In essence, breathwork involves transitioning our breath from an unconscious to a conscious state. At Poosh, we’re enthusiasts of breathwork, embracing various styles to match different moods and occasions. Whether you aim to kick-start your day, alleviate anxiety, or quell panic, we’ve got the right techniques for you.

How to Begin Your Day

If you can spare a few moments before that first sip of coffee, indulge in 10 minutes of Wim Hof breathing to jumpstart your day. This practice boosts energy levels, balances blood pH, accelerates metabolism, and expels toxins from your body—all before getting out of bed.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Lie down, close your eyes, and breathe in and out through your mouth.
2. Inhale, pushing your belly button out to promote diaphragmatic breathing.
3. Breathe in and out 20 to 40 times, then hold your breath for 30 seconds.
4. After 30 seconds, take another deep inhale and hold for 15 seconds.
5. Repeat this process two more times for three rounds. Feel the buzz!

How to Reduce Anxiety

Many anxieties originate from relentless thought loops. Enter the box breathing method, a quick fix that keeps you focused on your breath, counting, and visualization, diverting your attention from anxious thoughts.

Follow these steps:

1. Sit up straight, close your eyes, and tuck your right elbow into your waist, forming a 90-degree angle with your arm. Point your index finger forward to trace an imaginary box.
2. Inhale for four seconds, lifting your finger to draw the left side of the box.
3. Hold your breath for four seconds, sliding your finger to the right to draw the top of the box.
4. Exhale for four seconds, lowering your finger to draw the right side of the box.
5. Hold your breath for another four seconds, sliding your finger to the left to complete the box.
6. Repeat until calm. It’s like a Xanax without taking one.

How to Manage Panic

In panic mode, hormones go haywire, and cortisol levels skyrocket. Combat panic by intentionally breathing through the 4-7-8 method:

1. Inhale deeply for four seconds.
2. Hold your breath for seven seconds.
3. Exhale slowly for eight seconds.

While it may feel challenging initially, the breath hold and extended exhale activate the parasympathetic system, essential in panic moments. Pro tip: Exhale as if through a straw to further stimulate your vagus nerve.

For someone who meditates, the practice offers a chance to improve physical wellbeing, as well as emotional health. One needs to know that there is no “right way” to meditate. People can explore the different types until they find one that works for them.

The following 6 examples are some of the best-known ways to meditate:

VISUALIZATION

This style of reflection encourages you to visualize somebody or something in your mind, thereby substituting the breath with a mental image as the focus. It may appear difficult at first, but it’s no more difficult than remembering the face of an old pal without attempt. It’s the same with meditation. We may not only watch the mind but also concentrate on any bodily feelings by summoning a specific vision.

MINDFULNESS 

Mindfulness is a type of meditation that encourages people to be aware and engaged at the moment. Mindfulness increases awareness of one’s current surroundings rather than obsessing over the past or fearing the future. A lack of judgement is critical to this. As a result, rather than dwelling on the aggravation of a protracted wait, a practitioner will merely observe it without passing judgment.

Most types of meditation include some degree of awareness. Cooling down gives attention to regions of tension in the body while breathing awareness teaches practitioners to be mindful of their breathing. Because mindfulness is a prevalent topic in various types of reflections, it has received a lot of research.

SKILLFUL COMPASSION

Compassion with finesse. This contemplation practice is comparable to loving friendliness meditation in that it entails concentrating on a person you know or love while paying attention to the feelings that arise from the heart. We have the potential to nurture a sense of happiness in our own brains by extending our hearts and minds for the betterment of others.

RESTFUL AWARENESS

A state of restful consciousness. Rather than concentrating on the breath or visualization, this approach entails allowing the mind to genuinely rest; ideas may arise, but instead of overwhelming you and drawing you away from the present now, they gently float away.

REFLECTION

This approach asks you to ask yourself a subject, such as, “What are you grateful for the most?” (It’s worth noting that addressing a topic in the second person, will deter the cognitive mind from attempting a reasoned response.) When you concentrate on the question, notice the sensations that occur rather than the notions.

ZEN MEDITATION

Zen meditation is a type of reflectionthat focuses on the This ancient Buddhist technique entails sitting straight and paying attention to the breath, especially how it travels in and out of the abdomen, as well as allowing the mind “simply be.” Its goal is to promote a sensation of awareness and presence.

