Time to Heal
Supporting those with Pituitary Conditions, Addison's Disease & their Mental Health
Relaxation
Having some relaxation tasks in hand can help you to manage your condition & give you some enjoyment. The task is to find what you want to do, what you enjoy and then go find it!
below are some ideas and links to help you add some relaxation to your day. Just a few minutes can make a real difference.
When the word relaxation is mentioned the automatic assumption to many is that of mediation, candles, incense sticks, yoga, and mindfulness. Many discard this but let’s challenge these thoughts as this really is a myth that can easily be dispelled. In fact, we can categorically state that is not the case, although for many these may work incredibly well, however, we are all unique in terms of what will and won't work. Below are a mixture of more traditional styles of relaxation and some different ones for you to try.
Pituitary Foundation
In relation to health and well being we can look at examples that support specific conditions such as The Pituitary Foundation who have produced Relaxation Tips For Those With Pituitary Conditions which explores perceptions of relaxation, the purpose of it and the barriers that are faced. They highlight the importance of this as;
Relaxation and Recovery are the PURPOSE of resting
Negative thoughts inhibit the body’s ability to recover energy
Stopping physical activity and relaxing are not always the same thing
If you are sitting down, but feeling irritated, frustrated, resentful about feeling tired, you are not in fact ‘relaxing’ but using mental energy,
and follow on to state how it is something that needs to be undertaken but also improved.(https://pituitary.org.uk/information/living-with-a-pituitary-condition/relaxation-tips/
Tai Chi - The Mayo Clinic
This great article explains how Tai Chi is great for stress, with top tips on getting started, managing the benefits, and some simple moves to get you on track!
Versus Arthritis
Yoga Programme - Dicks Sporting Goods
This Rise and Shine Sequence gives you 5 poses to start your day, with clear instructions and helpful videos that show you exactly how to perform each pose correctly would be a great addition to your day.
Meditation
Headspace offers many different types of meditation. These include how to stop nightmares, reduce loneliness, support to wake up fresh and some short simple meditations to get you started.
Art Therapy
There are many art forms that provide the opportunity to relax in a creative way. A great place to start is Pinterest Here you can search as many boards as you like until you find something that really takes your eye! Go from drawing, card making, building models, embroidery, Die Casting, woodwork, colouring, making gift boxes and a lot more!
We Are Undefeatables
Jigsaws
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According to Babame an Article entitled Why Are Jigsaws Relaxing explains it as;
'Completing jigsaw puzzles is an absorbing task, so much so that you can lose hours to it and completely forget anything else that was troubling you. And it is this meditative effect that makes puzzles so good for relaxation. It’s interesting that one of the reasons meditation has so many benefits is that it causes both sides of the brain to work together just like a jigsaw’.
https://www.babame.com/why-are-jigsaws-relaxing.html
This enables a calming sense of control and therefore relaxation. Jigsaws also come in many shapes and sizes so there are options within this to access them. if going traditional is your thing and you like to hold a jigsaw piece in your hand and have the box next to you then some libraries offer a service to borrow jigsaws.Charity Shops have always got a good supply that are cheap to try. As always with such items the internet brings another new and modern twist.
There are some great app’s Two great ones are Jigsaw and Kristanix. Both can be downloaded through the Apple and Android Stores. What’s great about these is that they give you free daily puzzles and the option to gain points to swap for downloadable themed sets or you can make in app purchases. All easy to use on iPads, tablets and laptops, which makes them more mobile and accessible whenever you have a few minutes to spare and need a quick relaxation fix! You can choose the amount of pieces that you want, adjust your screen size, select what appeals to you and you won’t clutter the house with big boxes!
Family Relaxation
Love Disney?
Then what about using the Disney Parks Playlists on Youtube? Plan in some family time and browse through the full playlist which cover everything Disney. From shows, to park guides, music and behind the scenes information. One recommendation is Disney Parks - How To Draw Learn from the best animators there are to draw all your favourite characters in easy to follow videos . You have 44 to try and master! Plenty available to keep the whole family involved but with each person picking their own playlist to make it a personalised and special sharing time together. You don’t even need to be in the same room. Just check in with each other at the end of your slot!