I’ve been thinking a lot about mindfulness over the past few weeks, partly because I have been working on a Mindfulness Workbook for you (details below) but also relatedly because of its effect on both fitness results and wellness. I have spoken here before about the importance of sleep, and being mindful also has an impact on that. You probably already know that not getting enough sleep can affect mood, appetite, focus, productivity, performance, health, and even your weight.
BUT mindfulness meditation has also been shown to cut the wake time of people suffering from insomnia by up to 50%. This can be as simple as sitting quietly with your eyes closed for 5-10 minutes, focusing on your breath, (you can also use an app like Headspace or Calm) and/or purposefully and systematically relaxing your muscles.
Improved sleep also has positive impacts on health and wellness in general. How you sleep can affect your food choices, which can affect your mood and energy, which can affect your workouts, which can affect your stress level, you get the idea...
A great way to start down the road of tuning in to your mind and body, and the connection, is to practice paying attention to your breathing - even a breath or two at a time. Find a moment to stop moving, close your eyes, and really feel the air going in and out of your lungs. Then build from there, adding more time and intention until it becomes easier and easier and you can maintain it at least 5-10 minutes.
If you would like more guidance on the practice, and some actual journal/workbook pages to help you focus on meditation and awareness, you can sign up for my FREE Mindfulness Workbook here! It will help you identify some things that may be blocking you from achieving your goals, zoom in on some positives that can help carry you to success, and hopefully clarify some next steps for you. I hope to see you taking advantage of this resource... sometimes wellness and improved health comes one breath at a time!
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