Wellness Practices

Feeling stressed? Anxious? Angry? Sad? Unmotivated? Try some wellness practices!

In the Moment Strategies

The emotions listed above can sometimes be overwhelming and can interrupt your day. Here are some quick and easy strategies to help get your day back on track. If you try these and they don't work, make an appointment with your counselor here. We can help!

• Reconnect your body and mind with some simple stretching you can do in your seat.

• Try some "breathe in, breathe out" gifs.

• Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique.

• Repeat a mantra in your mind, like "This, too, shall pass," or, "I'm stronger than I feel right now."

• Close your eyes and imagine a place you feel comfortable, happy, and safe. For example, picture yourself at the beach. Listen to the waves, smell the salt air, and feel the warm sand under your feet.

Mindfulness Exercises

Mindfulness is the ability to pay attention to our current experience, with curiosity and kindness (without judgement). Research shows that mindfulness can increase focus and attention, decrease feelings of stress and anxiety, and improve resilience. There are a number of mindful activities that can be easily incorporated into classroom routines.

• Listening to music at 60 beats per minute or less can help slow down both breathing and heart rate, which in turn can reduce stress and anxiety. A study by Mindlab International, found “Weightless”, by Marconi Union reduce study participant’s overall anxiety by 65% and their physiological resting baselines by 35%!

• Here’s an additional video 60 bpm music on Youtube.

• Spending time sitting at a desk, hunched over an ipad or a notebook can cause a lot of tension in the body.

  • Here are some brief chair stretches to help reduce muscle tension.

• This short video is a guided body scan meditation (3 minutes) which can increase awareness of the mind/body connection, focus attention and provide a mindset of balance and peace.

• Try some yoga in the classroom!

• Try a few minutes of quiet time with lights off and electronics put away.

Physical Wellness Practices

Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators. Breathing exercises can help regulate an anxious body, slowing the heart rate, easing jitters, and calming the mind.​

• Take a 15 minute walk. Try doing a walking meditation to incorporate mindfulness into your movement.

• Breathing exercises can help calm anxiety, increase relaxation and reduce stress. This guide describes a variety of short breathing exercises to use and practice with your students. Regular practice will allow them to use these before a test or presentation to maximize results

  • Breathing exercises

• Try doing yoga for a fresh start. Yoga with Adriene is good for all levels. Check out this video for a beginner yoga lesson.

• Cardio dance is a fun way to relieve stress and get active. Try this video from fitness instructor Lauren Hefez.

Social Connections

Over the past year, it's been more difficult to make connections with others, but has never been more important. Social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and actually improve our immune systems.

• Looking to get more involved at Nipmuc, but not sure how to do it? Check out the club and activity guide and see if something piques your interest.

• Text or FaceTime a friend - staying in touch is important.

• Invite a friend to do one of the above wellness practices.

• Make time for family connections when you can.

To make an appointment with your counselor, click here!