Self-Care, Coping, and Mindfulness Techniques

It is perfectly natural, while breathing and focusing on your breath, for other thoughts to come into your mind. Allow the thoughts to pass through your mind without judgement and then bring your attention back to your breath. It is perfectly natural to bring your focus back to your breath again and again.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Sitting comfortably on a chair with a back, clasp your hands behind your head and gently lean back, take a breath and feel your belly expand to take a full breath
Continue to breathe this way to experience taking deep, belly breaths

4-7-8 Breathing

• Sit comfortably, if possible have a straight back and feet on the floor
• Close your mouth and take a deep belly breath in through your nose while slowly counting to 4
• Hold this breath for a slow count of 7
• Exhale with a “whoosh” sound through your mouth for a slow count of 8
• Repeat the above steps

Alternate Nostril Breathing

• Place the index and middle fingers of your right hand onto your forehead. Your thumb should hang on the right side of your nose, and your ring and little fingers on the left.
• With your thumb, pinch closed your right nostril. While counting to eight, take one long, slow, deep breath in through your left nostril.
• Pinch closed your left nostril with your ring and little finger (so that your nose is now pinched totally shut). Hold your breath for a count of eight.
• Take your thumb off your right nostril. Breathe out steadily, through the same nostril, while counting to eight.
• As soon as you finish breathing out, immediately start breathing in again through the same right nostril. Count as before to eight.
• Pinch your nose completely shut. Hold your breath as you count to eight.
• Breathe out slowly through your left nostril for a count of eight.
• Repeat starting with the left nostril.

Tense and Release Relaxation Exercise

• Sit in a comfortable position, with eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths, expanding your belly as you breathe air in and contracting it as you exhale.
• Begin at the top of your body, and go down. Start with your head, tensing your facial muscles, squeezing your eyes shut, puckering your mouth and clenching your jaw. Hold, then release and breathe.
• Tense as you lift your shoulders to your ears, hold, then release and breathe.
• Make a fist with your right hand, tighten the muscles in your lower and upper arm, hold, and then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left hand.
• Concentrate on your back, squeezing shoulder blades together. Hold, then release. Breathe in and out.
• Suck in your stomach, hold, and then release. Breathe in and out.
• Clench your buttocks, hold, and then release. Breathe in and out.
• Tighten your right hamstring, hold, and then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left hamstring.
• Flex your right calf, hold, and then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left calf.
• Tighten toes on your right foot, hold, and then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left foot.

Pelvic Floor Relaxation Exercise

• Prepare by locating the pelvic floor area. Sit on your hands and feel your sit bones, then move your hands to the front of your body and feel where your hip bones stick out in the front.
• Visualize the area between your sit bones and the front of your pelvis and imagine that area expanding out in all four directions.

Grounding is a technique that helps keep you in the present, here and now, moment. Grounding techniques can help you to manage overwhelming feelings or intense anxiety by re-orienting you to the here and now moment.

• Find a grounding object to keep with you. It can be something soft like a smooth stone or polished marble, or a piece of fabric or yarn whose texture you find comforting; it can even be a small figure or something that brings positive memories. Keep the object with you somewhere where it can be easily located and pull it out when you need to practice grounding. Pay attention to and describe in your mind each detail of the object, touching it with your hand and noticing any sensations that come with it.

• Notice your feet on the floor. You can even stand up and plant your feet firmly, taking off your shoes and pressing each toe into the ground or floor, feeling the sensation of being connected to the floor, the foundation of the building, the dirt underneath it, and the earth’s gravity. You can also do this while sitting in a chair or laying down.

Go outside (or find a window you can look out) and pick an object. Notice as many details about the object as you can. For example, if you choose a tree, notice where the light falls on its branches and where the shadows lie. Notice how many limbs it has, and whether there are any buds or leaves on the tree. Notice the texture of its bark, whether the limbs are straight or curved, the shape and design of its leaves.

Sleep Hygiene or good sleep habits include a variety of practices that enable you to have good quality sleep at night. Getting good sleep is important for both physical and mental health.

Sleep Hygiene Tips

• Be Consistent- Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on weekends. Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle.
• Avoid Caffeine, Nicotine and Alcohol- Avoid consuming any caffeine (coffee, tea, soda, chocolate and some medication) and nicotine (cigarettes) for at least 4-6 hours before going to bed. These substances act as stimulants and can interfere with the ability to fall asleep. Alcohol is relaxing and may seem to help you fall asleep at first but it actually interrupts the quality of sleep leading to you not feel rested in the morning.
• Bed is for Sleeping- Avoid using your bed for anything other than sleep and sex. It is important for your body to associate your bed with sleep. If  you have been using your bed to study, work on your laptop, read, watch tv, your body will not learn this association. Arrange your room so that you can sit on a chair or a pillow on the floor to do activities other than sleeping.
• Avoid Screens 1-2 Hours Before Bedtime– The blue light that is emitted from screens (phone, laptop, tv) can delay the release of the sleep inducing hormone Melatonin which causes alertness and can interfere with sleep. If you must use your phone or laptop to study, use the settings in “display and brightness” to create a “night shift” which will emit warmer light during set periods of time.
• Sleep Routine- Develop a routine to get ready for bed to remind your body that it is time for sleep. (Sleep routines can include gentle stretching, breathing exercises, or any skin care or other routine)
• Avoid Naps- Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep. If you must nap, set and alarm and limit yourself to 20-30 minutes only.
• Include Physical Activity in Your Daily Routine- Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep easier at night. Spending some time outside is also helpful.
• If you are trying to sleep and tossing and turning try:
  • If you can’t get to sleep after 20 minutes, get up, leave your bedroom and do something relaxing like reading a book (no screens) or listening to quiet music. Go back to bed when you feel sleepy.
  • Try taking a hot bath. Taking a hot bath raises your body temperature, causing you to feel sleepy when you get out and your body temperature drops (as happens naturally with sleep).
  • If worries or concerns are keeping you awake, try writing them down in a notebook so you can set them aside until the next day.

• Insight timer Offers a large free library of guided meditations available in many languages.
• Smiling Mind App helps you learn the skills to promote mental wellbeing and create habits to help you thrive.
• What’s Up? Offers stress relief through grounding, breathing etc.. based on Cognitive Behavioral and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy principles.
• MindShift Self-help app for managing stress, anxiety and depression that uses cognitive behavioral therapy combined with wellness and relaxation techniques.
• PTSD Coach Tools to help manage the daily stresses of living with PTSD.
• I Am Sober Tracks your time sober and assists with daily motivation to stay sober.