Mind

Expert advice, Mind

Are You Managing UR Anxiety? 

Nothing is permanent in this wicked world. Not even our troubles. — Charlie Chaplin Anxiety is a normal emotion. Everyone feels it from time to time. It’s your Body mind complex telling you that you may be facing something new and you are not sure you can handle it.That you are not feeling equipped enough, or a little shaky and nervous to face the problem at work or in your personal life. It could be a test you are preparing for, or an important work decision that you need to make, or a relationship decision with long term consequences. An Anxiety Disorder is different. Then, worry and fear are constant. Panic and Breathlessness are overwhelming, Tension and Sleeplessness can be disabling. The experience of Anxiety is out of proportion to the actual event. Worry and restlessness become constant and the person is unable to set them aside. Day to day life gets quite impacted and the individual realizes that Help is much needed. With treatment, most people can manage their anxiety and get back to a fulfilling life. Anxiety disorder is mental health disorder characterised by feelings of worry or fear and includes different conditions such as panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Different types of Anxiety disorders: Panic disorder - You feel fear, you may sweat, have chest pain and palpitations. Sometimes you may feel like you can’t breathe or having a heart attack. Social Anxiety disorder - You feel self-conscious and overwhelmed with worry about everyday social situations. You worry about everyone judging you or about being embarrassed or ridiculed by people. Phobias - You feel intense and debilitating fear in different situations or with objects. Phobias could be related to heights or flying or an animal and so on. The fear much exceeds what’s usual and may result in people avoiding those situations. Generalised anxiety disorder - Your worry and tension is excessive and not proportionate to reality. Symptoms common to most anxiety disorders: Panic, fear, and uneasiness Sleeplessness Unable to stay calm Cold, sweaty, hands. Sometimes numb or tingling Breathlessness Palpitations Dryness in mouth and throat Dizziness, Nausea Tense muscles, restlessness You may feel terrified and overwhelmed, and not in a position to take care of yourself. Treatment will include psychotherapy and/or medication. Your Psychiatrist may put you on Anxiolytics or Anxiety medication or even antidepressants, depending on your symptoms. They usually work for most Anxiety disorders.People fear that once they start medication, it will be lifelong. That is not so. Over a period of time, especially if therapy has been regular, medication can be slowly reduced and moved to an SOS basis. Psychotherapy is talk therapy that addresses the emotional response to Anxiety, its causes. A Psychologist helps you understand and deal with your anxiety disorder. Cognitive behavior therapy teaches you how to recognize and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that trigger deep anxiety or panic. Over time you become aware of these patterns and can cope better. Systematic Desensitisation teaches you how to de-condition yourself from Phobias. Step by small step, you are able to look at these phobias, recognize their build up and face up to them rather than avoid them. Relaxation therapies teach you how to bring yourself to a state of calmness such that you can breathe and think calm and be able to see your unrealistic fear responses. You can see your calm mind helping with Clarity of thought and not leading you towards uncontrolled fear. Sleep hygiene helps you address all issues related to sleep and improve the quality of night time sleep. It helps you with a Sleep Wake schedule resulting in you getting sufficient and restful sleep. Coping Strategies to help you manage your symptoms: Practice yoga. It will help with Body Mind calmness. It also works on the internal body and systems. Take a break. Pick up painting, listen to music, get a massage. Step away from the problem for a while. Maintain a routine. Eat regular and timely meals. Maintain a sleep wake schedule. Regulate Work timings. While this will be difficult initially, it will greatly add to Limit alcohol and caffeine since it may aggravate anxiety. Exercise daily. It will help you feel tired but calm. Practice breathing exercises. Inhale and exhale slowly and deep will help to feel calm. Time for humor. Schedule a daily dose of laughter on TV, shows, with friends. Talk to someone. Set up a support group of a few friends and family. Reach out to them when you feel fearful. Talk to them when you feel overwhelmed. Be patient with yourself. You have started a program. Give it some time for results to show.

Dr Savita Date Menon 4 min read July 18, 2020
 

Nothing is permanent in this wicked world. Not even our troubles. — Charlie Chaplin Anxiety is a normal emotion. Everyone…

Expert advice, Mind

Top 5 Ways To Reduce Stress Now! 

