Live Whole Health #189: Give it a break!

Yes, your brain needs a break! Researchers report that the average person has about 6,000 thoughts per day. We are always “up in our heads,” and our brains get tired of all that thinking, worrying, planning and just plain kvetching.

Did you ever wonder if some of your thoughts are making you sick? In a 2008 study of 380 primary care patients who suffered from gastrointestinal issues, it was shown that these patients were five times more likely to be experiencing severe depression and four times more likely to be experiencing severe anxiety. A 2014 study found that 74 percent of primary care patients who have generalized anxiety disorder have trouble falling and staying asleep.

Check it out for yourself

Spend just one minute sitting still with your eyes closed and imagine you are “fishing for thoughts.” Each time you catch a thought, you should examine it. Is it a worry or concern? Even thoughts as simple as, “We are out of bread. Don’t forget to stop at the store,” can derail you from enjoying the moment.

Of course, we have to think to survive. Our brains are wired to be constantly scanning our environment for threats and food and even a mate! This is how we have survived and evolved for millennia. The truth is, though, our brains do not have to be on guard at all moments in our current world. Sadly, nobody told our brains that!

Support your mental, emotional and physical health

Let your brain relax while you enjoy 12 minutes of moving your body and breathing. Follow along with John Kavanaugh, recreation assistant from the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, for a series of Qigong movements and breathing practices that will bring you a sense of calm.

If you are interested in another practice, check out this 7-minute recording by Alison Whitehead, from VA’s Integrative Health Coordinating Center.