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Mindfulness At The Workplace:Why We Need It
Mindfulness may seem like a buzzword, however it is on the cusp of becoming a household name. It is a centuries-old idea that has been reinvented to address modern day mental health challenges. So what is mindfulness really? It is a “mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic and meditation technique.”
Yoga as Medicine: Sympathetic Dampening
If the nervous system is repetitively triggered into "fight or flight" mode it can get confused, resulting in "sympathetic wind-up," a constant, heightened resting state. In this stressed state the nervous system has a hard time calming down, resulting in possible pain sensitivity, stress, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, and fatigue. Yoga has been shown to reduce pain, stress, anxiety, depression, and irritability. Yoga practice can also increase blood flow, improve concentration, and improve sleep quality. In short, yoga can produce the opposite effect of "sympathetic wind-up."
Mindfulness and Meditation: What’s the difference?
We hear so much about mindfulness and meditation these days. The terms are often used interchangeably. Your doctor may say “you really need to start a mindfulness practice.” Or you see a report on the national news of how great meditation is for you. Seems confusing, doesn’t it? I would like to simplify what meditation and mindfulness mean to me.