MEDITATION ON THE CHAKRAS

The goal of this examination is to maintain the body’s fundamental chakras – energy centres — open, aligned, and flowing. Chakra meditation can assist in restoring balance to chakras that have been blocked or unbalanced, resulting in unpleasant physical and mental symptoms.

Most of us are unaware of the damage that bad ideas in our heads may do. We accept them as inevitable risks and go about our lives, experiencing the repercussions.

When negative ideas become more than an inconvenience and become hazardous, it is time to wake up, take attention, and figure out how to cope with them.

Negative thoughts should be shaken hands with.

If you continue to oppose negative ideas and try to drive them away, they will follow you like a ghost. Let your bad ideas shake hands. ‘Come here and sit with me,’ say you. I will not abandon you,’ and you will see how swiftly they go. You are afraid of your negative thoughts.

You may SELECT which thoughts you wish to hear.

This is really crucial to understand. Thought organization is not something we learn as children, yet it is a life-changing skill.

We can truly CHOOSE the ideas we want to think about and then continue to think about them. Nobody can stop us or tell us that we can’t think like that. We have the ability to focus on what we deem essential, and we have the ability to pick whatever emotions we choose to experience. This is how emotions develop because our ideas generate our feelings – never the other way around.

Remove yourself from your thoughts.

This is a zen idea. We are not the sum total of our ideas. Every day, our brain generates around 60,000 thoughts. We don’t have to be accountable for all of them, or even any of them if we don’t want to.

Our brains desire to be as efficient as possible. It is unambiguous. It doesn’t matter what it’s thinking; if it’s taught enough times, it’ll keep thinking the same thing again and over.

We are not required to identify with our negative thoughts. They don’t have to be like us. We may learn to live our lives by detaching ourselves from concepts that do not benefit us.

When you disconnect from your ideas, you will be able to comprehend them.

For example, if we recognise that we have been TAUGHT to think in certain ways — or that our brains have been taught to think in specific patterns — we may begin the process of deconstructing these thinking patterns and generating new ideas to accept.

If we recognise that these bad ideas are caused by our fear, we may look at them objectively and concentrate on understanding why it exists. It’s a lot simpler to cope with if you understand what’s going on.

We may then decide whether or not to continue putting our efforts into it.

1. Reduced Stress and Anxiety:

Strength training has been shown to effectively reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. Engaging in physical activity releases endorphins, which are known as “feel-good” hormones that boost mood and reduce stress. Regular strength training sessions provide a productive outlet for managing stress, helping to alleviate anxiety and promote a sense of calm.

2. Improved Mood and Emotional Well-being:

Strength training has a positive impact on overall mood and emotional well-being. It has been found to increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that play a crucial role in regulating mood. Strength training can enhance self-esteem, boost confidence, and provide a sense of accomplishment, all of which contribute to improved mental well-being.

3. Enhanced Cognitive Function:

Engaging in strength training can benefit cognitive function and mental sharpness. Studies have shown that regular resistance exercise improves memory, attention, and cognitive performance. The increased blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain during strength training contribute to better brain function and cognitive abilities.

4. Stress Relief and Better Sleep:

Strength training can aid in stress relief and improve sleep quality. The physical exertion involved in strength training helps to release tension and promote relaxation. Regular exercise has been linked to better sleep patterns, allowing for improved rest and rejuvenation. Quality sleep plays a vital role in maintaining good mental health and overall well-being.

5. Increased Self-Efficacy and Confidence:

Strength training helps to build physical strength and improve body composition, leading to increased self-efficacy and confidence. Setting and achieving fitness goals, whether it’s lifting heavier weights or mastering challenging exercises, can boost self-esteem and foster a positive self-image. These feelings of accomplishment and confidence translate into various aspects of life, improving overall mental health and well-being.

It’s important to note that consistency is key to experiencing these mental health benefits. Engaging in regular strength training, ideally 2-3 times per week, is recommended to reap the rewards for mental well-being. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any exercise program, especially if you have pre-existing mental health conditions.

 

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Be mindful of the triggers:

We can manage how our minds function when we are aware of the circumstances that make us overthink. We must be prepared for such triggering events from the beginning and be able to remove ourselves from them.