Stress can be good for some people. We sometimes find it motivating but when it gets out of control we end up not getting much done, not completing tasks and feeling even more stressed about that. Women are more likely than men, 28 per cent vs. 20 per cent (according to the American Psychological Association), to report having a great deal of stress at 8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale. I’m going to give you 5 quick and effective techniques to calm down and stay that way. Do One Thing At A Time Do you get you get up in the morning and the first thing you do is look at your phone or tablet? Start surfing Facebook, reading your emails or just surfing the net without purpose and before you realize it, 30 minutes has passed? Or maybe you have 20 tabs opened on your laptop and keep switching between them, while you watch TV in the background and read your text messages at the same time. Struggling to stay focussed on any one of them for long enough to digest and act on what they are about? Multi-tasking is bad for your health! Living like this creates constant interruption and sets up a pattern that makes it difficult to focus on one thing at a time. We have been living in a world where multi-tasking has been applauded and encouraged. In fact, women are the champions of multi-tasking and many pride themselves on being able to do many things at a time but we now know it’s not a good idea. So here’s a way to retrain your brain and feel calmer and less stressed. Get your favourite colour of Post-it note and write on it ‘One thing at a time’ and distribute them throughout your life. On your mirror, dashboard, computer, phone, wallet and anywhere else that you look at regularly will help. This is called an anchor and will remind you to do exactly what it says on the paper…one thing at a time! Stop. Breathe. Smile Imagine that your mind was like a snow globe. When you shake the snow globe, it looks like a blizzard of snow and when you sit it down on a table, the snow begins to settle on the bottom and the top becomes clear. When you are feeling overwhelmed, it’s like there is a blizzard of thoughts going on in your mind and you can’t think straight or make good decisions. I call it SBS…Stop, Breathe, Smile. So when you’re feeling overwhelmed sit down if you can, if not, stop moving. Take 3 really deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth and on the final one give a long sigh of relief. And then smile and say “All is well”. It has been proved that the mind releases fear when you breathe and smile simultaneously. So the next time you are feeling overwhelmed by too many thoughts and are unable to make a good decision, SBS is your answer. Then you will have calm and clarity and be able to make a good, clear decision. Spot the Difference Linking thoughts and emotions to colours works very well because the brain links a visual stimulus to a thought and is a great and easy way to change behaviour. Do you have something in your life that you would like to change your attitude about? Perhaps you lack confidence and you feel stressed at a job interview, a date or making a presentation? Get yourself some sticky coloured spots and load it with a positive affirmation like “I am confident”, “I am loved” or “I am calm” and then put them in places like the back of your phone, at your desk, on your bathroom mirror and every time you see it, repeat the affirmation. By practising and repeating this you will change your perspective and get a different and positive outcome. Name That Tune When you’re feeling overwhelmed by the world and all the information is coming at you and you just want a calm and peaceful place to go but you’re stuck on a train, a plane, a car or just walking down the street? Or maybe you’ve get to make a presentation or go to a meeting and you’re just not feeling that confident as you sit in the room before your go in. Music is the answer to changing your state to a calm, motivated or relaxed one. We filter our world through our 5 senses and the sense of sound is one of the most powerful ones. We can hear a song that transports us back to our childhood, just like that. Or, we can hear a song that reminds us of a time in our lives that we would like to forget! So my tip is to create playlists to put them on your phone under a word like calm, motivational and relaxed. Be creative and have fun! Sleep Easy In times of stress and anxiety, the first thing that usually goes south is your sleep. Not being able to get to sleep or waking up in the middle of the night with dark thoughts spinning around in your mind. I want to give you some top tips for getting a good night’s sleep and waking up refreshed. Turn off all your electronic equipment at least 30 minutes before going to bed…phones, tablets, laptops, TVs. These have humming sounds and flickering images that over stimulate us and that’s the last thing we need before going to sleep. Sleep naked, if it’s appropriate. Recent research has proved that sleeping naked reduces our adrenaline, cortisol and blood pressure and releases a wonderful happy chemical called oxytocin which makes us feel great. Then connect with the room and the bed. Focus on the photos on the wall, the texture and temperature of the sheets, the cashmere throw and stay focused on what you can feel, hear and smell. Really and be present and allow of the stuff of the day to melt away and subside. Get yourself a relaxing oil like Lavender and put a few drops on your pillow on the side you sleep on near your nose and then put some relaxing sounds on from your ‘calm’ playlist and allow yourself to be bathed in the sensory experience and add some self-Havening to this and you will be asleep within 5 minutes. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and self-Haven for about 5 minutes and I’m fast asleep again. And finally, instead of waking up to an alarm sound that sounds like a nuclear alert, link up a happy song to your alarm ring tone for better start to the day. Something like Happy by Pharrell Williams works very well.

Michele Paradise 6 min read June 30, 2020
 

Stress can be good for some people. We sometimes find it motivating but when it gets out of control we…

Expert advice, Mind

5 Fab Father’s Day Gift Ideas 

The boundless energy and the unconditional love father’s exhibit, compel every child to follow their footsteps in the hope of learning something new each time. While fathers seem like dominating characters at home, the fact is they are softest at heart. Their patience and perseverance make every little thing possible for the happiness of their children and their family. It’s sometimes perplexing and challenging to understand from where this energy and optimism comes from. We all can agree that this relation can’t be appreciated in one day. But, we can take time out to show our father what he really means to us. So, don’t fret. We’ve made the perfect father’s day gift guide for you this Father’s Day! Grooming Gift Set A set of essential skincare products like face wash, scrub, trimmer and hair serum is a perfect way to pamper UR dad. Social media is full of ideas on the perfect ensemble of products and how to use them. Before purchasing any products do consult UR family doctor. Fitness tracker It is fit for a father who is considerate of his health. UR dad can enjoy his workout sessions without breaking a sweat over the cost. In simple terms, this is a gift of health to UR dad, who works tirelessly, day-in and out. A Dose Of Nostalgia Revive his most cherished moments of the past. A collage of vintage photos of his childhood or arranging a conference call with friends should do the trick. Think of any such activities that you know for sure will make him smile. The old school way Build a fort, make a personalised family tree or play some self-invented games with UR father. Take him down the memory lane of his childhood and how he used to have fun without many screens around. Gift vouchers They are an ideal present to gift UR dad. If he really likes a particular store or brand. This way, no one has to bear a loss or compromise, he can utilise the gift card whenever he wants to And purchase an item of his liking.

