this app is they offer so many 5 minute or less sessions which are VERY easy to fit in your work day or busy schedule!  Full version is $11.99/month (there is a limited version for free).

Buddhify– Available for IOS and Android.  An easy-to-use app that can be purchased for about $5.

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September 11, 2019

The Wellness Council asked what people were interested in, and we received a large number of responses about yoga. Yoga and relaxation are a means to this month’s theme of Mindfulness & Meditation and we love this quote: “In truth, yoga doesn’t take time, it gives time.” ~Ganga White.

Want to get some time back, practice some yoga moves in the office, and not be embarrassed? Click on the link for Harvard University’s 10-minute chair session.

We feel like you also need some relaxation in your life. Your outlook can change when your body and mind are relaxed. Sometimes, we can be tense for so long that we forget what it feels like to be relaxed. If it were as simple as reminding ourselves to relax anytime we were annoyed or agitated then we would all be in a state of eternal bliss—it may take time to master this practice. Fortunately, yoga and intentional breathing can teach us this.

Dr. Natalie Nevins, an osteopathic physician, explains “The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome… Yoga can also lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia.” Stress-management is another benefit. Stress can be devastating to all body systems, and chronic stress can exacerbate health conditions. “Stress can reveal itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleeping problems, headaches, drug abuse, and an inability to concentrate,” says Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can be very effective in developing coping skills and reaching a more positive outlook on life,” says Dr. Nevins. Body- and self-awareness are particularly beneficial “because they can help with early detection of physical problems and allow for early preventive action.” Read the complete article here.

The following is only a partial list of yoga’s benefits:

• Reduced stress
• Sound sleep
• Reduced cortisol levels
• Improvement of many medical conditions
• Allergy and asthma symptom relief
• Lower blood pressure
• Smoking cessation help
• Lower heart rate
• Spiritual growth
• Sense of well-being
• Reduced anxiety and muscle tension
• Increased strength and flexibility
• Slowed aging process

There are many instructional yoga videos on YouTube. You can also download apps to your phone or watch them on Netflix or Amazon. Bereavement Specialist Jeana Jucha, certified yoga instructor, likes the following Apps (the Yoga Collective is not free and offers a discount through Groupon):

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September 18, 2019

Below is the link to the guided meditation in Go To Training by our own Bereavement Specialist Jeana Jucha (who happens to also be a certified yoga instructor). Staff must have access to speakers in order to hear the session and must use work email to register. If you wish to listen at home, forward the link that is sent to the AR Hospice email address after registration to a personal email account.

Please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for Yoga Meditation on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 10:22 AM – 11:22 AM CDT at: 

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the training.

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September 25, 2019

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”  ~  John Lubbock, The Use Of Life

“With the rushed busyness of our hectic lifestyle, we often underestimate the power of relaxation. Most of us have a massive to-do list each day, and we feel we can’t afford to slow our pace or we’ll quickly fall behind. However, we fail to acknowledge the ways that relaxation can increase our stamina, clear our thoughts, and allow us to get much more accomplished with less effort.” Read here for the rest of the article from Positive Thoughts for Inspired Living.

Sleep is one way we recover. Are you getting enough quality zzz’s?  A good night’s sleep is just as important to your health as eating healthy and exercising. People are at greater risk of developing diseases when they get less than 6-7 hours of sleep each night. 10 reasons to call it a night early and  10 tips for better sleep.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 70 million Americans have sleep problems that keep them awake when they want to sleep, and lead to drowsiness when they want to be alert. The NIH says adults need 7-8 hours of sleep each night to be well-rested, but that most people get less than that.

The CALM app we shared two weeks ago has a wonderful selection of sleep stories. Other apps have similar sleep-inducing concepts.

Be Well…

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