Take a couple of deep breathes:

Traumatic events in the past are the cause of overthinking. The nervous system feels comfortable when we take a few deep breaths, which helps stop us from overthinking.

Object to your thinking:

Going head-first into our ideas is often the only way to stop ourselves from overthinking. We should exercise mental restraint and check to see if our thoughts are rational and grounded in reality. There is no need to start freaking out over such things if not. By doing so, we may teach the mind to remain grounded in the present and refrain from daydreaming or constantly visualising the worst-case situations. Additionally, we must engage in encouraging mental conversations with ourselves and rearrange our perceptions so that they reflect reality. We can control overthinking in this manner.

Solving issues:

We should concentrate on how to fix the issue rather than on the problem itself. At times, letting go of fear and having faith that all will work out for the best will be the greatest approach to do this.

Our RAS will make every effort to manifest that reality if we are living in a state of self-doubt and negative self-talk. Our RAS will assist in creating a new reality around us through other people, events, and places if we stop believing these universal falsehoods that we all tell ourselves and replace them with empowering new beliefs. It’s so simple to fall into a pit of self-doubt, but by focusing on the straightforward mantras listed below, we will be able to shift our mindset.

I’ll list five frequent self-defeating thoughts or lies that we may tell ourselves below, along with some uplifting alternatives.

1. One such falsehood is, “You (insert word of choice), why did you do that?”

Replace it with the phrase: “I release myself from all judgement. I continue to improve and learn from my errors.

2. The delusion that we hold about ourselves: “I’m not enough.”

In its place, repeat the phrase “I am enough. I am meant to be successful.

3. The self-defeating statement, “I’m a failure. I consistently mess up.

Substitute “I acknowledge every mistake as an opportunity to learn and come closer to my true potential” as your new slogan.

4. “I don’t have time for self-care.” This is a lie we tell ourselves.

In its stead, repeat the following mantra: “My body and mind are the temples where all things are created.”

5. “I feel stuck,” is a fiction we tell ourselves. My life is meaningless.

Replacing it with the phrase “Let’s go!” Then the next.

Generation Z, born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, finds itself navigating a world packed with new demands and difficulties in the quickly expanding realm of technology and social media. From rising academic stress to social media comparison, Gen Z is confronted with a number of concerns that have a negative impact on their mental health and well-being.

According to a recent Ogilvy survey, 70% of Gen Z say their mental health needs substantial attention and development. Furthermore, according to the American Psychological Association, Generation Z is more prone than any other group to report mental health difficulties. This is unsurprising given the horrible tragedies this generation has witnessed, from the COVID-19 epidemic to mass massacres.

According to the Deloitte Indian GenZ Survey Report for 2022, the Gen Z cohort accounts for around 35-40% of the corporate workforce in India. Among this generation, 49% of Indian Gen Z and 43% of Indian Millennials report persistent feelings of worry or tension. Furthermore, mental health illnesses impact 14% of India’s population, accounting for 15% of worldwide mental health disorders. These numbers suggest that 56 million people in India suffer from depression, while 38 million suffer from anxiety disorders.

Gen Z’s mental health challenges and how to assist them:

“A comprehensive approach is required to assist Gen Z on their journey to mental health and healing.” This approach recognises their particular problems and provides them with the skills they need to grow resilience. It entails providing a welcoming and friendly environment that encourages open conversation. Furthermore, increasing mental health awareness and understanding via educational programmes is critical. It is critical to provide access to resources such as counselling services and helplines. “Encouraging self-care practises and emphasising the importance of seeking help when needed are also important components of supporting Gen Z’s mental health journey,” says clinical psychologist Nidhi Tiwari.

Diksha Singh, a counselling psychologist at Lissun, highlighted some of the prevalent mental health difficulties that this generation faces, as well as helpful hints to help them on their journey to recovery and resilience.

1. Anxiety and depression:

Due to academic demands, social media comparisons, economic instability, and other stressors, Gen Z has a high percentage of anxiety and sadness.

• Encourage open conversations: Provide a secure and non-judgmental environment for Gen Z to voice their thoughts and concerns.
• Encourage self-care activities such as exercise, mindfulness, writing, or hobby participation to assist manage anxiety and depression symptoms.
• Seek professional assistance: Encourage them to contact mental health specialists who can give treatment, counselling, or medication as required.

2. The influence of social media:

Generation Z has grown up with social media, which can lead to poor self-esteem, cyberbullying, and continuous comparison. The following are some suggestions for navigating social media in a healthier manner:

• Encourage digital detox: To decrease the detrimental influence on Gen Z’s mental health, encourage them to take breaks from social media.
• Encourage them to follow accounts that encourage body positivity, mental health awareness, and personal growth on social media.
• Critical thinking should be taught: Assist them in developing a critical mentality that allows them to challenge the legitimacy and truthfulness of material on social media networks.

3. Loneliness and isolation:

Despite being digitally connected, Gen Z frequently feels lonely and alone. Here are some ways you may help:

• Encourage them to join in group activities, organisations, or events where they may meet like-minded people and build important relationships.
• Foster supportive communities by assisting them in locating online or offline communities focusing on common interests, hobbies, or support groups.
• Teach empathy and kindness: To prevent emotions of loneliness, promote acts of kindness, inclusiveness, and empathy both online and offline.

4. Academic and professional pressures:

Gen Z is under enormous pressure to thrive academically and in a competitive work market.

• Encourage them to set reasonable objectives and remind them that their worth is not simply defined by their academic or professional achievements.
• Encourage them to prioritise self-care, leisure activities, and keeping healthy boundaries between job or school and home life.
• Provide direction: To alleviate stress and confusion, provide advice in researching various career pathways, internship possibilities, and options for future study.

“Remember that, while these suggestions can be beneficial, it is critical to recognise that everyone’s healing journey is unique.” “It’s critical to seek professional help from a licenced mental health professional who can provide personalised guidance and support if mental health issues persist or worsen,” Diksha says.

Practice using the “STOP” command 

This is a brilliant strategy. “Stop” means:

• Stop
• Take a step back
• Observe
• Proceed with caution

When emotions take over, you may find yourself acting rashly. You don’t have time to apply your arsenal of skills when you react hastily. Use “STOP” to recover control of the situation if you find yourself on edge about anything or panicking.

Alternatively, you can use the “TIP” abilities

“TIP” down:

• Tipping temperature by splashing cold water on your face;
• Intense aerobic exercise; 
• Paced breathing/paired muscle relaxation

Emphasising that each of these approaches has the impact of immediately modifying your biological response pattern to stress. As a result, your emotional arousal will decrease. These abilities work in the same way as fast-acting drugs do. You’ll be able to handle better anything that comes your way if you ground yourself in the current moment.

Find someone to confide in

Sometimes it takes someone else’s point of view to point out that we’re not handling stress well. That’s why having someone to confide in can be a crucial part of lowering stress, according to experts. finding someone to talk to at work or in your personal life.

Find someone to lean on at work or in your life. They’ll be the first to notice if you’ve gone missing if you’re going to turn on a light, or if your productivity has dropped.

Make use of the daylight hours

Even though it’s freezing outside, stepping outside is beneficial to your mental health.

A decrease in daylight hours might have a detrimental impact on your mood. She suggests getting outside for 30 minutes to help cope with the lack of sunlight.

Make a note of it

Putting pen to paper may be a relaxing and soothing activity. Persons, places, and tasks that have been stressors should be written down somewhere—whether in a notebook or on your computer.

Journal for at least a month and then read it back to assess your happiness level. Once you’ve figured out what your triggers are, talk to your boss or supervisor about it.

Myth: My mind is too active for meditation

Because of the nature of the human mind, it will always be busy. We have 20,000-50,000 thoughts per day on average. Don’t let this discourage you from meditating. Don’t let fear keep you from trying.

Myth: Meditation is not a religious practice

Meditation is an ancient practice that crosses all religious boundaries. Yes, all religions mention some form of meditation in their scriptures, but you don’t have to be religious to meditate.

Myth: If I meditate, I will be able to clear my mind of all thoughts

Meditating does not imply turning off your thoughts or emotions. It is about learning to observe them without bias or attachment. You are simply observing your thoughts as a spectator.

