Dia duit agus fáilte – that’s Irish for hello and welcome – to this blog about using mindfulness to reduce the symptoms rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases naturally.
Perhaps you stumbled upon this post because of the title and all you want to know is some beginning mindfulness meditations and practices to reduce RA symptoms. Or perhaps you are curious (and skeptical) about the title! The truth is that practicing mindfulness can reduce RA and chronic pain symptoms but maybe not in the way you might think. Our emotional and mental health is just as important to how we navigate a chronic disease and when we nurture that mind-spirit part of ourselves, we are better able to support and nurture the physical. Read The Emotional Impact of RA for more info.
We all have days, perhaps weeks, that melt away as if we were absent from our life. I sometimes look at the clock and realize it’s almost time to prepare dinner and, for the life of me, I cannot begin to tell you how I just spent the last 8 hours.
Well, I don’t want to disappear from my own life and so I have been practicing mindfulness. As someone who has spent countless hours practicing yoga and meditation, I figured I had a handle on mindfulness but the reality is different to the theory and I have a lot still to learn.
Continue reading to learn what mindfulness is as well as how mindfulness can reduce your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. You will also find beginning mindfulness practices to reduce your RA and autoimmune disease symptoms.
Table of Contents
What is mindfulness?
Simply put, mindfulness is about living in the moment without judgment; it’s about embracing the present and creating space in your life to pause and be aware. Does that sound a little woo woo? It shouldn’t.
Bear with me as I conduct a quick experiment (on you.) After reading this sentence, close your eyes, allow your shoulders to drop, inhale deeply through the nostrils into the belly and exhale slowly through the mouth. You just practiced a moment of mindfulness; how do you feel?
Taking just a minute to breathe deeply is a simple way to begin a mindfulness practice.
I like how Dan Harris (author of 10% Happier) describes mindfulness:
Another way to think about mindfulness is being “in the zone” which suggests increased focus and attention. When do you experience being “in the zone?” For me, it’s when I am walking/hiking alone in a forest, on my yoga mat or writing. For Kidlet #3, it’s when they are painting or singing and Tom experiences it when he is hiking or snowshoeing high in the mountains.
Please share what your “in the zone” moments are in the comments below.
How can mindfulness reduce RA symptoms?
Stress is a major contributor to autoimmune disease and rheumatoid arthritis. By lowering stress, we can ease some of our RA symptoms. For me, stress and diet mishaps are the two primary culprits when I experience a flare-up.
Now back to the question: how can mindfulness reduce RA symptoms? Because mindfulness helps to focus the mind and body in the present moment without judgment. This simple practice reduces stress.
Now that you know what it is and how mindfulness reduces RA pain, the big question is how do I do it?
Beginning mindfulness practices
There is no one best way to practice mindfulness, rather there are lots of ways that work and it is up to you to find the option(s) that work best for you. I suggest you read through all the methods below and choose one or two to work with for the next 30 days. If at all possible, I recommend setting aside time each morning to practice.
Breathe to increase mindfulness
My go-to response throughout the day. Here’s an example. I am running around trying to get myself out the door and have half dozen errands to run. I am grabbing lists, books to return to the library, checking for sunglasses; you get the picture. And then, the overwhelm hits and I stop. Breathe, I tell myself. I stand still, my eyes close, shoulders fall and I inhale, long and slow through my nose filling to the bottom of my belly until my whole torse swells with breath. I hold for a moment before exhaling softly and slowly through my mouth. When I open my eyes, the world is a better place; I am present and calm.
If you prefer a more disciplined breath practice here are three I have taught regularly. Each one can be practiced for as short as 3-5 minutes or as long as 30-60 minutes if you prefer. And yes, the longer and more often you practice, the greater the benefits.
Rectangle or square breath (can be done anywhere)
By bringing the sides of the breath into balance, we welcome balance into our lives. Before starting, count the length of a regular inhale and exhale as well as the length of time between both.
