{"id":34064,"date":"2022-01-18T11:52:24","date_gmt":"2022-01-18T18:52:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betternutrition.com\/?p=34064"},"modified":"2022-01-18T11:52:24","modified_gmt":"2022-01-18T18:52:24","slug":"how-to-slow-down-and-take-a-mental-break","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betternutrition.com\/conditions-and-wellness\/mood-stress\/how-to-slow-down-and-take-a-mental-break\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Slow Down and Take a Mental Break"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there\u2019s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it\u2019s this: Taking care of your mental health is more important than ever. One way to do that? Take mental breaks throughout the day, especially if you\u2019re spending more time at home or feeling more stressed than you once were.<\/p>\n

Mental breaks serve a simple purpose. \u201cIt\u2019s a conscious effort to channel your mind\u2019s focus on something which provides stress relief,\u201d says Bethany Cook, Psy.D., licensed clinical psychologist, health service psychologist and board-certified music therapist in Chicago. Think things like meditating, taking a walk free of devices or even cooking or baking. \u201cThe primary goal is to offer your mind a space to escape from the daily stress of life and modern living.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s, of course, key, given how many people function in go mode and rarely take the time to slow down. \u201cSmall breaks, even for just a few minutes, allow you to get attuned to what you\u2019re feeling, what you need, what\u2019s going on with you physically and so much more,\u201d says Michele Goldman, Psy.D., clinical psychologist at Columbia Health in New York City and media spokesperson for Hope for Depression Research Foundation. Immediately, you\u2019ll feel more grounded, less stressed and tense, and recharged and re-energized.<\/p>\n

While mental breaks have always been key to health, they\u2019ve become more important than ever. \u201cEspecially during the pandemic when we\u2019ve been so focused on what\u2019s going on outside of ourselves, we need to reconnect inward and pay attention to what our bodies truly need,\u201d Goldman says.<\/p>\n

What if you just don\u2019t have time to take them, though? Not a smart move, as short-term consequences can add up. \u201cBy the end of the day, your \u2018recovery\u2019 time, the time needed to unwind from the day, is going to be longer than somebody who took a break,\u201d Cook says. You\u2019ll also have a more difficult time regulating your emotions and be prone to getting irritated more easily. Not to mention that you\u2019ll probably feel lethargic and have difficulty with concentration and attention.<\/p>\n

Your health might even take a hit in the long run. Poor sleep, increased stress hormones in your body and a negative impact on your mental health can all result, Goldman says. Worse? You might be more prone to a mental or physical breakdown, Cole says.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, mental breaks don\u2019t have to be long. In fact, they can be as short as one minute to be beneficial, Goldman says.<\/p>\n

How many mental breaks you take in a day\u2019s time is up to you. For Cook, taking four \u201cshort-ish\u201d mental breaks a day \u2014 two in the morning and two in the afternoon \u2014 can benefit her, although she admits struggling to find time to take them. On the days she does, though, her mood is better and she\u2019s less of a grouch to her family.<\/p>\n

Before you take a mental break, check in with yourself and find out how you\u2019re feeling in the moment. \u201cThis is essential because it helps you figure out what you need during your mental break,\u201d Goldman says. Also, stay present in the here and now when taking your break \u2014 \u201cif you start thinking about what you need to buy at the grocery store, which we all do, you\u2019re not really taking a break,\u201d she adds \u2014 and make sure you enjoy the break.<\/p>\n

Want help figuring out what to do during those mental breaks? See if any of the following 7 mental break tactics resonate.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Practice doing progressive muscle relaxation:<\/strong> This technique<\/a> teaches you to tense and release various muscle groups in your body, which Goldman says can help you realize how tense you are when you try to relax. \u201cOnce you learn where you\u2019re holding tension in your body, you can start to learn to relax,\u201d she says.<\/li>\n
  2. Turn into some tunes:<\/strong> Music can be a powerful ally for mental breaks. \u201cWhen the mind is engaged and listening to music (whether or not it\u2019s of your preferred taste), brain scans have shown there\u2019s increased blood flow to almost all areas of your mind,\u201d Cook says. \u201cNot only are your thoughts free to run wild with the melody of the music but your brain also gets a factory reset in terms of blood flow and neuronal firings.\u201d Because your body syncs with the rhythm of the beat, play music that matches your internal state when you turn the music on. For instance, if you\u2019re angry, don\u2019t turn on calming music or it will irritate you because the vibes aren\u2019t syncing with your body. \u201cMatch the music to your current energy level and then switch up the songs to take your body where it needs to go,\u201d she adds. Two to three songs is all it takes. Try it while cooking up your favorite CE<\/em> recipes, here\u2019s a playlist for every type of cuisine<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  3. Exercise your breath:<\/strong> There\u2019s a reason you\u2019ve heard about deep breathing over and over again. Simply put, it works. To do it, find a space in your house not associated with stress or go outside, Goldman says. Once you feel settled, get comfortable and inhale and match your breath to your needs. To help balance the nervous system, exhale for the same amount of counts like two counts (so inhale for two counts and exhale for two counts). Feeling stressed or anxious? Double the length of your exhale. Feeling lethargic? Double the length of your inhale. Here\u2019s a great video<\/a> with several breathing exercises that you can do in minutes.<\/li>\n
  4. Engage in a childhood activity or hobby<\/strong> you loved \u2014 or find a new one: Any time you do something that isn\u2019t related to basic survival (like sleeping, eating, exercising and working), your mind is able to relax. \u201cThe mental break comes when your mind is able to relax, be creative, stop being on high alert all the time and focus on something that fills you up with positive feelings and sensations,\u201d Cook says, adding that this is why adult coloring books are the rage.<\/li>\n
  5. Cozy up with a book:<\/strong> Doesn\u2019t matter whether you read fiction or non-fiction or even listen to a book on tape, you\u2019ll get a mental break. \u201cReading forces you not only to be present and focused in the moment but also requires the use of visual imagination that again requires a \u2018here-and-now\u2019 focus,\u201d Cook says.<\/li>\n
  6. Put your sniffer to work:<\/strong> Anytime you smell something unique or out of the ordinary, you\u2019re shifting where you focus your attention, which provides an immediate mental break. That\u2019s why Cook suggests introducing a novel smell to a common activity. For instance, take a large orange in the shower with you, and as you shower, peel it, smell it and squeeze it on your face. Or try these aromatherapy scents<\/a> that are proven to bust stress.<\/li>\n
  7. Move your body:<\/strong> If you\u2019re a fitness-minded soul, you know how movement can energize you and snap you out of mental slumps. Yet don\u2019t just wait until the gym to get moving. Instead, take movement breaks throughout the day, especially if you have a desk job. Any movement counts, even if all you can do is stretch in your chair because of time constraints, but bonus if you can get outside and move for a few minutes, Goldman says.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Here are some helpful articles for keeping your mental health in check:<\/p>\n