➡️Bookmark this STAT for tonight’s #bedtimeroutine 🌚
Prolonged exhalation breathing helps to:
💫Stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system AKA ‘rest + digest’.
💫Relax the vagus nerve.
💫Eliminate carbon dioxide from the lungs.
When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated it helps to:
- Lower blood pressure.
- Slow heart rate.
- Slow respirations.
It’s the PERFECT way to prime your body + mind for a good nights rest.
This breathing exercise has a 1:2 ratio for inhalation:exhalation.
If you inhale for a count of 1-2, you’ll exhale for a count of 4-3-2-1.
TECHNIQUE:
1. Find any comfortable seated pose: cross-legged, sitting on heels or sitting in a chair with feet on ground.
2. Close eyes.
3. Take a few rounds of natural breaths.
4. Match count of inhale to exhale 1:1 ration.
5. Double count of your exhale for 1:2 ration.
6. Take 5-6 rounds of prolonged exhalation breathing.
7. Return to normal breathing.
8. Bring awareness back to body.
9. Open eyes.
10. Smile.
11. Sleep. 😴
Quality sleep is linked to:
- improved memory + brain function.
-emotional wellbeing.
-stress reduction.
-so much more!
Sleep tight, friends!! 🌚
Drop a comment telling me your favorite #bedtimeroutine for #bettersleep 🌚⬇️
Our happiness is OUR responsibility-- nobody else’s.
🗣Breath of joy is a form of breath work you can practice daily for x3 minutes in the morning or mid-day to feel happier + refreshed STAT.
Benefits of breath of joy:
🔹Stimulates the sympathetic nervous system.
🔹Increases oxygen levels in the bloodstream.
🔷Breath of Joy awakens your body as a system.
HOW TO PRACTICE BREATH OF JOY
Stand with your feet hip-width or a little wider + parallel, knees slightly bent.
1️⃣Inhale to bottom 1/3 of your lung capacity + swing your arms up in front of your body, bringing them parallel to each other at shoulder level, with palms facing the ceiling.
2️⃣Continue inhaling to 2/3 lung capacity + stretch your arms out to the side like wings to shoulder level.
3️⃣Inhale to full capacity + swing your arms parallel + over your head, palms facing each other.
3️⃣Open your mouth + exhale completely w/ an audible ‘ha’, bending the knees more deeply as you sink into a standing squat and swing your arms down + back.
Think of taking 3 stacked inhales + then one looooong exhale.
🗣Inhale-inhale-inhale-exahle.
PRECAUTIONS:
If you start to feel light-headed...
🚨stop for ☝🏼minute, have a seat + just breathe normally.
Choose joy, today ☺️
Induce stress on the mat, so you can better handle life off the mat.
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❌Yoga isn’t about how you look in a pose.❌
❌How flexible you are.❌
❌How strong you are, physically. ❌
Yoga is about taking the life skills you learn on the mat + implementing them in to your daily life.
My advice ➡️ become more aware of your breath and how it can help you through stressful situations.
This is your daily reminder to: BREATHE.
Whatever you are doing, no matter how busy you are…
You have time to take 3 deep breaths.
Inhale through the nose, exhale out the mouth.
3 breaths...you’ve got this!
Happy Monday, friends!
This too, shall pass.
Xx,
@sincerelynursenikki
Thanks to #coronavirus everyone, including myself, is hyper-focused on:⠀
🗣Improving respiratory function.⠀
🗣Improving lung capacity.⠀
.⠀
Today I’m sharing a form a breath-work that you can use in the morning or mid-day to:⠀
⚡️Feel more energized.⠀
⚡️Strengthen the diaphragm.⠀
⚡️Improve lung capacity.⠀
⚡️Improve circulation. ⠀
⚡️Energize the mind. ⠀
⚡️Strengthen the nervous system.⠀
.⠀
#kapalabhati is a form of pranayama (breathwork) that focuses on a passive inhalation and forceful exhalation.⠀
.⠀
Kapalabhati focuses on a rhythmic contraction of the diaphragm and abdomen during exhalation. ⠀
.⠀
TECHNIQUE:⠀
1. Find any meditative posture w/head and spine erect.⠀
2. Do a few rounds of natural breathing.
3. Seal the lips.⠀
4. Allow next inhalation to be passive.⠀
5. Exhalations should be a forceful contraction of the abdomen + diaphragm.⠀
6. Inhalations should be passive and reflexive. ⠀
.⠀
Start with [5] slow kapalabhati breaths. ⠀
.⠀
Consider doing 3 rounds of 20 rapid kapalabhati breaths.⠀
20-20-20. ⠀
Avoid doing more than 120 @ a time.⠀
.⠀
CONTRAINDICATIONS:⠀
🚫Hernia.⠀
🚫Cervical/lumbar spondylitis.⠀
🚫Pregnancy.⠀
🚫Stroke.⠀
🚫Epilepsy.⠀
.⠀
Must be done on empty stomach.⠀
Avoid doing before bed.⠀
.⠀
REMINDERS:⠀
🗣Relax muscles in face.⠀
🗣Avoid straining as this will cause dizziness. ⠀
🗣Keep spine still.
📣 ATTENTION NURSES 📣 tag a nurse who could use some self compassion this Valentine’s Day! ❤️
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Cultivate some self compassion this Valentine’s day thru my signature hip + heart opening on demand yoga class!!! 🧘🏽♀️
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Click the link below to sign up for FREE!