UR 2 min read June 21, 2020
 

The boundless energy and the unconditional love father’s exhibit, compel every child to follow their footsteps in the hope of…

Expert advice, Mind

How To Settle The Mind During A Crisis 

At first only a few voices spoke of positive change after the COVID crisis ends, or at least becomes livable once again. Now one hears a chorus calling for change, much of it from younger people. The main message is about global cooperation and preparing better for the next pandemic. But I think people are pondering personal change, too. In the midst of widespread trepidation, what are the new goals that each of us might start pursuing right now? The first goal should be a settled mind. Fear is persuasive and panic easily goes viral. At the best of times most people turn their backs on worrisome problems rather than dealing with them directly. But unless you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, you can settle your mind and go beyond fear. The first steps to gaining mastery over fear are open to everyone, as follows. • Sit down and candidly talk about your level of anxiety. Assemble the adults in your family, and perhaps older teenagers. Discuss your feelings in the context of getting past them. • Don’t dwell on anxious thoughts. When one arises, say to yourself, “This isn’t helping. Go away, I don’t need you.” Talking back to the voice in your head is actually effective. • Plan rationally for the situation you find yourself in. Problems can be divided into three categories: things you can fix, things you have to put up with, and things you should walk away from. Take each individual issue that faces you, and write down which category it falls into. Most people aggravate their worries through indecision. They vacillate between trying to fix something, putting up with it, and fantasizing about running away from it. Be clear in your reasoning; pick one strategy from the three, then stick to it. • Empathize with other people’s anxiety, but don’t make it a daily habit. Be helpful and reassuring. If this doesn’t work, you should tune out the most anxious complaints and focus on anything positive that emerges. • Be creative with your free time. Idle minds are fear’s playground. • Don’t obsess over the news. Limit your viewing time to short periods two or three times a day. This is a crisis unfolding in slow motion. You don’t have to keep up with it minute by minute. • Seek consoling and uplifting things to read and listen to. • Devote some time several times a day to sit quietly, close your eyes, and use deep, regular breathing to reach a settled state inside. If you are patient enough to practice regular meditation, do that. • Write down a vision of your future as you would like to live it after the crisis passes. Detail all the things you want to achieve and experience. • Foster hope in your immediate circle, but don’t make it up if you don’t actually feel hopeful. • Take time every day to do something that makes you smile and laugh. As you can see, none of these things are mysterious. They are available to everyone, and if you seriously undertake it, the project of defeating fear is more than doable. At a more inward level, you can also confront the misleading ideas that anxiety fosters, replacing them with positive ideas any time they recur. First, the false ideas that are typically born of fear: • If I worry, it shows I care. • I have to worry because others around me don’t seem to. • By worrying I am fending off the worst things that might happen. • Sometimes the things I worry about come true, which justifies all the times they do not come true. • Worrying doesn't hurt anybody, so why not worry? • The world is hard and life is difficult. It is only healthy to worry. • I know my worries make me feel bad, but that's the price I am willing to pay. • A lot of people worry, so I am not alone. At the very least I get a lot of reinforcement on the news and in social media. • If I worry now, it's a kind of insurance that will help me not be hurt in the future when bad stuff happens. • Worry shows my family that I love them. • If my anxiety touches others, they will want to help and take care of me without me having to ask. Habitual worriers will recognize these familiar thoughts, and all of us entertain some of them in anxious times. But each thought is the product of fear. Clear, positive thoughts should be put in place of them, as follows: • Despite my worries, I am safe and cared for. • Any problem is best dealt with when it actually occurs. • Planning for a bad eventuality should be done once, take very little time, and then left alone. • If you have coped in the past, you can trust yourself to cope now and tomorrow. • Worrying is pointless as a way to solve anything. It blocks the part of the mind that actually solves problems. • If you feel bad from anxiety, your hurt is self-inflicted, and getting out of the hurt involves taking responsibility for your own reactions. • The people around you do not like you better because you worry about them. They find it a nuisance but do not want to oppose you, so they adapt and put up with it. • Worrying drives others away. • Worrying blocks a healthy sense of self because it is basically an expression of insecurity. • Anxiety doesn't protect you from future hurt. It actually brings hurt into the here and now. • You are not your fears, but if you accept that you are, personal growth is blocked. You might even find it helpful to take these two lists and discuss each item with people close to you. The project of overcoming fear knows no specific time and place. In normal times we should be gaining control over fear to the extent we can. Now, however, the need to settle the mind is more urgent than ever. DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”

Deepak Chopra 6 min read June 16, 2020
 

At first only a few voices spoke of positive change after the COVID crisis ends, or at least becomes livable…

