Title:

Age:

Impact and Change Staff Meeting

All

Aims and Objectives:

Physical Benefits:

In introduce Impact and Change and give an overview; To give advice and techniques that can staff can use daily; To demonstrate and explain why they techniques and postures help and the benefits.

Improves overall posture; Increases core stability; Reduces muscular tension; Calms and clears the mind.

Additional Resources: Help sheet to handout Impact and Change Pack to share

Introduction: 5mins Give a brief introduction about YogaBugs and Impact and Change. Staff may wish to ask question here.

Breathing Techniques: 10 mins Breathing techniques are a very good exercise for stress relief. They’re one of those ‘golden’ stress relief strategies that work simply, easily, and are effective for virtually everyone. Breathing exercises are one of the most popular and commonlyrecommended stress relievers for good reason: • They work quickly. • You can do them anywhere. • They take very little practice to master. • They’re free. • You can use them in the middle of stressful situation to stay calm. • They can effectively reverse your stress response, helping you avoid the negative effects of chronic stress. Breathing exercises can be used to reduce physical stress and aid relaxation at any time. However, there are some times in which breathing exercises -- on their own or in conjunction with other stress relief strategies -- are the best choice, and there are other times that other strategies are more effective. Breathing exercises are most effective when: • • • • •

You’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed and want to calm down quickly. You’re stressed and you want to think more clearly. You want to release tension in your body. You’re feeling frustrated and want to ‘slow things down.’ You’re in the middle of an altercation and you want to feel more centered.

So here are a few breathing techniques that you can use. You have more on your

sheet, but I thought we’d just try a few today to show you how to perform them. Belly Breathing Sometimes called abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing, this exercise is a great place to start and ensures that you are cleansing your lungs as well as calming your mind. Belly breathing is good for releasing anger and upsetting thoughts, it’s also useful for pain relief and relaxation in general. Place your right hand over the centre of your chest, and your left hand over the centre of your stomach and take a slow deep breath in. If you notice that the hand on your stomach rises higher than the hand on your chest, you have been successful in drawing the breath into the depths of your lungs. If that isn’t what happened for you take a minute or two to experiment, be sure to empty your lungs fully on your outbreath to encourage the next breath in to deepen and cause your stomach to rise. Exhale through your mouth, letting the breath out slowly and completely. When you feel that your lungs are nearly empty, pull your stomach in a little to squeeze the very last air from your lungs. Repeat four times, until you have completed five cycles of deep refreshing abdominal breathing. Once you are comfortable with this breathing technique you can stop using your hands, and you might like to add some words to the exercise to help you feel even more calmer and in control. Some people find it helpful to simply say something like “calm” or “peace” on their out-breath, you can say it in your mind or whisper it with your breath - it’s up to you. Counting Breath is a simple technique that occupies your mind by keeping it focused on counting every time you exhale. As you place your full attention on your outgoing breath you may notice that things start to feel less rushed and more peaceful for you. Take a few deep breaths and let tension drain away from your shoulders and concentrate on breathing steadily, slowly and quietly. Count "one" to yourself as you exhale, and the next time you exhale, count "two", on the next exhalation count "three" and onwards until you reach the number five. Begin a new cycle, starting again with "one" on your next exhalation. Watch your breath and try and breathe deeply and steadily until you have counted up to five and then begin again. Repeat this cycle five times, or more if you feel comfortable. The Calming Breath: This is so quick and simple to do and you can feel the benefits immediately. The power in this particular technique lies in counting out an extended exhalation which feels very calming and also helps slow your heart rate if it's racing away due to

stress or anxiety. Take a deep breath in for the count of four (count one thousand, two thousand, three thousand, four to set a slow and steady pace), then hold your breath for the count of two, and release slowly through slightly pursed lips for the count of eight. The calming breath is also useful if you feel angry or irritated, it can quickly calm and cool your mind and help you gain a sense of clarity and control.

