Tag: mindfulness meditation

affect labeling, anxiety, anxiety disorders, depression, Miami holistic health coach, Miami psychologist, mindfulness meditation,

Why mindfulness meditation can help you to transform your life . . .

In Psychology and Wellness

If you struggle with feelings of anxiety and depression, you very likely also are your own worst critic, judge yourself harshly and negatively compare yourself to other people.  You may engage in this behavior believing that this is an effective way to motivate yourself to do better, as a habit that you picked up somewhere in your past or simply because we live in a culture that reinforces the message that demanding more of yourself is the way to move ahead in world.  If this sounds like you, you probably also do everything that you can do to run away and avoid difficult and painful feelings (e.g., watch TV, smoke, drink alcohol to “numb out,” or  binge on food), experience guilt or shame when you do not do as well as you wanted to and have a difficult time expressing your emotions to people.

While short term many of these behaviors do provide relief and pleasure, in the long run they are not sustainable and adversely affect your health.   By ignoring your emotions and avoiding your difficult thoughts and emotions, your “fight or flight” (i.e., amygdala and adrenals) and PIN systems (psychoimmunoneurology, the study of how your thoughts and emotions interface with your immune and neurological systems) get ramped up, which damage your body by releasing more stress hormones like cortisol and inflammatory cytokines.

On the other hand, when you express yourself and “talk it out” with your friends and family or practice affect labeling (i.e., simply labeling and mentally acknowledging your experiences), you activate a region in your brain (i.e., right ventrolateral frontal cortex) that helps you to process your thoughts and emotions and mitigates the damaging effects of running away from your experiences.1,2  By talking to other people, you’re likely to also receive caring and loving words of support and affection that increase the amount of the “bonding hormone” (i.e., oxytocin) and feel good and pain relief chemicals (i.e., endogenous opioids) that your body produces.

Learning and practicing mindfulness meditation will lead to and produce many of these same beneficial effects.  Research suggests that cultivating self-compassion and mentally noting your experiences (i.e., an essential aspect of mindfulness meditation) help to significantly down regulate your “fight or flight” and PIN systems.3,4,5   These practices will also help you to produce more feel good and pain relief chemicals.  You can practice mentally noting your experiences and cultivate self-compassion by simply labeling your thoughts and emotions (e.g., each time you experience any unpleasant or painful thoughts or feelings of anxiety, gently repeat “fear” or “tension” and affirm “It’s okay.”).

To your health and success,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

  1. Nakazawa, DJ. (2013). The Last Best Cure: My Quest to Awaken the Healing Parts of My Brain and Get Back My Body, My Joy, and My Life. 
  2. Lieberman, MD, Eisenberger, NI, Crockett,MJ,  Tom, SM,  Pfeifer, JH and Way, BM. “Putting Feelings Into Words: Affect Labeling Disrupts Amygdala Activity in Response to Affective Stimuli .” Psychological Science. (2007). 18(5), 421-428.  doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01916.
  3. Leary, MR, Tate, EB, Adams, CE, Batts, AA, Ashley; and Hancock, J. “Self-compassion and reactions to unpleasant self-relevant events: The implications of treating oneself kindly.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (2007). 92(5), 887-904. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.92.5.887
  4. Neff, KD and McGehee, P. “Self-compassion and psychological resilience among adolescents and young adults.” Self and Identity. (2010). 9 (3), 225-240. doi:10.1080/15298860902979307.
  5. Creswell, JD, Way, BM, Eisenberger, NI, Lieberman, MD. “Neural correlates of dispositional mindfulness during affect labeling.” Psychosomatic Medicine. (2007). 69(6), 560-565.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

alternate nostril breathing, anxiety disorders, binge eating, depression, immune system , Miami holistic health coach, Miami psychologist, mindfulness meditation, qi gong, stress ,well-being , yoga, ADHD

How simple mindfulness practices can help you to enhance your well-being and reduce your distress . . .

