There’s no disputing that these are stressful times, and with the strong directive to stay inside and practice social distancing from others, the sense of isolation can compound the anxieties of living through a pandemic. But there are ways to relieve stress naturally, and some Valley residents are embracing a holistic path toward self-care and wellness.
Remaining physically active is one of the most important ways you can take care of yourself, says Whitney Owens, a licensed local psychologist and certified yoga teacher. “Yoga, as with any active movement, is helpful in releasing endorphins and decreasing physiological tension and anxiety. The added bonus of yoga is the mindfulness and focus component. This, combined with deep breathing, sends messages to your brain that everything is going to be OK.”
The heart of yoga is pranayama, the formal practice of controlling the breath. Yogis will tell you that the poses are secondary to the breath, or prana, the vital life force circulating through us. Cultivating and channeling prana through breathing exercises calms the anxious mind, soothes a tired body and leads to a deeper meditative state. The ability to redirect your thoughts is the essence of meditation and, like yoga, requires patience and practice. Studies have shown the many benefits of meditation, including controlling anxiety, stress reduction, improved sleep and decreasing blood pressure.
While you don’t need any special equipment to start a meditation practice, it might be helpful to start with guided meditation apps like Calm, Headspace and Inscape, which walk you through sessions as short as five minutes, says Raquel Sanchez, owner of MobiDigi, a local digital marketing and advertising company. As you build up to a longer practice, you’ll find that your thoughts race less and you’re able to breathe through your anxiety.
Another tool to add to your arsenal is aromatherapy, a holistic healing treatment that uses plant extracts in the form of essential oils to promote physical and emotional well-being. “I’ve been using essential oils for over three years now,” Sanchez says. “I have an autoimmune disease with my thyroid, and I’ve always struggled with my health and feeling well. Essential oils have really helped me physically, mentally and emotionally.” Essential oils can be diffused, used topically or ingested, but make sure it’s therapeutic grade before doing so. For these stressful times, Sanchez recommends lavender, frankincense, copaiba, rosemary and ylang ylang.
Of course, there’s also the option of simply embracing the uncertainty and looking at this forced nesting time as an opportunity to reset, which is what Ava Mucikyan, owner of the Salt Room in Henderson and Summerlin, has been doing. “Interestingly enough, my heart is very much at peace, despite all the fearmongering around me. It’s nice to see the world come to a standstill, people stepping out of the hamster wheel and being forced to pause,” she says. “We can make the very best of it instead of feeding into fear. I would always ask people, ‘If you had all the time in the world, what would you do?’ Here is our opportunity to explore what truly makes us happy, what we are passionate about, maybe even what is our life’s purpose.”
In our social isolation, building a community and fostering a sense of connection with others is even more important and is perhaps the single biggest thing we can do for our mental well-being. It can be as simple as FaceTiming a friend or hanging out with a group virtually. Owens, who continues to teach yoga through the video-conferencing platform Zoom, says, “The silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic is that people are getting creative with using the internet to connect and communicate. Many gyms and yoga studios are offering livestream classes that allow people from around the world to practice with others from the comfort of their home. A home practice of yoga is great and grounding, but flowing with friends online can provide much needed community connection at this time.”
Mucikyan, who also has a daily yoga and meditation regimen, considers strengthening ties to family and community a priority. “I spend my days reading, resting, playing with my 7-year-old, connecting with family and reaching out to friends I haven’t been in touch with for a long time. It’s nice to have the time to disconnect and to connect with what matters most in life.”
This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.