Paying attention to your body’s sensations and what is happening in your surroundings can keep you in the present moment. This can help reduce feelings of anxiety by taking your attention away from stressful thoughts. The following audio selections will walk you through how to practice being mindful while you are out doing physical activity.
The videos are 1-10 minutes in length. Choose one of the clips you are interested in or are most comfortable with, to focus on for each of your activities. You can try the other audio clips when you feel ready to do so.
Note that often people will keep their head down while thinking, even when they are moving. It is important to keep your mind free of any unnecessary thoughts, keep your chin lifted, and keep eyes looking forward towards your surroundings. The following activities will include prompts to help remind you to do this.
Videos
Seated variations
References
- Gotnik, R. A., Hermans, K. S.F.M., Geschwind, N., Nooij, R., De Groot, W. T., Speckens, A. E.M. (2016). Mindfulness and mood stimulate each other in an upward spiral: a mindful walking intervention using experience sampling. Mindfulness. 7:1114–1122 DOI 10.1007/s12671-016-0550-8
- Hofmann, S.G., Gomez, A.F. (2017). Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 40(4): 739–749. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2017.08.008.
- Janssen M, Heerkens Y, Kuijer W, van der Heijden B, Engels J (2018) Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on employees’ mental health: A systematic review. PLoS ONE 13(1): e0191332. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191332. Pone.0191332
- McGuire, D., Shannon, A., Somaiya, J., Brown, E., & O'Donoghue, B. (2021). A pilot study of a yoga intervention for the treatment of anxiety in young people with early psychosis. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.13151
- Niazi AK, Niazi SK. (2011). Mindfulness-based stress reduction: a non-pharmacological approach for chronic illnesses. North Am J Med Sci; 3: 20-23. Doi: 10.4297/najms.2011.320
- Sistig, B., Lambrecht, I., & Friedman, S. H. (2014). Journey back into body and soul – an exploration of mindful yoga with psychosis. Psychosis, 7(1), 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/17522439.2014.885556
- Teut, M. et al. (2013). Mindful Walking in Psychologically Distressed Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Hindawi Publishing Corporation. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2013, Article ID 489856, 7 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/489856