Coach on Call. Please give me a call if you have more questions about this or other topics.

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1 Coach on Call It was great to talk with you. Thank you for your interest in. I hope you find this tip sheet helpful. Please give me a call if you have more questions about this or other topics. As your health coach, I m ready to help in any way I can. What is mindfulness? Put simply, mindfulness is about being present. It is the awareness that emerges from paying attention, on purpose, to the experience of the present moment. is drawn from ancient Eastern meditation practices and has many practical uses in modern life. Being mindful is to have a moment-to-moment awareness that is cultivated by purposefully paying attention to the present moment in a nonjudgmental or accepting way. can help you clear your mind of unimportant thoughts so your attention can be directed to what you need to or wish to do. Too often our minds wander to relive a past moment or predict a future one. When this happens, we are less effective and efficient at our current tasks. Much worse, we miss the richness hidden in the nuances of everyday life. We go through the motions, but miss out on the experiences. The many benefits of mindfulness enables you to live your life on purpose and empowers you to make choices that will serve your best interests. can provide the following benefits: Deepened sense of spirituality Increased concentration and energy during the day Decreased stress level Increased happiness and improved mood Increased focus, attention, and ability to deal with distractions More opportunities to experience more moments of pleasure, joy, contentment, and fulfillment A healthier life is life on is the on line the for you! line for you! CMN d UPMC_18_1476 Copyright 2018 UPMC Health Plan Inc. All rights reserved. C ON C MINDFULNESS 17CA1069 (MCG) 1/30/18 PDF

2 Page 2 of 5 Why practice mindfulness? We ve all had those moments when we feel like we are on autopilot. helps you pay attention to what you re doing in the moment rather than regretting it later. Here are some examples: On a particularly busy day, you realize you can t even remember what you ate for breakfast. Watching TV, you sit on the couch with a bag of chips only to realize 30 minutes later you ate the whole bag. You leave work and arrive home, but you don t remember the drive at all. You feel stressed out and, without even thinking about it, grab a candy bar as you walk by a co-worker s desk. Being mindful can help you turn off autopilot and focus on what s happening in the moment. You may even find yourself making a different choice in the moment as well. Mindful breathing practice There are many ways to get started practicing mindfulness. Focusing on your breath, or mindful breathing, is a great way to help you practice being present in the moment. This is a chance for you to try it and see if it will work for you. Start by taking normal breaths. As you do, begin to notice your breath. Notice how the air feels in your nose as you breathe in, and how it feels as you breathe it out through your mouth. Now notice how your body feels. Feel how your lungs fill with air like balloons as you breathe in, and deflate as you breathe out. Don t change anything about your breathing. Instead, just notice its natural pattern and let it be the way it is. Now place your hand on your heart and notice your heart beating beneath your hand. Accept any thoughts that come during this practice then let them go. Gently shift your focus back to the present moment. Hand on heart, mind on breath. Keep focusing on your heart and your breath, and notice how the two work with each other.

3 Page 3 of 5 As you continue to breathe, it may be helpful to count your breaths to keep your mind on the present moment. So as you breathe in, count silently to yourself, 1. And as you breathe out, silently count 1 once more. Try to take three more breaths in this way. If you lose count, simply start at 1 again to bring yourself back to how your breath feels, how your heart beats, and the comfort that comes with counting your breaths. Keep focusing on your breath a few more moments. Now return your focus to the room and the present moment. Take a deep breath in, and notice how you feel. It may take a few times before you notice a difference in how you feel. That s why it s called a practice. By taking one breath in and one breath out, you can gain a sense of control over your stress. And the more control you have over your stress, the better you ll feel. So keep practicing and keep breathing. Demonstration You can see a three-minute demonstration of this mindful breathing exercise at Applying mindfulness to your everyday life Which parts of your daily routine could you improve with mindfulness? Here are some ideas. Think about what you might want to try first. q When doing chores (laundry, loading the dishwasher, sweeping, vacuuming, ironing, making the bed, preparing a meal) q While doing a fitness routine q When driving q During a conversation q At work q While taking a shower or brushing your teeth q While eating a meal q When encountering a stressful situation

4 Page 4 of 5 Take action Check when completed My SMART goal for this week Do your best to reach the SMART* goal you set with your health coach. Write it here. Check the box when you have completed it. Staying on the path to wellness When you are ready, choose one or two tips you checked on page 3. To help you put them into action, set a weekly SMART goal for each one. Write your goals below. Check the boxes when you have completed them. If you do not reach your goals at first, revise them and try again. Getting started can be challenging. Stay confident, and take one day at a time. You can do this! *SMART goals are specific, measurable, appropriate, realistic, and timely. For example, On Saturday I will practice mindful breathing for 10 minutes before eating breakfast. SMART goals help you succeed! If you have any trouble setting or achieving your weekly SMART goals, ask your health coach for help. The information in this tip sheet is for educational purposes only. It is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Before making changes, always talk to your doctor about what is right for you.

5 Page 5 of 5 Sources: Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., Hopkins, J., Krietemeyer, J., & Toney, L. (2006). Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness. Assessment, 13, Carmody, J. & Baer, R.A. (2008). Relationships between mindfulness practice and levels of mindfulness, medical and psychological symptoms and well-being in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 31:23. doi: /s Sharma, M., & Rush, S.E. (2014). -Based stress reduction as a stress management intervention for healthy individuals. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine. (19) WebMD (2016). What Can Do for You. Retrieved from: UPMC (2016). : Breathing Practice. Retrieved from: