Treatment Tip - Move Tai Chi
Style
- Do this simple meditation technique anywhere
- Try doing everything is Slow Motion
Mediation should definitely be part of your adrenal fatigue treatment protocol. This article covers a very simple technique that will do two things for you:
- Move your nervous system towards a calm state
- Increase your mindfulness so you can catch yourself becoming stressed
In a nut-shell .... you simply do activities a little slower than you normally would.
This technique is in the book
Meditation in a New York Minute
.
Great book ... this article covers one specific technique from the book.
When can you do it?
You can do this technique absolutely anywhere. No matter what you are doing.
Simply move slowly and deliberately. Here is a few examples of when you can do this:
- Washing your hair
- When folding the laundry, just move a little slower than normal
- Loading or unloading the dishwasher
- Picking up around the house
- Cleaning your desk at work or home
- Cleaning out the litter box
- Taking out the garbage
- Stirring your food as it cooks
- Typing on your computer? Yes... If you type a little slower than normal, you will be more mindful. I find I make less typing errors, which tends to lower stress a little.
- Walking to the photocopier at work
- Answering the phone at work
There are countless ways that you can used this technique.
You may even find that you get more done, since you won't be scurrying around so much.
How to do this technique?
- Do you dart around like a squirrel?
- Try to catch yourself moving fast ... and then slow down
Is it very common for those with adrenal fatigue to dart around doing everything quickly.
You start folding your clothes ... think of something you had to do in the kitchen .. then down to the basement. An hour later, you remember you were folding your clothes.
It is very common to be in a state of semi-stress, as you whisk around not accomplishing very much.
So just watch for yourself. When you notice you are darting around at work, home or anywhere, just intentionally slow down and make deliberate, mindful movements.
With practice, you will get better at catching yourself.
A regular seated
meditation practice will help you get better more quickly.
What does it do for you?
- It
tells
your nervous system that you are calm - It trains you to be mindful
Guide your Nervous system
You sub-consciously do certain physical things when you are under stress.
You clench your jaw, you talk fast, you walk fast, you breath fast. When your nervous system is tilted towards a stressed state .. you just do these things without thinking about it.
However, if you intentionally do these things, you will create physiological stress. For example, clenching your first or jaw actually stimulates the stressed side of your nervous system1.
These activities are keys
to your nervous system.
If you avoid doing these things, or do the opposite, you can guide your nervous system towards the calm side (parasympathetic nervous system).
For example, intentionally breathing slowly has been shown to quickly reduce blood pressure and heart rate 2.
It is the same for intentionally moving slowly ... it guides your nervous system towards a calm state.
Mindfulness Training
At first, you might not be very good at catching yourself moving around quickly.
That's ok. It will come with practice. This is also a form of mindfulness meditation.
Not only will you get better at catching yourself moving around quickly, you will also get better at catching yourself in other negative states.
Anger, envy, worry, and other negative emotions are a sources of stress.
Like any other mindfulness meditation practice, you will start to notice yourself spiraling into these negative emotions as well.
Summary
This is a free adrenal fatigue treatment method that you can work into your life at any moment.
It has two benefits for you:
- Immediately guide your nervous system towards a calm state
- With practice, your mindfulness will increase, giving you the ability to catch yourself spiraling into states of stress, anger, etc.
Give it a try! This is a simple technique that you might want to work into your adrenal fatigue recovery plan.
Good luck.
