The Daily Mind

Daily Steps To Mindful Living

Liz Parry

6 steps to a better night’s sleep

Body

Did you know that an estimated 30 to 50% of the general population are thought to be affected by insomnia? And a further 10% are believed to have chronic insomnia? That’s a lot of sleepless people!

There’s nothing worse than tossing and turning all night, desperately trying to get to sleep. And the trouble is, the more you fret about not sleeping the worse the problem gets. Insomnia is a problem that troubles me from time to time, so this month I’ve been doing some research into natural ways to treat it. Here are some ideas I’ve found:


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Originally posted on October 27, 2012 @ 4:53 pm

Emotional processing: getting in touch with your feelings

Healing, Mental Health, Mind

Many of us spend a lot of time suppressing our emotions, trying not to let others see how we really feel. There are many reasons why we do this – pride, fear, embarrassment or self preservation to name a few.

It’s understandable why we do this. For example you might not want to let your boss know that you are stressed or depressed because you are worried you might lose your job. So you ignore those stressed or depressed feelings, burying them so that you can get on with life. Maybe you’ve even developed strategies for burying your emotions, turning to a glass of wine at the end of a stressful day, or a box of cookies when you feel sad.

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Originally posted on September 26, 2012 @ 3:38 pm

The power of kindness

Inspiration, Life

We all know that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you do someone a good turn. Whether it’s helping an old lady across the road or helping someone to pick up the shopping they’ve dropped. That’s the power of kindness.

Apparently, according to research, being kind does much more than give you that warm, fuzzy feeling – it actually benefits your health and wellbeing. Indeed, according to the results of a US study of 3,296 people, 95% of those studied reported feeling good when they helped someone, whereas 21% actually felt euphoric.

This is often referred to as the “helpers high”. This is because the brain releases serotonin – the body’s feelgood hormone – when we do something kind for others. This lifts our mood and makes us feel more positive and optimistic. Perhaps being kind could become addictive!

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Originally posted on August 24, 2012 @ 7:14 pm

5 foods to boost your mood

Home, Life, Recipes

I’ve been working to a pretty tight deadline this week, which has meant several long days at my desk. It’s been pretty tiring work and I must confess that I’ve been reaching for the coffee pot and the biscuit tin one too many times.

I’ve noticed that my intake of sugary, caffeine-filled foods and drinks has been making me feel jittery and on edge. I’m also pretty tired and struggling to focus. I’ve therefore decided to give my diet an overhaul and do a bit of research into foods which are said to help boost your mood naturally. I hope you and I will both benefit from what I’ve learned.

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Originally posted on July 24, 2012 @ 2:18 pm

How to fight your fears

Mental Health, Mind, Personal Growth, Spirit

Most people experience fear or anxiety in some form or other and stress and worry are very much on the increase during these uncertain times. More and more people are turning to antidepressants or other prescription drugs in order to cope with stress and anxiety. For this blog post I thought I’d take a look at some holistic self-help techniques to help you banish your fears the natural way.

The quick anxiety stopper
The quick anxiety stopper is a useful technique I learnt from an EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practitioner. EFT works by tapping specific energy points on the body whilst mentally or verbally tuning into the problem you want to address. The idea is that disturbances in the energy flow are removed, along with the emotional response and anxiety. The quick anxiety stopper involves tapping on three specific energy points. Start by tapping gently with one hand under your eye, then under your arm with a flat hand in line where a bra strap would lie, then with a flat hand tapping the side of the upper chest just under the collarbone. After tapping these points for a few seconds, take a deep breath and then exhale. Repeat the sequence until you feel less anxious.

The calming breath
Changing the way we breathe can change the way we feel. Each inhalation is linked to the body’s fight or flight response whereas each exhalation is linked to the relaxation response. When we are stressed and panicked our inhalations become more dominant, which is why we need to focus more on the exhalations in order to reverse this.

Try the following breathing technique next time you feel anxious. Breathe in for a count of five and breathe out for a count of five. Try to keep to this steady rhythm for a few rounds of your breathing. Then, start extending the exhalation by holding the breath out for a count of two after you have emptied your lungs. Repeat this several times and you will begin to find your relaxation response taking over. It takes a bit of practice and concentration but, believe me, you will notice the calming effects.

Flower power
Bach flower remedies are made from natural flower essences and can help with a range of emotions related to fear. The essences are simple to take – just put two drops in a glass of water and sip throughout the day. Here are some specific essences for fear and anxiety:

Rock rose can help when are experiencing terror or fright and you feel unable to move or think clearly.

Mimulus helps when you feel fearful of something you can name, such as spiders, illness, losing your job etc. It’s also helpful when you feel shy or nervous of telling others how you feel.

Aspen can help when you feel anxious or fearful but you can’t exactly say what you are afraid of.

Use your imagination
Visualisation techniques can really help to beat anxiety and fear. Try this simple technique next time you feel an anxious episode coming on. Close your eyes and imagine that you are in a relaxing place, such as a tropical island, a beach or the top of a mountain. Imagine sitting or lying there and concentrate on how you feel, what it looks and sounds like. Really focus on the details to make the scene as vivid and realistic as possible in your mind. Allow your senses to take you into a state of complete calm. Remain in this place until you feel that your breathing is much calmer and your mind is more settled. You should find that your fears have evaporated and you are more able to face the rest of your day.

About the author: Liz Parry is a writer specialising in holistic health and wellbeing, personal development and spirituality.

Originally posted on April 24, 2012 @ 4:41 pm

Full esteem ahead – tips for boosting your self-esteem

Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spirit

Low self-esteem is a problem which affects many of us from time to time. It’s certainly something that I’ve battled with throughout my life. I thought for this particular blog post I would take a look at some strategies to combat low-self esteem and promote feelings of positivity and wellbeing.

Be kinder to yourself
Our self-esteem is based on how we feel about ourselves and, for most of us, we’re way too harsh. Take a moment to think about the things you say to yourself. Have a listen to that little voice in your head – is it critical, negative, harsh?
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Originally posted on March 20, 2012 @ 8:55 pm