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Meditation is a great way to practice mindfulness. Meditation is the art of quieting your body and mind by focusing on one mental image, object or feeling at a time. Benefits include an increase in productivity, self-esteem, alertness and contentment. It can also help to reduce stress levels and various symptoms of depression. There are many ways to practice meditation. The key is to think of it as a tool to build your mindfulness muscle: it takes consistent practice to develop this muscle. Apps like , , , and can be helpful in maintaining a meditation practice.

There are many options for free, guided meditations on youtube; here are some places to start:

Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques are exercises that may help you refocus on the present moment to distract yourself from distressing thoughts or feelings. Grounding techniques can be used in nearly any situation, but are especially helpful in improving anxiety, well-being, stress, depression, mood, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and dissociation. There are physical grounding techniques (using your five senses or tangible objects), mental grounding techniques (using mental distractions to redirect your thoughts), and soothing grounding techniques (to comfort yourself in times of emotional distress) to choose from. We recommend incorporating grounding techniques before heightened states of distress: try one or a few each day, and do them when you don鈥檛 need them - this will make it easier for you to implement the practices when you do need them.

• for a variety of different grounding techniques to try.

Rhythmic Exercises

Rhythmic exercise can be relaxing because it gets you into a repetitive flow of movement. Some examples of rhythmic exercise options include: running, walking, swimming, dancing, climbing, rowing, jogging or boxing. Whichever you prefer, the purpose is to get you to perform a repetitive movement. It is important that you perform the exercise mindfully - you need to be fully engaged at the moment.

Sudarshan Kriya (SKY) is a technique that incorporates a unique set of integrative breathing, yoga and meditation practices to help people find relief from stress and discover inner reservoirs of energy, and inner silence in daily life. It provides people from all areas of society with practical and effective tools, derived from the ancient yogic science of breath, to alleviate stress, improve health and increase wellness. Independent research has shown that the Kriya stimulates the large vagus nerve in the neck and significantly: reduces levels of stress (reduces cortisol - the stress hormone), supports the immune system, relieves anxiety and depression (mild, moderate and severe), increases antioxidant protection, enhances brain function (increased mental focus, calmness and recovery from stressful stimuli), enhances well-being and overall peace of mind.

Mindful stretching exercises - remember, you are your own best teacher. These stretches will not be appropriate for everyone, and they are only a small sampling of all the different ways we can practice mindful stretching. Pay attention to your body, and increase any activity that feels good while allowing you to be aware of sensations in your body.

• 听If you are interested in exploring STARR exercises, or 鈥淪tress & Trauma Active Release & Rewiring鈥� exercises, in more depth, we have a deck of 10 oversized 鈥減laying cards鈥� from Same Here Global that each teach a unique STARR exercise. Each card shows a visual of each exercise and gives detailed explanations as to why the exercises work, what benefits come from them, and specific instructions as to how to perform them. Visit Gasson 013 to use the STARR exercise cards at your leisure. We are happy to provide you with photocopies as well, you just have to stop by and ask! Some examples of exercises you will find in this deck include mindful stretches:
  
  
  • Cat & Cow stretch - flexing, extending, and stretching the spine helps to improve circulation and release the tension in our bodies caused by stress. Cat & Cow stretch helps you to harmonize your breath in a pattern that is soothing to your body. As you breathe and as your head goes down and under your heart, you are also sending more oxygenated blood to your brain.
    
    
  • Triangle pose - there are many stretches to many parts of the body as well as many twists involved in this pose, which have many natural health benefits. This pose is also a wonderful back and core strengthener.
    
    
  • Sphinx stretch - this stretch lengthens the spine and stomach area. The pressure placed on the stomach stimulates the digestive organs. It warms the spine and helps to rebalance the natural curve of your lower back. This counteracts low-back pain and compression caused by long periods of sitting - such as at our desks.

Nutrition for Mental Health

Food impacts mood and energy. Evidence linking diet and mental health is growing rapidly. There are several places to look when considering the link between what you eat and how you feel. One is deficiencies, the most common that affect mood being Vitamin D, Magnesium and Essential Fatty Acids (in particular Omega 3 fats). The next place to look is food sensitivities. Even if you 鈥渆at pretty healthy鈥�, we encourage everyone to expand their definition of healthy. There are many so-called 鈥渉ealthy foods鈥� that wreak havoc on our brains and immune systems, especially if you are predisposed to certain sensitivities. Finally, leaky gut is becoming an epidemic in our country and the link between gut health and brain health is known. When our gut flora is out of balance, and we have leaky gut syndrome, or an overgrowth of pathogens (Bacteria, fungus, etc), our brains are dramatically affected. These imbalances MUST be corrected and healed in order for the brain to heal.