Myth: To meditate, you must sit for long periods of time

Once you’ve decided on a meditation style that works best for you, the duration is irrelevant as long as you stick to it.

Myth: To meditate, you must be in Lotus pose/Padmasana

Any pose is acceptable as long as you are steady and comfortable. You could meditate on the floor, in a chair, or even with some yoga props to help your posture.

Myth: To meditate, I need to go to a yoga studio

Mediation can take place anywhere and at any time. It does not necessitate any specialised equipment or a studio setup. You can meditate wherever you are.

Myth: Napping during mindfulness is common

Meditation is not the same as falling asleep. It is staying alert and aware by staying in the present moment. Sleeping during the process indicates a tired mind and body.

However, just like with cigarettes and alcohol, legalisation does not imply that the substance is not hazardous.

Marijuana is also one of the most often used narcotics among youngsters worldwide. According to Columbia University researchers in New York, more than 2.5 million kids in the United States consume cannabis casually, and cannabis use among youth has grown over the previous decades.

That is why the trend towards legalisation and medical usage has sparked concern, particularly regarding the possible health dangers among teens.

A growing brain

Although it might be difficult to determine when adolescence ends, it is apparent that it is a time of significant bodily changes, including changes in the brain.

These modifications make it much more difficult to understand how cannabis affects the minds of youngsters.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the brain develops up to the mid-20s during adolescence. During this period, the brain undergoes significant growth and fine-tuning in areas like emotion regulation, stress management, rewards and motivation, decision-making, thinking before acting, impulse control, and reasoning, to mention a few.

During adolescence, there is also a rise in white matter and a reduction in grey matter, which allows various brain areas to interact faster and more efficiently.

Teenagers face a torturous existence. Not only do their bodies change dramatically, but adolescents also frequently battle with concerns such as identity, societal pressure, achieving excellent grades, family relationships, and others.

According to the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, all of these changes and pressures can make youth more prone to experience mental health concerns such as anxiety and sadness, and they can lead to the use of narcotics such as marijuana to cope. The issue is that marijuana use might exacerbate those mental health disorders in the long run.

Because the brain is still growing at this point, it is more sensitive to the effects of chemicals such as alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, and other narcotics. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, these medications have been demonstrated to alter or postpone some of the developmental processes that occur during adolescence.

In the case of cannabis, there is mounting evidence that marijuana alters the brains of adolescents.

The research on cannabis and depression

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), marijuana use has been related to trouble thinking and solving issues, memory and learning, decreased coordination, and difficulty focusing. It’s unclear if these issues remain after ceasing cannabis use.

Cannabis usage has also been linked to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, according to research. Cannabis users are also more prone to experience psychotic episodes.

Research published earlier this month in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at youths who had used cannabis on occasion in the previous 12 months. The research looked at over 70,000 teen responses to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

According to the study, people who used marijuana but did not fit the criteria for addiction reported 2 to 4 times greater mental health issues such as depression, suicidal thoughts, slower thinking, and difficulties focusing when compared to non-users.

This might imply a link between marijuana usage and mental health difficulties, but it’s still unclear whether one causes the other.

Another recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry discovered that marijuana usage in adolescence was linked to an increased risk of developing depression and suicidal ideation later in life.

A 2022 research published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that minors who smoked cannabis were no more likely than adults to acquire mental health disorders including despair or anxiety. Only youth who were addicted to cannabis had poorer mental health.

Is cannabis to blame?

Correlation does not imply causation, and it’s difficult to say whether cannabis use in adolescents is the cause of the higher association with depression and other mental health issues, or whether teens with these issues are more likely to use cannabis.

A 2020 study published in Frontiers of Psychology reviewed the evidence on cannabis and the teenage brain and concluded that we don’t know much about the nature of the relationship between cannabis use and mental health because many of the available studies, so-called cross-sectional studies, were designed poorly.

Cross-sectional research examines several groups of people at a single period in time. The goal is to collect information about a certain issue from a varied number of people all at once. The data is then analysed by academics, who attempt to uncover patterns or links but are unable to determine what causes what.

The Frontiers of Psychology research also emphasised that both cannabis usage and mental health issues might be caused by something else, such as the previously noted teen vulnerability to stress and anxiety.

More study is needed to determine if cannabis causes mental health problems in youth.