Expert advice, Mind

Emotional Intelligence: Escaping The Matrix Of Fear 

For many young people, the COVID virus outbreak will bring their first experience of fear and anxiety as a pervasive mood. As a society we are afraid of fear, and most of the time we can turn our backs on it. But this kind of denial is unworkable in a crisis. As bad news mounts daily and society becomes ever more anxious, countless people become enmeshed in the matrix of fear without knowing how to escape. Social forces can drive you to participate in the matrix of fear, but society cannot get you out of it. Escape is something each person must confront on their own. I believe that freeing yourself from fear and anxiety is possible. More than that, you can learn how to be free of fear long after the COVID crisis has passed. The key is to cultivate emotional intelligence. The term had a burst of attention some years ago, but the value of emotional intelligence never changes, and when you focus on it, you will achieve something worthwhile for life. Here are six principles to guide you through the process. Commit to never complaining, criticizing, or playing the victim. Imagine a creative, positive future for yourself. Don't regret the past. It no longer exists. Be present in every situation as it occurs. Be independent of other people's criticism or approval. Be responsive to feedback. It is fair to say that hardly anyone hits upon these principles by trial and error or through experience of life. A person can live a long time without paying attention to emotional intelligence, and among men, the word “emotion” too often connotes something undesirable, as if showing emotional sensitivity is a sign of weakness. But emotional intelligence is gender neutral. The fact that humans can observe their emotions is a remarkable trait, and once you begin to observe your own emotions, you can counter the power of an unwanted emotion like fear and anxiety. Whether we admit it or not, emotions fascinate us, as Hollywood well knows. Empathizing with emotions onscreen is easy and pleasurable, but we are too attached to our own emotions, and it takes very little experience of anxiety, humiliation, rejection, and failure to train us to avoid the mine field of emotions in general. So it’s worth saying that developing emotional intelligence isn’t scary or difficult. All you need to do is notice and pay attention. By pausing and standing back a little, you can observe how you are reacting at any given moment. You can even turn the six principles into questions posed to yourself. Am I complaining, criticizing, or playing the victim? Do I see my future in a creative, positive way? Am I pointlessly reliving the past? Do I see what’s going on right now? Am I afraid of someone else’s criticism or craving their approval? Am I listening to what other people are trying to tell me? These are not mysterious or metaphysical questions. We can pause to ask them any time we want, and we should. But we are blocked by old conditioning and the habit of feeling uneasy about our emotions. There is a great deal of social pressure to behave with very low emotional intelligence, a kind of dumbing down on the feeling level. As a result we act in self-defeating ways. To give a few examples, We repeat the same reactions in most situations. We imitate how others behave, starting with our family. We act on impulse without a second thought. We don’t really see how others are reacting to us. We let negative emotions like fear, anger, envy, and resentment have their way. We easily go into denial and seek outside distractions. A whole way of life is implied in these examples, and when collective fear mounts, as it is right now, people often have little or no idea how to escape. Denial and distraction simply become more intensified, and playing the victim is more tempting than usual. Alternatively, we tell ourselves that we need to stay in control more than ever. But what is needed isn’t emotional self-control but emotional resilience. Resilience is the most important single aspect of emotional intelligence. You allow your emotions to rise and fall naturally, without trying to stop or control them. Once an emotion has passed, you feel better, and you are able to return to a state of peace and calm. The opposite of emotional resilience is seen when people are stiff, reserved, bottled up inside, censorious, aloof, proud, or remote. In all of these cases past experience has made certain emotions unacceptable. The only way to deal with them is through avoidance. One is reminded of the adage that trees can be blown over by a storm while grasses bend without breaking. Because the mind by nature is restful, alert, quiet, and at peace, that state of balance is the basis for developing emotional intelligence. You need the experience of balance in order to return to it at will. The experience comes naturally to everyone unless it is thrown off by stress and crisis. Then it takes a bit of intervention on our part, through meditation preferably. Meditation no only returns the mind to its balanced state, but it also allows you to observe what is happening, to experience it directly, and to identify with the quiet state of mind. Ultimately, this is how fear can be escaped permanently. Meanwhile, everyone can benefit from lessening the anxiety being experienced all around us. Emotional intelligence goes a very long way to expanding your awareness and making you free of stress and anxiety right now.

Deepak Chopra 5 min read June 16, 2020
 

For many young people, the COVID virus outbreak will bring their first experience of fear and anxiety as a pervasive…

Expert advice, Mind

UR Crash Course On Psychological Disorders 

Psychological disorders are the pattern of behavioural or psychological symptoms which impacts several areas of your life. They are also termed as mental disorders as they create the distress among the persons who may experience poor ability to function in their ordinary life. Types of Psychological Disorders There are different types of psychological health disorders, but the type of disorder is normally determined by the root cause. In most cases, it is determined by the peculiar symptoms a person experiences, along with any family medical history of psychological disorders. Most common types of Psychological Disorders include: ANXIETY DISORDERS Anxiety is defined as an uncomfortable feeling of fear, terror, dread or danger. A group of psychiatric conditions that involve anxiety, and are termed as Anxiety disorders. You may experience occasional anxiety which is a normal part of life but, during this disorder you may experience intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about your regular activities. The following disorders are identified as anxiety disorders: • Agoraphobia • Generalized anxiety disorder • Selective mutism • Substance-induced anxiety disorder • Panic Disorder • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) • Phobias, also called Social Anxiety Disorder In most instances, anxiety may be linked to an underlying health issues such as Heart disease, Diabetes, Thyroid problems, Respiratory disorders, Drug misuse, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and rare tumours. It is not always possible, to predict the cause of an anxiety disorder. So, it is better to seek immediate medical attention, if you think that you are at the risk of any of the following Anxiety disorders. MOOD DISORDERS Mood disorders are also called as affective disorders. During these disorders, your general emotional state, or mood gets swayed with your circumstances and interferes in your functional ability. You may experience frequent feelings of sadness, overly happy feelings, fluctuation from extreme happiness and even extreme sadness. Most common mood disorders are: • Major depressive disorder • Bipolar disorder • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) • Cyclothymic disorder • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder • Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) • Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder • Depression related to medical illness Mood disorders in most instances can be successfully treated with medications and psychotherapy talk therapy. However, your mood disorder may not go away on its own, and it may get worse over time, if it is neglected. It could be easier to treat early on, so seek professional help before your mood disorder becomes severe. EATING DISORDERS Eating disorders are referred to an unhealthy attitude towards food, and these are related to persistent eating behaviours. This eating disorder can negatively impact important areas of life including your health, emotions and ability to function. This disorder can have a negative impact on your weight, body shape and disturb your body’s ability to absorb appropriate nutrition. Most common types of eating disorders include: • Anorexia nervosa • Bulimia nervosa • Binge-eating disorder • Rumination disorder • Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder Eating disorders aren’t easy to manage or overcome, if you think you may have an eating disorder, it is best to seek immediate medical help. PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS Psychotic disorders are severe mental disorders that involve distorted awareness and thinking. The usual symptoms of psychotic disorders are hallucinations and delusions. People with these types of disorders lose touch with reality. These disorders can be genetic and most commonly found in people in their late teens, to early thirties and it affects men and women equally. The examples of a psychotic disorder include: • Schizophrenia • Schizoaffective disorder • Schizophreniform disorder • Brief Psychotic disorder • Delusional disorder • Substance-Induced psychotic disorder • Psychotic disorder due to a medical condition • Paraphrenia Most psychotic disorders can be treated with medication and psychotherapy. Self-help will also help in managing these psychotic disorders. However, the patients are advised to learn how to cope when these episodes occur, as it could be vital for managing a healthy, happy and fulfilling life. IMPULSE CONTROL AND ADDICTION DISORDERS Impulse Control and Addiction Disorders are considered as behavioural addictions where people have the inability to resist urges, impulses and perform acts that could be harmful to themselves or others. People with these disorders become involved with alcohol and smoking, while ignoring their responsibilities and relationships. Some of the most common types of impulse control disorders include: • Intermittent explosive disorder • Kleptomania • Pyromania • Trichotillomania • Pathological gambling An impulse control disorder co-occurs with other psychological disorders such as mood or anxiety disorders. Various psychological disorders that can occur alongside impulse control disorders: • Bipolar disorder • Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Conduct disorder (CD) • Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) • Depressive disorders • Antisocial personality disorder Opting treatment for any of the following disorders will help in reducing the potential negative consequences and improve the overall quality of your life and your loved ones. Your doctor may also conduct comprehensive mental health tests and medical evaluations to analyse the condition and implement a treatment plan that is specific to your needs. So, don’t ignore your mental health, when you can take charge of it!

