Mindfulness And Brain Breaks

What Does Brain Breaks Mean?

A brain break is a short period of time when we change up the dull routine of incoming information that arrives predictable, tedious, well-worn roadways. Our brains are wired for novelty. We know this because we pay attention to every stimulus in our environment that feels threatening or out of the ordinary. This has always been a wonderful advantage. In fact, our survival as a species depended on this aspect of brain development.

When we take a brain break, it refreshes our thinking and helps us discover another solution to a problem or see a situation through a different lens. During these few minutes, the brain moves away from learning, memorizing, and problem solving. The brain break actually helps to incubate and process new information.

Brain Breaks You Can Try

1. The Junk Bag

A bag of household objects containing markers, scrap paper, and anything that one would find in a junk drawer a can opener or a pair of shoelaces. Pick any object out of the junk bag and ask yourself to come up with two ways this object could be reinvented for other uses. Also take a moment and notice how it feels, is it heavy or light- little things like that.

2. Squiggle Story

On a blank sheet of paper, whiteboard draw one squiggly line. Give yourself one minute to stand and draw with your opposite hand, turning the line into a picture or design of yourchoice.

3. Opposite Sides

Movement is critical to learning. Stand and blink with the right eye while snapping the fingers of your left hand. Repeat this with the left eye and right hand. You could also tap the right foot once, left foot twice, and right foot three times, building speed you alternate toe tapping.

4. Symbolic Alphabet

Sing the alphabet with names of objects rather than the letters.

5. Other Languages

Teach sign language or make up a spoken language. Be creative and have fun with it.

6. Invisible Pictures

Draw a picture in the air, use details as much as possible. See it as if you were drawing on paper.

Focused Attention Practices

A focused-attention practice is a brain exercise for quieting the thousands of thoughts that distract and frustrate us each day. When the mind is quiet and focused, we are able to be present with a specific sound, sight, or taste. Research repeatedly shows that quieting our minds ignites our parasympathetic nervous system, reducing heart rate and blood pressure while enhancing our coping strategies to effectively handle the day-to-day challenges that keep coming. Our thinking improves and our emotions begin to regulate so that we can approach an experience with variable options.

1. Breathing

Use the breath as a focus point. Place one hand close to their nose (not touching) and one hand on your belly. As you breathe in, feel your belly expand. As you exhale, you can feel the warm air hit your hand. You will focus on this breath for only one minute. Know that it's OK when thoughts sometimes come into the mind uninvited. Tell yourself to exhale that thought away.

2. Colors

Visualize colors while focusing on the breath. Inhale a deep green, and exhale a smoky gray. You can imagine the colors as swirling and alive with each inhale. If you de-escalating from an angry moment, the color red is a great color to exhale.

3. Movement

Stand and, as you inhale, lift an arm or leg and wiggle it, exhaling it back to its original position. it's good to include an inhale and exhale with any type of movement.

4. The Deep-Dive Breath

Inhale for four counts, hold for four, and exhale slowly for four counts. You can increase the holding of breath by a few seconds once you find the rhythm of the exercise.

5. Energizing Breath

Pant like a dog with your mouth open and our tongues out for 30 seconds, continuing for another 30 seconds with your mouth closed as you take short belly breaths with one hand on the belly. Typically take three energizing pant breaths per second. After a full minute, you return to four regular deep inhales and exhales.

6. Sound

The use of sound is very powerful for engaging a calm response and also changing moods and thoughts. Use an app online or a cd that you like. Focus on each sound an instrument makes, then focus on another sound. Let these noises sooth you.

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