Choose the shortest time and use it to begin. In this example, we’ll use a 6-count. Sit tall, both feet on the floor, hands resting comfortably in your lap. Count to 6 as you inhale, hold the breath for 2 counts, exhale for 6 and hold for 2 counts.
As you develop this practice, you will likely notice the counts will increase; perhaps your holds at the top and bottom of the breath will eventually be the same as the sides, creating a square breath; or perhaps your inhale/exhale will increase to 10 but the holds remain at 4 and create a rectangle. Regardless of how your practice evolves, it is perfect.
Lion’s breath (best practiced at home)
I like to do lion’s breath on the floor, kneeling back on my feet. Inhale with the spine tall and shoulders soft and exhale audibly and forcefully (kind of like a soft roar) while “leaping” forward like a lion. Typically, you thrust the tongue out of the mouth with the exhale (hence the reason we do this practice at home!) This is the perfect way to actively reduce stress, frustration and anger.
Lion’s breath can also be practiced in a chair – sit tall to inhale and lean forward, hands on knees as you “roar” out the exhale.
Alternate nostril breathing (can be practiced many places)
Sit tall, both feet on the floor, one hand resting comfortably in your lap, the other placed beside your nose, forefinger and middle tucked into the palm or resting on the forehead. The thumb is against one nostril, the ring and pinky against the other.
Exhale fully. Block left nostril and inhale through the right. Hold. Block right nostril and exhale left. Inhale left, block left nostril and exhale right. This is one full round. If you like, you can also add a count to this practice.
This is a fantastic practice to clear stuck energy.
Single-task your way to mindfulness
I used to pride myself on my multi-tasking skills but my poor brain was torn in six different directions, never sure where to put its focus, causing chronic stress and fatigue. Now, I aim to do one thing at a time though admit to failing at least once a day! (I like to eat and read which is a pretty bad habit.)
Single tasking is simple, it’s just not always easy. How often have you checked FB or email while cooking dinner, or worse, waiting at a red light? Do you go for a walk but take the news or a phone call with you?
I spend lots of time on the computer, writing and researching and always feel the pull of social media; I eventually had to turn off any and all applications to withstand the temptation. Here are 5 simple ways to practice single-tasking:
- Leave your phone in the other room or turn it off.
- Turn off the radio while you are in the car. (Silence is another way to heal the mind.)
- If you work in an office, close your door or put up a ‘Do not disturb’ sign.
- Turn off the TV unless you are actively watching something.
- Set a timer. This is a great trick. At the beginning, try 20-25 minutes and when the alarm goes off, take a moving break (e.g. walk to the loo or get a glass of water.) Over time you might find yourself able to concentrate for up to 40 minutes but don’t go longer than that; the brain needs a break.
Spend time in nature to reduce your RA symptoms
Whether you are close enough to enjoy time in the forest or you have to detour through the local park, time in nature has been proven to lower stress. For the greatest payoff, spend 20-30 minutes sitting or walking in nature daily. Read more.
When you’re in pain, the thought of being outside can be torture so how to spend out time outside, practicing mindfulness to reduce your RA pain?
- Is there a botanical garden with greenhouses nearby?
- Can you drive to the ocean or lake and stay in the car while enjoying the water?
- Are you able to garden close to home? In the back yard or a pea patch?
- What about star-gazing on the porch while wrapped in a cozy blanket?
- Drive through a state forest or National Park, stopping to admire and breathe in the beauty.
Journal writing is a contemplative mindfulness practice
I start most days with morning pages, a practice I learned from Julia Cameron (author of The Artist’s Way.) It takes 20-40 minutes and allows me to wake up intentionally and gently. I try to free-write, my thoughts flowing onto the page, other times, I answer questions. A recent one was “What is my superpower?” (Found that one on my FB RA group.)
Whether you write for 5 or 50 minutes, journaling is a mindfulness practice we can all benefit from. We can turn it into a gratitude journal, a dream/wish journal or simply a place to store our hearts.