Dr Savita Date Menon 4 min read June 12, 2020
 

Psychological disorders are the pattern of behavioural or psychological symptoms which impacts several areas of your life. They are also…

Expert advice, Mind

A Breath Of Relaxation With Guided Meditation 

The human mind absorbs and stores both the good and bad energy of its surroundings. Therefore, considering all the stressors that exist within the environment we live in, it’s quite natural that our mind and body show signs of anxiety and stress. To cope with stress levels, every individual has his/her unique choice of intervention. However, among all of the stress-relieving activities, meditation has gained significant momentum in the past few decades. And one of the many types of meditation routines that can help alleviate stress, anxiety and improve focus is a guided meditation, which has gained a lot of attention and appreciation due to its efficiency and consistency. So let’s understand how we can integrate this type of meditation in our lifestyles. What Is Guided Meditation? Guided meditation is a form of meditation where participants meditate in response to the guidance and instructions provided by an expert, teacher or practitioner. The format of communication between the instructor and the student could be either in person or via music, video or written text. The instructive nature of this format of meditation makes it easier for the individual to be much more structured and ordered in their practice. Nowadays, there are many guided meditation videos available online, which can help you meditate with ease. How We Can Incorporate It In Our Lifestyle Meditation is an activity that can be performed anywhere and anytime without prior preparation. The only thing to keep in mind is to channel all your focus on the task of meditation. Guided meditation, as the name suggests, helps an individual meditate without the burden of thinking about how and what to do if he/she is unfamiliar with the task. Meditation could also mean that a person is sitting in silence and reflecting upon life. The trouble with such types of meditative practices is that there is no framework to it. On the contrary, guided meditative practices have a finite set of instructions, which makes the process easier. If you are looking for long-term benefits, meditative practices only during episodes of stress may not be quite as effective. Try to include 10-15 minutes of guided meditation routine either in the night or morning, depending on your schedule, every day, without fail to reap its full benefits. Once you are comfortable with 15-minute intervals, you can increase the duration and go up to one hour, if time permits. However, most individuals will be able to stay focused and relaxed up to 30 minutes, if practised daily. Benefits Of Guided Meditation • As opposed to other meditative practices, guided meditation saves you the trouble of planning the routine, as it is pre-recorded or designed. You can either drop by a class and follow the instructions or plug in your earphones and follow the guidelines. • It reduces stress hormones in the body and promotes a sense of well-being. • 15-30 minute episodes of meditation practised daily have shown to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of hypertension. • It leads to slower brain wave activities, which helps in reducing the stress all the while triggering human growth hormones (HGH). • It also helps in reducing inflammation by neutralising acidosis, thus minimising pain as well. With technology at our fingertips, meditation has become an easily accessible practice. Moreover, many apps are now available on your smartphone that can give you instructions about meditation and how to start meditating, if you are new to it. Give these meditative practices a try to live a stress-free life!

Michele Paradise 3 min read June 12, 2020
 

The human mind absorbs and stores both the good and bad energy of its surroundings. Therefore, considering all the stressors…

Expert advice, Mind

Embrace Work-life Harmony 

Stress, anxiety and pressure have become the highlight of our everyday conversation these days. While these words were not frequently used just two decades ago, in today’s time, they have become the causes of so many physical ailments. Stress has been termed as “World Wide Epidemic” by the World Health Organization. What Is Harmonious Work-Life? Work-life harmony is all about integrating all the aspects – work, family, health, friendship - together and like musical notes, making a melody by joining all the elements at the right time so that a melodious song is produced! The idea is to achieve harmony with a focus on one thing at a time. Ways To Achieve Work-Life Harmony Become Self Aware We all know knowledge is power, and learning about self is like having unlimited power. Being self-aware is the key to bringing harmony in life. Some specific actions or reactions may drain or increase our energy. Identifying these can help in avoiding irrelevant results and replacing them with a response instead. Be Mindful and Prioritise The four aspects of our life – Work, Family, Self/ Health and Friends are all important, but keeping all the elements happy all the time is too much to ask for from yourself. Prioritising helps in knowing which aspect needs attention more according to the circumstances. It can help to bring both personal and professional life to a balanced position, and life becomes much more comfortable at both ends. Communicate Effectively Communication plays a paramount role when creating harmony between work and personal life. While there will be times where failure may strike in, communication is the best tool to consider to hold oneself strong. Transparent communication with loved ones, colleagues, bosses or friends can facilitate in being on track. It’s important to interact and be clear with the situations that come across. If things are not going right, there’s always a better choice which is to communicate with the people involved in that situation. Develop Core Habits Core habits are essentially a practice that we start following as it gives us overall life satisfaction; these habits may form intentionally or even unintentionally. Core habits create a domino effect bringing a positive change in all the aspects of our life, thus making it easier to achieve fulfilment in our lives. For instance, core habits can be working out after a stressful day at work or starting the day with meditation, which helps in increasing the level of satisfaction. What are your Core Habits? Write down three habits that will make you feel happier, regardless of how difficult and stressful your day has been. Try this exercise, and you can see yourself analyse so much about a situation you may be in, and help you find your solutions, because, problems come to you only when you have an answer. Attaining work-life harmony is not an easy task, but it’s also not impossible to do. Although it requires one to keep reinventing and learning what works and what doesn’t, the takeaway is extremely beneficial as it leads to less stress, less guilt and more peace of mind.