In Psychology and Wellness

Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally bringing your attention to your here and now experiences with an attitude of curiosity, openness and non-judgment.  Many studies have shown that mindfulness practices can help you to reduce stress, worry, symptoms of binge eating, many anxiety disorders and ADHD.1, 2

Mindfulness practices, including yoga, yoga breathing exercises and qi gong, can also help you to enhance your emotional well-being, immune system , concentration and focus as well as help you to reduce symptoms of depression, reduce your blood pressure and trigger your “rest and digest response” (i.e., it activates your parasympathetic nervous system).3, 4, 5, 6,7,8,9

While establishing a formal practice for mindfulness meditation is ideal, using informal practices and learning yoga or qi gong is simple and equally as effective.  Below are simple, informal practices that you can learn to help you disengage, reduce stress and enhance your well-being.

  • Notice Sounds: Notice 5 sounds.  As you notice the sounds, be aware of the moment when your mind identifies the sound and adds a label or judgment.  It is in the nature of the mind to identify, categorize, label and judge every experience you bring your attention to.  With practice, you will simply notice the sounds and be in the spaciousness of your awareness before your mind adds a label or judgment.
  • Mindful Breathing: Take 10 mindful breathes.  Pay attention to every sensation in your body as you inhale and exhale.  The rise and fall of your chest or abdomen. The rate and depth of each breath.  The cool sensations as you inhale through your nostrils and the warmth as you exhale out your mouth.  The expansion and collapse of your lungs as the air flows in and out of your body.  Take time throughout your day to disengage from the task at hand, pause and take 10 mindful breaths.
  • Mindful Eating: Notice the colors and shapes.  Notice the smells of the food.  As you bring the food to your mouth, notice the intention to eat and your body’s production of saliva in the anticipation of the food entering your mouth.  As you chew, notice the sounds of the food and the chomping of your teeth that the chewing produces.  Notice the feel and texture of the food. Your tongue positions the food precisely where it needs to be in order to chew.  Notice the taste.   Be aware of the moment and intention to swallow the food.
  • Mindful Touch: Touch a loved one or practice self-massage.  As you pay attention, notice all the sensations on your skin.  Tingling, warmth, coolness, itching, pain, tension, pleasure, lightness.  Be aware of any judgments or stories that your mind adds to the experience as you touch.  It is natural for your mind to add judgments and preferences about yourself and others.  Without struggling, simply notice the judgments, and gently bring your awareness back the sensations in your body.
  • Mindful Walking: Walking is a controlled act of falling.  When you walk mindfully, have the intention of noticing every aspect of your body as you raise your foot to take a step.  Monitor the sway of your hips.  Notice the tension in your calf as you raise your foot, the pull in your thigh and the pressure upon landing on your heel.  Alternate and again monitor the movement of your body as you lift the opposite foot.  Be aware of the movement of your shoulders, hips and arms as you balance yourself to walk.  As your mind wanders, gently redirect your attention back to your breath and the movements of your body.  To help you maintain your focus, you may want to mentally label each step.  “Left, Right, Left, Right.”
  • Alternate Nostril Breathing (Yoga breathing exercise): Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through your left nostril. Do this for a count of four seconds. Immediately afterwards close your left nostril with your right ring finger and little finger while you simultaneously remove your thumb from your right nostril and exhale through this nostril. Do this for a count of eight seconds. Complete your cycle by inhaling through your right nostril for a count of four second and follow by closing your right nostril with your right thumb and exhale through your left nostril for a count of eight seconds.  Start by doing three cycles, adding one per week until you are doing seven cycles.

