In the throes of insomnia, I tried everything I could to get a good night’s sleep. In a desperate bid for sound sleep, I went mad on the problem solving, keeping a daily spreadsheet of every lifestyle factor and sleep hygiene rule I could think of, tracking what was helping and what was hindering a…
Not sleeping well can have a significant impact on how we function day to day. Mindfulness expert Rachel Long shares with us 3 ways Mindfulness can help for a better night’s sleep. 1. Mindfulness helps alleviate stress and hyper arousal Poor sleep is often due to stress and nervous system arousal. The nervous system becomes…
Have you ever sat down at your computer to send a specific email and got up 30 minutes later to realise that you didn’t even send the email you intended to send? It’s so easy to become distracted. In fact, you may have noticed how modern life seems to perpetuate distraction? Think smart phones, busy…
By Rachel Long Your current state of mind is a result of your accumulated lived experiences. Life experiences shape your brain, which then molds your mind. Mostly this is an unconscious process known as implicit memory. Implicit memories form the roots of our perception, our expectations, our emotional world, and influence how we are in…
4 ways mindfulness meditation helps with stress by Rachel Long. Feeling stressed is awful. Whether it’s the morning traffic, an argument, a deadline, or an unwanted medical diagnosis; the body-mind’s response to the stressor is always the same. Stress hormones flood the body, the heart beats faster, breathing becomes shallow and quick, muscles tense,…
Why you still don’t meditate, even when you know it’s good for you by Rachel Long. You value your health and wellbeing right? You eat well, exercise regularly, go to a regular yoga class where you leave feeling calm and zen. You may even tell yourself “This feels good, I want more of…
3 big myths about mindfulness meditation by Rachel Long As mindfulness meditation grows in popularity so do the misunderstandings. These commonly held fallacies can get in the way of experiencing the benefits of the practice. Check out whether you’re holding onto one of these 3 big myths about mindfulness meditation. Myth One: Mindfulness…
Can you relate to this cartoon or does it remind you of your teenage daughter? Perhaps your son lies awake at night like Charlie Brown did, having anxieties about his anxieties. We all experience anxiety in response to a perceived threat, it is not our fault but an essential part of how the brain…
Having an auto-immune disease for 18 years, I’m used to the ups & downs of having a chronic illness. But the last 2 years have been really tough, with low energy levels, sleep problems, weight loss, no energy to exercise and generally not feeling well. My muscles were tight and I was in pain. Symptoms…
How mindfulness works with strong emotions – By Rachel Long A big feeling caught me by surprise recently. Within moments of reading an email, my rational mind shut down, my body temperature increased, I could feel an ache in my chest, my belly tightened and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to scream or cry.…