Live Whole Health #312: Pause for your whole health
Many of us are busy each day taking care of others, both at work and at home. We know that we should take some time to also take care of ourselves, but it can be hard to find the time for that. Fortunately, there is a very effective way to take care of our physical and mental health, and you might be surprised how easy it is to find the time to do it.
Take 10!
Take 10 minutes to enjoy this pause in your day by listening to Katherine Hillgren, Whole Health coach and yoga instructor at the VA St. Louis Healthcare system. As she points out in the video below, give yourself permission to be present; for this moment, there is nowhere else you have to be.
You can do it anytime, anywhere—breathe!
We can begin to take care of ourselves just by taking a pause and finding our breath. Isn’t it nice to know that no matter where we are and what we are doing, the breath is always with us? When we find our breath through practice like mindful breathing, we also start to find rest, comfort, healing and growth. After all, it’s the breath that helps us take in the oxygen that we need for strength and restoration.
We can find our breath simply by paying attention. When we pay attention to our breath by focusing on each inhalation and exhalation, noticing the various details of the experience, it allows the breath to have all the space it needs to do its job—taking care of us.
When we say “make space for the breath,” it’s not just a saying! Our bodies literally make space when we breathe! Mindful, intentional breathing allows our bodies to settle into its natural breathing rhythm, where the diaphragm expands and contracts to literally help our body make space for the lungs to take in more fresh oxygen that we need and to fully release the carbon dioxide that we don’t need.
Your lungs will thank you!
Do you know that Whole Health activities such as meditation, health and wellness coaching, and acupuncture can support people who are trying to quit tobacco? A study shows that these activities contributed to 11-23% higher quit rates for Veterans! Learn more about how Whole Health supports Veterans.