Dr Savita Date Menon 3 min read June 12, 2020
 

Stress, anxiety and pressure have become the highlight of our everyday conversation these days. While these words were not frequently…

Expert advice, Mind

Managing A Heavy Workload With Motivation 

If you feel you are overloaded with work and have heaps of tasks to complete, keep in mind that there are a few individuals in your team or at your workplace who would be happy to go beyond their job descriptions, so before you complain about a workload stop and try to be your driving force. It is instances such as these that demand you adopt the Happy A.X.E principle to proceed with deeper self-introspection over priorities. Therefore go ahead and make the most of the Happy A.X.E rule to stay motivated and upbeat about your work! And remember, a positive and optimistic outlook can go a long way! A-Access Vs. Excess Time On Your Hands Are you under stress because you have less time to access the work, or excess work needs to be done at the earliest? Besides the push from your reporting manager, are there other factors causing stress? Try to identify them and cut them down one by one. Remember, you are giving your best to bring positive results but be open to constructive criticism later. Convincing yourself to unload the work pressure is the first step to feel motivated. X-Xerox The Exact Idea Vs. Apply The Advice Are you open to seeking help from others during this period? One of your colleagues or seniors might have been in a similar situation earlier. So there is nothing wrong with asking for help but see to it that it does not turn into asking for favours. You may implement their advice in your work and seek further help later with their permission. Also, don’t forget that making peace with the people around is essential to help you stay motivated while being honest with your work. Present Vs. Living In The Future When was the last time you enjoyed working overtime? Compare and assess the efforts that you put in during those days with the present work. Give yourself two realistic self-deadlines and work with proper dedication, keeping all distractions away. This will help you feel comfortable while you give your hundred per cent, regardless of the pressure. Working in a high-stress environment is different from working with highly stressed individuals. Engaging yourself and your team through outbound training sessions with the help of professional transformational training experts can help you prevent such instances in the future as the team members do not just take a break but give a break to each other holistically. The team’s abilities are also improved, and leadership qualities are enhanced. What’s more, personal conflicts or intragroup conflicts too are resolved, and communication skills are boosted, leading to better bonding and collaboration. You may be giving your best to bring positive results but convincing yourself to unload the work pressure is the first step to feel motivated. Even though you want to be motivated and inspired to complete all of your tasks, there may be times when you may not feel any motivation at all. There’s also no denying that sometimes, motivation is hard to get hold of. Staring at our screens and simply not being able to get through the work, no matter how hard we try, is an instance we can all relate to. At times like these, you have to get your act together and look for real and practical solutions to be able to get the job done and also inspire yourself. Fortunately, there are certain tricks and tips to help you get motivated in no time at all! Stay Motivated And Upbeat About Your Work Stop thinking of the work as hard and consider it as something that is propelling you towards what you want to be. Envision the task is already completed and also think about how good that would make you feel! Chasing a big goal can be scary at times, as you may not know where to begin! So it’s best to break your goals down into small bite-size goals so that each time you make some progress, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and will be motivated to continue. When you need to complete a task, you will probably not think about doing anything else or for that matter, pick up a book and read! But reading can help you find the motivation you are lacking! Additionally, it’s a profoundly inspiring habit to acquire. Moreover, when you have a deadline to reach, ignore all irrelevant activities and forge ahead to complete your unfinished work by getting rid of anything that wastes your time and always sticks to the activities that apply to a larger goal. Some of the other natural ways to find motivation are to allow yourself some downtime and once refreshed, dive into your task again. Also, remember to celebrate your small wins and reward yourself for staying motivated and on top of things!

Dr. Rithvik Ryaka 4 min read June 9, 2020
 

If you feel you are overloaded with work and have heaps of tasks to complete, keep in mind that there…