Stretches : 10 mins Poor posture, neck and back ache are becoming an increasingly common complaint in this day of computer-based jobs and entertainment. We are spending more and more time in front of our workstations and in our cars, which can have an effect on our overall posture and our necks and back. In order to avoid suffering the pain and discomfort that is associated with attaining these issues, there are a number of simple yet effective stretching exercises that you can do to help your back, neck and shoulders stay supple and healthy. This will in turn increase your overall quality of everyday life. Log Stretch Find a towel or similar piece of material and roll it up lengthwise into the shape of a log. Lay this on the floor before lying on it with your back. The top of the ‘log’ should rest between your shoulder blades and the bottom should end just above your own bottom. Keep your legs straight while stretching your arms out to the sides with your palms facing upwards in a "T" pose and hold for as long as you are able. (adaptation for lower back issues – legs/knee’s bent feet flat onto the floor) Wall Stretch Stand with your back against a wall with your feet a couple of feet in front of you with legs slightly bent and lean back. Try to touch your shoulders, back and butt to the wall simultaneously, slowly tilt your head back to touch the wall as well (adaptation for neck issues lengthen out from top of head and keep neck in line with spine- no extension back). If you have tight chest muscles resulting in poor posture and upper back strain, it may well be difficult or impossible to do this, so just go as far you can without causing strain or pain and hold it for 30 seconds if you are able. Simple Chest Stretch An easy stretch that anyone can do almost anywhere. Stand straight with your legs shoulder-width apart and your head up looking straight forward. Reach your hands behind your back and interlock your fingers, before pulling back your shoulders and raising your clasped hands away from your back as far as you can until you feel the stretch in your chest. Hold this position for around 30 seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Hip Flexor Stretch Standing straight with hands on your hips; step forward with your right foot and slowly bend the knees while keeping your back straight. You should feel the stretch in your hips after a few seconds. Hold for 5-10 seconds before returning to the starting point and repeat with the opposite leg. Remember that a little goes a long way when performing this move. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to work the hip flexors, so go easy when stretching here or you could

injure yourself. Upwards Pelvic Thrust (Bridge) This is a great exercise for stretching your hips and strengthening your butt and hamstrings, as well as your core muscles. Lie on your back with your bent legs together (adaptation for greater stability – feet hip width apart) Keep your arms at your sides. Slowly begin to raise your butt up off the floor until you are forming a straight line with your body from your shoulders down to your knees. Hold this position just for a couple of seconds before returning to the start, rolling down through the spine slowly to increase flexibility in the lower back. Repeat this as many times as you can. It is important to keep good form during this exercise. Make sure that you keep your head and neck still by not lifting the back of your head off of the floor and focusing on a spot on the ceiling. People often avoid performing office stretches because they are concerned that they will appear silly to their coworkers. There are several stretches that are not only effective, but can also be camouflaged so as not to appear out of the ordinary. Be sure to perform them regularly during the day in order to achieve optimal results. Side Neck Stretch A side neck stretch is a great way to keep you energized and alert at work. To do this exercise, start by sitting tall in your chair with your head directly over your shoulders and your shoulders directly over your hips. Take a few deep breaths, and slowly lower your right ear to your right shoulder. You should feel a stretch along the left side of your neck. For a deeper stretch, bring your right hand to the top of your head, and gently pull the head down toward the right shoulder. Hold the stretch for at least 15 seconds before switching to the opposite side. Do another complete set of the stretch in order to achieve optimal results. Chest Stretch A chest stretch is another one of the great office stretches you can do, especially if your job requires you to sit at a computer for long periods of time. For this stretch, start by lifting your arms up so that your elbows are at shoulder height and your hands are reaching overhead with your palms facing forward. Slowly pull your elbows behind your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together. As with the above stretch, hold this for at least 15 seconds before taking a short break, and then doing another repetition. Back Stretch A back stretch makes another good stretch for office workers. Sitting in your chair all day can cause major back pain, and this stretch can help to alleviate some of that pain. Start by bringing your palms together in front of your chest with your elbows completely extended. Lace your fingers together, and then flip your palms out so that the palms are now facing away from your body. Slowly reach your arms up towards bringing them overhead, so your hands are reaching for the sky. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds, rest and repeat another time. Hamstring Stretch A hamstring stretch is a great, easy exercise that can be done almost anywhere and is guaranteed to make you feel energized and alert. Start by standing tall with your feet under your hips and spaced approximately one foot apart from each other. Make sure your toes are facing forward and your knees are soft and not pushing

backwards. Take a few deep breaths, and as you exhale, slowly bend from the waist. Allow your arms to reach down towards the ground, resulting in a stretch along the back of your upper legs. Hold this pose for fifteen seconds, before taking a short break and coming to an upright position. Do another repetition of the hamstring stretch in order to achieve optimal results. Anyone with high or low blood pressure should keep their heads higher than their hearts and use a chair for stability.

