This is not a political email. (Whew! Right? You can breathe a sigh of relief. You know I'd never do that to you!)

As if you haven’t had enough of those already!

This is a reminder from your friendly neighborhood PT to take care of yourself over today and the coming days this week.

I’ve outlined a few ideas below that I believe will help you and your family remain less stressed during these challenging times.

1. Remember to breathe! I know this sounds like a simple one, but it's easy to forget when we're stressed. If you're feeling overwhelmed, take a 1 minute time out. Slowly breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth.
2. Keep Busy! A busy mind doesn't have time to worry. Although I'm not a fan of constantly being busy, it's important to keep your mind occupied right now. Keep all of your appointments (including Physical Therapy). Spend time with family. Go to that massage. Do whatever you need to do to help yourself feel good right now. Otherwise, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the news.
3. Keep a regular exercise routine. Movement of the body helps the mind be at ease. Take a brisk walk (It's supposed to be nice out this week!). If you are a therapy patient with me, make sure you are doing your exercises!!
4. Dedicate 5 minutes to meditation: Mindfulness meditation can help you sort out all the junk in your head that feels difficult to figure out. Sit upright in a chair, close your eyes, and simply observe your breath. Don't try to change anything. Your attention will come and go. Simply return to your breath. Do this for a week straight and you'll really feel the benefits!