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https://nurse-tribe-llc.ck.page/1805618824
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This full length yoga class will be delivered to your email inbox this Friday, 2.14.20 bright and early!!! 🥰
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All levels of yoga practitioners are welcome!!!
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Sincerely,
@sincerelynursenikki 💕
🚫PREVENTING KNEE INJURIES 🚫
#RNYogaRx
🔊Sound on for verbal cues. ⠀
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You only have ✌🏼 so let’s keep them safe!
⠀
The knee joint is one of the largest + most complex joints in the human body.🦵🏼
⠀
They help support your body weight + facilitate movement in the lower extremities, so protecting them is a MUST (both on + off your yoga mat).
⠀
Some of the most common knee joint injuries include:👇🏼
1. Tears in the ligaments, tendons, + cartilage.
⠀
💯Follow these recs to keep your knees safe both on + off your yoga mat :
⠀
1️⃣In standing postures, root down through the [4] corners of your feet…AKA grip the mat with your toes until your inner arches lift from the mat.👣
2️⃣Always stack your joints + align your knees over ankles in standing postures. 👉🏻 You should always be able to see your toes. Why? B/c your body will take the path of least resistance and stacking will help prevent injury.🚫
3️⃣Avoid locking out the knee joints/hyperextending by keeping a micro-bend in the knees at all times. 🦵🏼
4️⃣Engage the quadricep muscles to keep the movement in the muscles, rather than the joints. 🔥
⠀
Follow these recs on/off your mat+ your going to be the #beesknees 🍯🦵🏼😉
Have we formally met?
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We have some new faces after starting the giveaway I’m hosting (link in bio to win🎉) and I’d like to reintroduce myself!
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My name is Nikki Schillaci (Skuh-Lah-Chee) and I’m an ICU nurse + RYT. .
⠀
I lead a community called NurseTribe, where I create resources to help nurses stress less, stay fit + cultivate wellness from within. #beattheburnout .
I have a deep passion to empower and inspire my fellow humans (specifically the nursing community) to live happier + healthier mostly through: -Mindfulness.
-Yoga.
-Self care.
-Community. #makingselfcaresocial .
I truly believe the way to make this world a better place is to learn how to love + care for yourself unconditionally first and foremost.☝🏼
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Fun facts about me👇🏼
🌴 I live in Honolulu, HI (no I don’t get island fever...all about your mindset☺️)
🏔 I’m from Fort Collins, Colorado and love camping, fishing + miss the Rocky Mountains like crazy!
🦆I have a pet duck that I fed once and never left, his name is Bogey FYI.⛳️ .
Because I’m super passionate about self care, yoga and helping my fellow nurses thirve. 🌱
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I am hosting a
#nurses only 🎉G I V E A W A Y 🎉 (click link in bio to enter)
👉🏻#registerednurse #cna #studentnurse #lpn #aprn ARE ELIGIBLE .
The giveaway consists of [3] staples to kick off a solid self care regiment.
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Cheers and please tell me something full about yourself and if you’re a nurse, please tell me what you struggle with the most r/t to self care!
G I V E A W A Y C L O S E D 🛑
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Why? Because caregivers need to be cared for, too.
•
At some point you, or your loved one will be cared for by a nurse.
•
Let’s care for our caregivers so they can be at their best when they care for you!
•
We ❤️ our nurses!
#Nurselife #Giftsfornurses #Makingselfcaresocial #Nursetribe #Sincerelynursenikki #Nursetribe #loveanurse
G I V E A W A Y C L O S E D 🛑
#NURSES: Are you ready to elevate (or start) your meditation practice? 💆🏻♀️💆🏻♂️
(Student RNs, CNAs, LPNs, APRNs Are WELCOME to participate)
👉🏻Not a nurse but still want to participate?
💉 Tag a nurse that you love + care about!
—————————————————————
🎥 Watch my story to learn more!
Do you think the term ‘self care’ is vague, overused, subjective and...not helpful?
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I am feeling like this word is oversaturated + subjective...
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Check out my vid about how to better understand the components of ‘the self’ to care for yourself/show up for yourself every day!
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In nursing we hear that we need to care for our patients ‘holistically’...
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How can we also care for ourselves holistically?
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Holistic care can comprised of our:
-Physical body.
-Mental body.
-Emotional body.
-Spiritual body.
-Environment.
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How can we connect with ourselves better to alter common themes we notice with our emotions in order to be happier + healthier?
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Let me know how you show up for yourself every day!
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.
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#showupforyourself #sincerelynursenikki #nursetribe
SELF CARE FOR NURSES: HOW TO MAKE A SELF CARE KIT
Today, and everyday—I give you full permission to TREAT YO’ SELF. ❤️
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In this video I will show you how to build a self care kit that will promote you to care for yourself on a regular basis!
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Self care isn’t selfish, it’s necessary.
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Why, you ask?—-
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Because if you’re tired and sad, the truth is, everyone around you will be affected.
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✨ Having a self care kit will help you cultivate happiness so that you can to share your ‘best self’ with your patients, your loved ones and the world.
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I recommend placing it on your nightstand, desk or dedicating a shelf to your new (and awesome) self care kit!
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#Selfcarematters.
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Let’s chat in the comments: What are some of your favorite ways to practice self care?