Mindfulness & Relaxation Exercises
High School (9-12)
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis.
Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, you’re being mindful. And there’s growing research showing that when you train your brain to be mindful, you’re actually remodeling the physical structure of your brain.
Mind Wise
Destress with Stretching
Mind Wise
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Mind Wise
Deep Belly Breathing
Mindfulness and Meditation Apps
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a method of systematically tensing and relaxing muscle groups throughout the body. There are different ways to do it too so you can pick the method that works best for you.
PMR Sample Script:
Close your eyes. Relax your entire body. Imagine that your muscles are limp.
Flex the muscles in your feet while you keep the rest of your body relaxed. Hold for 5 seconds and do not release.
Continue to flex other muscles groups one at a time. Remember to keep parts of your body relaxed until it is time to flex them. Here we go…calves…thighs… stomach…chest…arms…hands…face…until your entire body is tense.
Hold your entire body tense for 5 seconds then release all the tension.
Relax, breathe slowly and deeply, and imagine your body melting.
Get up slowly when ready and shake out your hands, arms, and legs.
Sit back down.