Relaxation Techniques: 10 mins Stress is necessary for life. You need stress for creativity, learning, and your very survival. Stress is only harmful when it becomes overwhelming and interrupts the healthy state of equilibrium that your nervous system needs to remain in balance. Unfortunately, overwhelming stress has become an increasingly common characteristic of contemporary life. When stressors throw your nervous system out of balance, relaxation techniques can bring it back into a balanced state by producing the relaxation response, a state of deep calmness that is the polar opposite of the stress response. When stress overwhelms your nervous system your body is flooded with chemicals that prepare you for “fight or flight”. While the stress response can be lifesaving in emergency situations where you need to act quickly, it wears your body down when constantly activated by the stresses of everyday life. The relaxation response puts the brakes on this heightened state of readiness and brings your body and mind back into a state of equilibrium. A variety of different relaxation techniques can help you bring your nervous system back into balance by producing the relaxation response. The relaxation response is not lying on the couch or sleeping but a mentally active process that leaves the body relaxed, calm, and focused. Learning the basics of these relaxation techniques isn’t difficult, but it does take practice. Most stress experts recommend setting aside at least 10 to 20 minutes a day for your relaxation practice. If you’d like to get even more stress relief, aim for 30 minutes to an hour. If that sounds like a daunting commitment, remember that many of these techniques can be incorporated into your existing daily schedule—practiced at your desk over lunch or on the bus during your morning commute. There is no single relaxation technique that is best for everyone. When choosing a relaxation technique, consider your specific needs, preferences, fitness level, and the way you tend to react to stress. The right relaxation technique is the one that resonates with you, fits your lifestyle, and is able to focus your mind and interrupt your everyday thoughts in order to elicit the relaxation response. In many cases, you may find that alternating or combining different techniques will keep you motivated and provide you with the best results. Progressive muscle relaxation involves a two-step process in which you systematically tense and relax different muscle groups in the body. With regular practice, progressive muscle relaxation gives you an intimate familiarity with what tension—as well as complete relaxation—feels like in different parts of the body. This awareness helps you spot and counteract the first signs of the muscular tension that accompanies stress. And as your body relaxes, so will your mind. You can combine deep breathing with progressive muscle relaxation for an additional

level of stress relief. Practicing progressive muscle relaxation; Before practicing Progressive Muscle Relaxation, consult with your doctor if you have a history of muscle spasms, back problems, or other serious injuries that may be aggravated by tensing muscles. Most progressive muscle relaxation practitioners start at the feet and work their way up to the face. For a sequence of muscle groups to follow, see the box below. • • • • • • • •

•

Loosen your clothing, take off your shoes, and get comfortable. Take a few minutes to relax, breathing in and out in slow, deep breaths. When you’re relaxed and ready to start, shift your attention to your right foot. Take a moment to focus on the way it feels. Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot, squeezing as tightly as you can. Hold for a count of 10. Relax your right foot. Focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose. Stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly. When you’re ready, shift your attention to your left foot. Follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release. Move slowly up through your body, contracting and relaxing the muscle groups as you go.

It may take some practice at first, but try not to tense muscles other than those intended.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Sequence The most popular sequence runs as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Right foot* Left foot Right calf Left calf Right thigh

6. Left thigh 7. Hips and buttocks 8. Stomach 9. Chest 10. Back

11. Right arm and hand 12. Left arm and hand 13. Neck and shoulders 14. Face

* If you are left-handed you may want to begin with your left foot instead.

Finish off by asking if there are any questions and then handout the sheet.