Stress is inherent in nursing. From dealing with difficult patients, experiencing short staffing and encountering conflicts with co-workers, nurses are bound to feel stressed out from time to time.
Although nurses are skilled and knowledgeable when it comes to techniques and methods that can relieve stress, they actually aren’t that great when it comes to personal implementation. This results in a lot of problems- from decreased quality of care to lowered satisfaction with work.
In case you are dealing with a lot of stress lately, here are some good reasons why you should consider practicing yoga for the mind.
It improves your mental well-being
Being a nurse, you need to have a strong mind and body. Not only are you exposed to a lot of diseases every day, but you also get to feel varying emotions throughout the day. If you aren’t mentally healthy, you may find these emotions a bit difficult to cope with. They may even affect the way you function at home.
When you practice yoga, you get to concentrate on your breathing as well as your body. This concentration allows you to clear your mind and soothe your worries. As you are able to discharge stress and your unpleasant thoughts, your mind gets freed from negative ideas and emotions.
See Also: 20 Inspirational Mantras for Nurses
It helps combat stress and anxiety
Constantly practicing yoga will enable you to have a better stress response system. This means that you’ll be able to resolve anxiety without having to rely on any medications. Apart from that, yoga can also keep your blood pressure and pulse within normal range. It can even help you breathe better during stressful situations.
Stress is also one of the reasons why nurses gain weight. It makes you more prone to mindless eating and slows down your metabolism. It can make you crave for foods, too. By keeping your stress levels low, you’ll be able to stick with healthy eating habits and keep the few extra pounds away.
It boosts both concentration and memory
As a nurse, you have to be focused at all times. If you’re distracted, it can be easy for you to miss the subtle changes in your patients’ health conditions which can put him at risk of more serious problems. It may even affect your ability to think clearly and make proper judgment.
It can help with insomnia
When you work on a series of night shifts, your internal clock gets so messed up that you find it hard to get a decent sleep. Instead of spending hours tossing and turning in bed, you should consider practicing yoga. When done constantly, it can help improve both the quantity and quality of your sleep.
Lack of sleep is detrimental to both mind and body, especially if it’s chronic. It has been linked to a lot of health issues, like cardiovascular problems and abnormal blood sugar levels. Fragmented and poor sleep can also cause depression and anxiety.
It facilitates self-love
Nurses are known to be passionate about caring for others. They spend a lot of time looking and caring out for other people that they run out of time to care for themselves.
Yoga gives you the opportunity to be more aware of your body and its needs. It helps you recognize and even change your negative ideas, beliefs and behaviors so that you can focus on loving yourself more. It can help with body acceptance, too.
Apart from these things, yoga also serves as a good way to reward yourself for all the hard work that you do. After all, a quiet and relaxing time can be hard to find when you’re a nurse.
Performing Yoga At Work
With all the call lights beeping, doctors calling and patients asking questions, squeezing in a yoga exercise can be a bit challenging. This, however, doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. In fact, with just one minute, you can already practice yoga at your workplace.
In general, there are three ways you can do yoga while at work. Deep breathing exercises are best ones when it comes to increasing mental alertness and improving the clarity of your thoughts. They are also a great help in relieving frustrations, especially when you are dealing with difficult patients.
Meditation, meanwhile, can make you feel re-energized. It can help re-establish focus and enhance mental clarity, especially if you’ve been on your feet for several hours.
To stimulate the circulation in your brain, nerves as well as muscles, you can perform yoga poses. You don’t necessarily have to do elaborate poses when you’re in the hospital. Yoga stretches can be enough to make you feel invigorated.
Performing Yoga At Home
Setting up a yoga routine can be challenging, especially if you work in shifts. As a rule of thumb, you should schedule and perform yoga when you’re not too tired.
If you have just gotten off of work, take a few minutes to rest first. You shouldn’t exercise when you are too hungry as well. Try to find a spot in your home that is peaceful and quiet. Make sure there’s a lot of space, too. You don’t necessarily have to invest in things, like candles and incense, but they can definitely make the room a lot more relaxing.
If there is one accessory that can be vital to your exercise, it’s the yoga mat. It provides cushion and friction so you won’t slip as you change poses. In case you haven’t invested in one yet, a piece of carpet can do the trick. You can even do yoga on your bed.
See Also: 7 Best Free Meditation Apps for Stressed Nurses
Yoga For Your Mind Poses
Here are yoga poses for nurses with stressed minds.
Conclusion
With so many things nurses have to do and deal with every day, it’s essential that you don’t miss out on your own health. If you are experiencing stress, anxiety and depression, the lives of your patients can be put at risk. The quality of care you deliver gets affected, too.
Practicing yoga for the mind is one good way to make sure these things don’t happen. It’s also a great help in keeping your body in top shape.
See Also: 15 Stress Relieving Hobbies For Nurses (#13 is Unusual!)