Expert advice, Mind

Top 5 Ways To Kick-Start UR Morning With Meditation 

Meditation has been given several definitions over the years in philosophical, spiritual, religious and sometimes even in the most practical spheres, but the fact remains that it is one of the most underrated practices in modern age. While many dive deep into the art of meditation and the ways to do it, all that you need is to understand that meditation can be attributed to any activity done with focus and mindfulness to train attentiveness or awareness of your thoughts and emotions. Why You Should Meditate In The Morning? Empirical evidences over the years have suggested that mindful activities done first thing in the morning can have a positive impact throughout the day. As meditation prepares an individual towards having a focused and an alert mind, it has a positive effect on the upcoming activities carried out during the day. We cleanse our body in the morning to prepare it for the day so why not cleanse your mind with meditation? Meditation Techniques You Can Do In The Morning The concept of meditation has been interpreted in several different ways. Some unconventional interpretations of meditation include reading, writing, exercising and so on. Some people claim that cleaning can be meditative too. So look for activities in your life that demand your utmost focus and which are also enjoyable, as such activities become meditative. Thus you accomplish two goals. Engaging in a productive activity in the morning also sets your mind for the rest of the day. Beginning your day with such an objective brings about a holistic sense of well-being. So try meditating in the morning and see the difference! Benefits Of Meditating In The Morning Focus and attentiveness: You can begin your day with utmost focus and attentiveness. This focus and attentiveness that is the ultimate aim of meditation has a positive carryover to other activities lined up during the day. Mind conditioning: Each day begins with positive reinforcement in the means of mindful conditioning. You can get one of your most productive activities done first thing in the morning by also adding a meditative element to it. Mental preparedness: You can counteract expected stressors in your day, by mentally preparing your mind for the same. Better sleep-wake cycle: Early morning meditation can boost your overall well being as it also sets a certain sleep-wake cycle in your body when you condition yourself to get up early to focus and gain attentiveness. Better eating pattern: People have claimed to have had a better eating pattern throughout the day when they are in control of their thoughts and emotions. Thus, meditation discourages emotional eating. Most importantly, remember that meditation is a practice, not a destination. Meditation is not measured by failure or success so if you have trouble settling and focussing some days, be kind to yourself and do not put pressure on yourself to “get it right”; know that you have benefited by just taking the time to stop and breathe.

Michele Paradise 3 min read June 4, 2020
 

Meditation has been given several definitions over the years in philosophical, spiritual, religious and sometimes even in the most practical…

Expert advice, Mind

What Is The Best Self-Care During The COVID-19 Crisis? 

Self-care should be uppermost in our minds during the COVID-19 crisis, for several urgent reasons. Self-care returns a sense of control over your own life. It gives you an integrative approach to mind and body. It aligns you with the best knowledge currently available about who is more at risk for developing acute symptoms after being infected. Your immune status is complex, and in mainstream medicine the chief determining factor is traditionally considered to be genetic. However, there are strong links to underlying low-level chronic inflammation connected to lifestyle that is found in most if not all common disorders including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and even obesity. COVID-19 has a mortality rate that increases with age and pre-existing conditions, as we all know by now. What is less publicized is that the hospitalization rate, which is very high at over 15%, also affects younger age groups even though their death rates are lower. In those who are most susceptible, the virus creates an acute and severe form of inflammation referred to as a “cytokine storm”, which then leads to severe symptoms and respiratory damage, even death. Cytokines are the chief protein mediators of inflammation in the body. We can use this information about the dangers of having an elevated pre-existing state of low-level chronic inflammation to perhaps offset the possibility of the kind of acute inflammation that puts a person at risk for severe infection and hospitalization. Let me emphasize the “perhaps” caution. The research on low-level chronic inflammation grows by the year and is very significant. You can go to many websites or our recent book “The Healing Self” to discover the kinds of foods and lifestyles that are either inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. But it is only in the field of integrative medicine that there is a cumulative understanding that anti-inflammation practices need to embrace mind and body. The general public, including mainstream doctors, are more often than not ill-informed of the research that connects meditation and yoga to the benefits of anti-stress, anti-inflammation, and anti-infection. Without a doubt, meditation and yoga have no side effects and are backed by decades of research over their benefits. To this has been added so-called “vagal breathing”, related to the ability of the vagus nerve to induce a relaxed state simply by doing regular deep breathing that equalizes breathing in and breathing out (there are numerous websites providing instructions on this simple but effective technique, which is now a standard recommendation for countering stress). Biophysical anthropologist William C. Bushell points to the damage created by the body’s own immune defenses. To quote a recent article at Medium.com by Maureen Seaberg, “Bushell says that inflammation is the primary way COVID-19 kills. ‘Spread of the virus through the body leads to widespread and intensive activation of the inflammatory defenses throughout the body, though originally intended to combat the pathogen, but at this point instead resulting in widespread tissue damage, and fatally, to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), in which the lungs become flooded and respiratory failure ensues; the viral toxins themselves play a much lesser role in the tissue damage that ultimately can produce extreme critical disease states (pulmonary aspiration, septic shock), and potentially death.” The uncharted frontier is whether chronic inflammation, which is thought to be widely prevalent in our stress-filled, junk food eating, sleep-deprived society, increases the odds that the body might erupt into acute inflammation, e.g. a cytokine storm, when infected with viruses like COVID-19. One can think of this of this storm as a kind of over-reaction by our immune system. The big question is whether low-grade chronic inflammation may set the stage for this over-reaction and increase the odds of a “cytokine storm” in the presence of a nasty virus like COVID-19. Meanwhile, meditation, yoga, vagal breathing, and other relaxation techniques might provide an edge in the current crisis by reducing the chronic inflammatory state of the body. We’ve joined Bushell and other concerned figures, including Michelle Williams, S.D., Dean of Harvard’s School of Public Health, in advising that meditation and yoga (in addition to a healthy diet and ample sleep) be included in front-line efforts against COVID-19. The public is woefully uninformed about the mind-body benefits of these simple, effective measures, and every model of the pandemic foresees a huge overload on this country’s hospitals. The virus is more contagious and infectious than the flu, and it hospitalizes and kills a much higher percentage of cases. The message about COVID-19 and inflammation is very important. It needs to be received by all of us for our common well-being at any time, but most urgently, now, we all must strive to reduce our base level of chronic inflammation. DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. His 90th book, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.” Rudolph Tanzi, Ph.D. is the Vice-Chair of Neurology, Director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Co-Director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health, and Co-Director of the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease at Massachusetts General Hospital. He also serves as the Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Tanzi discovered several Alzheimer’s disease genes, including all three early-onset familial Alzheimer’s genes, and serves as director of the Alzheimer’s Genome Project. He is also developing therapies for treating and preventing AD using human mini-brain organoid models of the disease, pioneered in his laboratory. Dr. Tanzi has published 600 papers, received numerous awards and was on the 2015 TIME100 Most Influential People in the World list. Dr. Tanzi is a New York Times bestselling author, who has co-authored “Decoding Darkness” and three bestsellers with Deepak Chopra: “Super Brain”, “Super Genes”, and “The Healing Self”.