Everyday moments become mindfulness practices
You can turn many daily activities into mindfulness practices with intention. When you are washing dishes, feel the water on your hands. How do the bubbles act when they touch your skin? If you close your eyes, what do you see? What do you notice when you run your fingertips across the clean plate?
When you make the bed, how do the clean sheets feel in your arms? Which muscles do you use when you tuck the corners under the bed? What is the emotional impact when you stand back to admire your work?
What daily activity can you turn into a mindfulness practice?
Meditation promotes mindfulness and reduces RA symptoms
You knew this was coming, didn’t you? Meditation is one of the best-known ways to practice mindfulness, reduce RA symptoms, relieve stress and calm anxiety and fear. It can be as simple as sitting and watching the breath (kind of like the breath practices above) or you can use a mantra that best suits your life and values.
Here are my three favorite beginning mindfulness meditation practices. For all practices, it is essential to get comfortable so the physical body is not a distraction (if possible.) On a chair, the floor or a meditation bench, sit tall and drop the shoulders, unclench the jaw and soften the cheek bones.
Count the breath
Without manipulating the breath, simply breathe in and count one, exhale, breathe in and count two, exhale, breathe in and count three, exhale. Continue to ten or higher, depending on how much time you have.
If your mind wanders and you lose count, begin again at one. Full confession, there are days when I don’t make it to ten as my mind is bouncing around like a ping pong ball.
Mantra
As you inhale, repeat your mantra. As you exhale, release tension from shoulders, forehead and jaw. I know this sounds ridiculously simple but try it, you might love it.
Choose a mantra that suits you; here are a few to get your imagination going:
- I breathe in good health
- I am filled with love and light
- Jesus/Allah/Buddha is my guiding light
- My body is strong and healthy
- I am loved and supported
Witness the senses
All day, our senses are assaulted. Traffic forces its way into our ears, eyes and noses; going to the grocery store triggers sight, sound, smell, touch, even taste. How often do you fully observe your senses?
In your favorite meditation position, take a few cleansing and calming breaths with the eyes closed. Then turn your attention to the sounds around you. At first, it might be traffic in the distance or the TV in the living room but after a while, you might hear your breath, the fan moving the air, or even your heart beat.
When you feel you have completely tuned into sound, gently shift your awareness to the smells surrounding you. This may be a little harder; do you smell the dog or cat? What about the breakfast you cooked earlier? Maybe you notice your own scent, not good or bad, it just is.
After you have explored the smells around you, bring your attention to taste. The senses of smell and taste are very closely related; perhaps you can almost taste the same things you just smelled. Does your saliva have any flavor at all? How does the roof of your mouth or the back of your teeth taste against your tongue?
To explore touch, notice the air hitting your upper lip, or the coolness around your nostrils. Does your hand feel warm against your leg or are your toes squished in your shoes? Can you feel the pressure of your buttocks against the chair or fabric resting on your belly or shoulders? With practice, you will begin to notice the softest of touches, your eyelashes against your cheek, your hair brushing the back of your neck.
Finally, turn your focus to sight. I leave this till the end as it is often the most distracting sense. Softly open your eyes and let your gaze fall on whatever is in front of you and observe it, without labeling or judging it. You can let your gaze lift or wander around the room if you like.
To close this meditation, I suggest you close your eyes once more and feel the breath coming and going a few times.
Final thoughts
We are all busy which often means we believe we don’t have time to practice mindfulness; I would argue that it is because we are busy that we must practice mindfulness.
One of my favorite Zen quotes about mindfulness and meditation reminds me of the importance of self-care, especially when dealing with a chronic disease like rheumatoid arthritis.
I meditate for one hour every day. Unless I am busy, then I meditate for two hours.
Being in pain sucks, living with a chronic disease stinks but taking control over how we respond to both is empowering and inspiring. Yes, mindfulness reduces RA and autoimmune symptoms but more importantly, practicing mindfulness improves your life, health and well-being and that is cause for celebration.
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