Sleep Hygiene

We know that sleep is one of the most predictive factors of overall health and wellness. Paying attention to sleep hygiene is one of the most straightforward ways that you can set yourself up for better sleep. The basic concept of sleep hygiene - that your environment and habits can be optimized for better sleep - applies to just about everyone, but what ideal sleep hygiene looks like can vary based on the person. It鈥檚 worth testing out different adjustments to find out what helps you sleep the most. You don鈥檛 have to change everything at once; small steps can move you toward better sleep hygiene.

• and helpful tips about how to practice good sleep hygiene.

• Do something you enjoy - engaging in activities that feel pleasurable to you allows us to feel calm, centered and happy
  
  
• Take a walk - whether you do this indoors or outdoors, getting up and moving around can have a positive impact on your stress levels
  
  
• Talk to a friend - sometimes what you need is to talk with a trusted person about your stress. Often the act of venting your frustrations can significantly relieve the burden of stress on your body.
  
  
• Listen to music - music that makes you feel soothed and at peace can help you relax and relieve stress. Some people like to make playlists that correspond to different moods - if you鈥檙e feeling lethargic and in need of energy, maybe a 鈥減ump-up鈥� playlist is what you need. If you鈥檙e practicing feeling your feelings, maybe a more emotive playlist is the way you want to go. Listen to your body and put on what you need!
  
  
• Spend time with an animal - playing with animals brings pleasure, joy and calmness. Play with your pet, and if you don鈥檛 have one - borrow from a friend!
  
  
• Immerse yourself in nature - going outdoors, smelling the fresh air, and putting your feet on the ground can have major positive effects on stress. It is important to try to get outdoors at least once every day, whether you are experiencing stress or not.
  
  
• Learn something new - our brains crave novel stimulation. Learning new hobbies or skills has for our mental health and wellbeing.
  
  
• Journaling - journaling can be used in many different ways to provide relief. We can use journaling to help practice self-care through increasing kindness towards ourselves: last thing at night before bed, remember three things you鈥檙e pleased with yourself for from the day. Really small things are great. Practice noticing when you鈥檙e being unkind to yourself and trying to be understanding of that. We can also use journaling for reflection: understanding our patterns, considering our values, and prioritizing what to do are ways to practice reflecting, and journaling can be a useful tool to practice reflective self-care. Write about your feelings, or conversations between different sides of yourself.
  • Need some help getting started? for a variety of journaling prompts.
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• Art for mental health - art therapy is difficult to define, in that what makes it the most unique, the art part, is what also makes it ambiguous. Most theories of art therapy are grounded in the knowing that artistic expression allows for the bypassing of verbalization in the externalization of internal processes, and in the assumptions that art therapy engages the sensorimotor system, recruits cognitive process, and has the ability to balance emotional dysregulation through healthy attachment experiences. We know that making art and engaging in state of flow can provide physiological benefits like decreasing stress and increasing focus. Engaging in the creative process increases neuroplasticity, which is the brain鈥檚 capacity to re-wire itself and build new connections. Creativity is a catalyst for neuroplasticity and allows us to be more resilient. We also know that using art materials engages different parts of the brain and allows for different kinds of self-expression. Making art by oneself and in the company of another are both helpful in communicating our thoughts and feelings. Arts are therapeutic in general and help to foster resilience and strengthen relationships. Art making is like a workout for your brain, and allows you to exercise your mind, body and soul: it helps to regulate our nervous system and parts of our brain that are in charge of emotional processing, allowing us to express ourselves more easily, think more clearly, and feel more at peace.

Boston College Resources:

• University Counseling Services
  Gasson 001
  617-552-3310 |听bc.edu/counseling
  Hours: M - F 8:45a - 4:45p. After hours or on weekends, you can still reach the Psychological Emergency Clinician (PEC) by calling 617-552-3310 and choosing option 2.
  
  
• Boston College Police Department
  Emergency line: 617-552-4444
  Non-emergency line: 617-552-4440 | bc.edu/bcpd
  
  If you or someone you know is in imminent danger of harm to self or others please call 蝌蚪直播PD鈥檚 emergency line or 911.

National Resources:

• Guide

• National Suicide Prevention LIfeline (accessible 24/7) - call or text 988.
  Veterans: call 988, then press 1

National Text Lines (accessible 24/7)

• Text HELLO to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor
• Text STEVE to 741741 to connect with a counselor trained in cultural responsiveness (BIPOC)
• Text START to 678678 to connect with a confidential Trevor counselor (LGBTQ+)
• Text HELLO to 838255 for confidential crisis support for veterans and their loved ones