Deepak Chopra 6 min read June 3, 2020
 

Self-care should be uppermost in our minds during the COVID-19 crisis, for several urgent reasons. Self-care returns a sense of…

Expert advice, Mind

Only A Silent Mind Can Be A Healing Mind 

Crises call for action, and the COVID-19 crisis has triggered global action, much of it motivated by alarm, fear, and the dread of uncertainty. But what about the individual person who feels afraid and uncertain? I’d like to propose an answer based on the silent mind. I realize that this approach might sound a bit alien and “spiritual” in the wrong way, but building castles in the air or retreating into yourself isn’t what silent mind is about. A silent mind is about reconnecting to your source. Everyone relies on the top layer of the mind, which is active, constantly thinking and feeling. But when these feelings get fixated on anxiety, alarm, dread, and uncertainty, the active mind cannot pull itself out of its own spiral. Mental activity becomes useless to heal itself, just as a runaway car cannot apply its own brakes. What is needed is a reset. The reset isn’t just mental. Your thoughts are received by every cell in your body, and in turn, all kinds of processes are affected—the immune response, hormonal cycles, sleep, and overall mind-body balance, or homeostasis. If the active mind becomes confused and chaotic, balance is disrupted everywhere. What to do? Centuries ago, in every culture, a deeper level of mind was discovered, and the usual expression surrounding this level, which is silent, calm, and undisturbed, became religious, as in the Old Testament injunction, “Be still and know that I am God.” If we replace God with “your source,” the message comes through to modern ears: Be still and know that I am your source. The most direct result of heeding this message would be to meditate because meditation gives direct access to a silent mind. But countless modern people have tried meditation, and they do not experience the kind of reset that is needed in a crisis. Partly this is due to lack of commitment; the average person has tried meditation and left it behind or only meditates when a sort of psychological Band-Aid is needed. Let me look a bit deeper to show what has been missed, because a silent mind is truly the only healer. In medical school, homeostasis is described as basically physical. If you go for a run, your heart rate, respiration, blood flow to muscles, digestive process, etc. are thrown out of balance, but once you stop running, homeostasis is restored. At the negative end of experience, if you experience a great shock, the fight-or-flight response throws you into extreme imbalance, but when the shock ends, balance is restored. Unfortunately, under a constant threat like COVID-19, the shock doesn’t end. The usual stress response is designed to last no more than a few minutes. Extended to days and weeks, it turns on itself and begins to create damage. The damage first appears psychologically. Under constant stress, people feel tired, grumpy, depressed, anxious, irritable, impatient, and so on. Keep up the pressure, and the next stage is fatigue, lethargy, dullness, and depression. If the stress still doesn’t abate, physical symptoms start to develop, often beginning with insomnia as the result of hormonal interactions being thrown out of whack. There is a lot more to say about this, but the bottom line is that a holistic reset is needed. Without noticing it, you have been holistically resetting yourself for your entire life. Homeostasis isn’t just physical; it involves the whole person. The command center for resetting the whole person isn’t found in our cells, not even our brain cells, and it isn’t found in the active mind, which is just the top layer. The command center for holistic resetting is at the source. Be still and know that I am your source. The evidence for this has existed for decades. Meditation affects heart rate, respiration, brain activity, inflammation markers, and stress levels. Medical science studies each of these factors individually, but we shouldn’t miss the forest for the trees. Everything comes back to the same source. Your source is still and silent; you come closest to it in deep, dreamless sleep. But in a crisis, everything doesn’t automatically go back into balance the way your heart rate will return to normal after you quit running. It turns out that there is useful silence and not-so-useful silence. As consciousness starts to move from its silent source, different paths open up, and the paths you have favored become your unique way of turning silence into something else. Nobody handed you a user’s manual, but in broad terms, silent mind takes a path that is either/or. Let me map how these pathways diverge. Fear or love Separation or unity Suffering or bliss Renewal or habit Self-esteem or self–doubt Security or insecurity Comfort or stress Acceptance or resistance Awareness or unconsciousness These choices arise from silence; they have the same source but travel in opposite directions. If a person is fully conscious or awake, the pathways are directed toward the desirable experiences of love, security, bliss, creativity, renewal, and so on. But as things stand, we are all entangled in a web of choices that are mixed. We suffer but also feel bliss; we love but also fear; we feel self-worth but also self-doubt. A crisis throws us into deeper confusion as it entangles us in too many wrong responses. Healing consists of allowing the silence to go in the right pathways. In every spiritual or wisdom tradition, pure consciousness unfolds, if let alone, in the direction of love, creativity, renewal, and evolution. There is no injunction that says, “Be still and let’s see what happens” or “Be still and who knows how that will work out for you? Instead, the mind-body balance we all have relied upon since infancy is directed positively. Health and wholeness are the norm; creativity and renewal are the norm. This is why I believe that the COVID-19 crisis can lead to healing, because without a doubt everyone feels the need for a rest. Follow this need toward your source, and it will be fulfilled. This is a time when the rest brings into play the infinite power of consciousness. All we have to do is align ourselves with that power at the level of silent mind. DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential (Harmony Books), unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”

Deepak Chopra 6 min read June 3, 2020
 

Crises call for action, and the COVID-19 crisis has triggered global action, much of it motivated by alarm, fear, and…

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