How do you practice mindfulness? And what is it, anyway? Take a deep breath, inhaling for as long as you exhale. Do it again, inhale and exhale, taking notice of how the air feels in your nose and throat. If you followed along with that paragraph, consider yourself a more mindful individual than you were before. Let's first establish what not being mindful looks like; … [Read more...] about Practicing Mindfulness – Beyond Buzzwords
mental health
How to control fight or flight anxiety
It’s a late-night and you’re shutting the lights off in the unused part of your home. You have to pass a dark, exposed window to get to the bedroom, and realizing this sends a nervous zap up your spine that urges you to bolt for safety as you approach the vulnerability. Does that sound familiar? What is the fight or flight response? Your body’s acute stress response … [Read more...] about How to control fight or flight anxiety
When Your Anxiety Means Memory Loss
Around 30% of people have anxiety disorders and everybody on the planet experiences some kind of stress. Everyone also experiences some memory loss and an increase in blank moments as we age. But imagine being in your 20s or 30s and honestly searching keywords like ‘early dementia symptoms’ or ‘how young can Alzheimer’s present?’ Maybe you don’t have to imagine - I know my … [Read more...] about When Your Anxiety Means Memory Loss
Let’s Talk Video Games and Mental Health
Stereotypes and misconceptions of gamers are pretty widespread, but the positive connections between games and mental health isn’t often discussed. There’s a stigma, and instead of emphasizing how video games can help anxiety and depression, games are often associated with addiction, a lack of motivation and even obesity. That can paint a terrible picture of gamers, in truth, … [Read more...] about Let’s Talk Video Games and Mental Health
You know it: Dogs can help your health
Different scene, same ancient bond I wake up to a sound that just barely registers at the edge of my mind. A flurry of movement under the comforter and a bark accompany it. I fell asleep before my husband came home from work, and a glance at the alarm clock suddenly frays my nerves -- there's no way the dogs are greeting him, not this early. It's probably nothing. Then … [Read more...] about You know it: Dogs can help your health