To your health,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

  1. Klein, AS, Skinner, JB and Hawley, KM.  “Targeting binge eating through components of dialectical behavior therapy: Preliminary outcomes for individually supported diary card self-monitoring versus group-based DBT.” Psychotherapy. (2013). 50(4), 543-552.
  2. van de Weijer-Bergsma, E,  Formsma, AR, Bruin, EI,  Bögels, SM. “The effectiveness of mindfulness training on behavioral problems and attentional functioning in adolescents with ADHD.” Journal of Child and Family Studies. (2012). 21(5), 775-787.
  3. Witek-Janusek, L, Albuquerque, K, Chroniak, KR, Chroniak, C,  Durazo-Arvizu, R, Mathews, HL.  “Effect of mindfulness based stress reduction on immune function, quality of life and coping in women newly diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.” Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, (2008). 22(6), 969-981.
  4. Sarang, P and Telles, S.  “Effects of two yoga based relaxation techniques on heart rate variability (HRV).”  International Journal of Stress Management. (2006). 13(4), 460-475.
  5. Vempati, RP and Telles, S.  “Yoga-Based Guided Relaxation Reduces Sympathetic Activity Judged from Baseline Levels.” Psychological Reports. (2002). (90), 2 487-494.
  6. Srivastava, RD, Jain, N, and Singhal, A. “Influence of Alternate Nostril Breathing on Cardiorespiratory and Autonomic Functions in Healthy Young Adults.” Indian Journal Physiology and Pharmacology. (2005). (49), 4, 475–483.
  7. Subramanya, P and Telles, S.   “Effect of two yoga-based relaxation techniques on memory scores and state anxiety” BioPsychoSocial Medicine. (2009). (3), 8.
  8. Tsang HW, Fung KM, Chan AS, Lee G, Chan F. “Effect of a qigong exercise programme on elderly with depression.” International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. (2006). (21), 9, 890–897.
  9. Oh, Byeongsang, Sun Mi Choi, Aya Inamori, David S.Rosenthal, and Albert S. Yeung. “Effects of Qigong on depression: A systemic review.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2013). doi:10.1155/2013/134737

The information, published and/or made available through the www.fullofradiance.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

ADHD, alternate nostril breathing, anxiety disorders, binge eating, depression, immune system, Miami holistic health coach, Miami psychologist, mindfulness meditation, qi gong, stress, well-being, yoga,

How simple mindfulness practices can help you to reduce your distress and enhance your well-being . . .

In Psychology and Wellness

Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally bringing your attention to your here and now experiences with an attitude of curiosity, openness and non-judgment.  Many studies have shown that mindfulness practices can help you to reduce stress, worry, symptoms of binge eating, many anxiety disorders and ADHD.1, 2

Mindfulness practices, including yoga, yoga breathing exercises and qi gong, can also help you to enhance your emotional well-being, immune system , concentration and focus as well as help you to reduce symptoms of depression, reduce your blood pressure and trigger your “rest and digest response” (i.e., it activates your parasympathetic nervous system).3, 4, 5, 6,7,8,9

While establishing a formal practice for mindfulness meditation is ideal, using informal practices and learning yoga or qi gong is simple and equally as effective.  Below are simple, informal practices that you can learn to help you disengage, reduce stress and enhance your well-being.

  • Notice Sounds: Notice 5 sounds.  As you notice the sounds, be aware of the moment when your mind identifies the sound and adds a label or judgment.  It is in the nature of the mind to identify, categorize, label and judge every experience you bring your attention to.  With practice, you will simply notice the sounds and be in the spaciousness of your awareness before your mind adds a label or judgment.
  • Mindful Breathing: Take 10 mindful breathes.  Pay attention to every sensation in your body as you inhale and exhale.  The rise and fall of your chest or abdomen. The rate and depth of each breath.  The cool sensations as you inhale through your nostrils and the warmth as you exhale out your mouth.  The expansion and collapse of your lungs as the air flows in and out of your body.  Take time throughout your day to disengage from the task at hand, pause and take 10 mindful breaths.
  • Mindful Eating: Notice the colors and shapes.  Notice the smells of the food.  As you bring the food to your mouth, notice the intention to eat and your body’s production of saliva in the anticipation of the food entering your mouth.  As you chew, notice the sounds of the food and the chomping of your teeth that the chewing produces.  Notice the feel and texture of the food. Your tongue positions the food precisely where it needs to be in order to chew.  Notice the taste.   Be aware of the moment and intention to swallow the food.
  • Mindful Touch: Touch a loved one or practice self-massage.  As you pay attention, notice all the sensations on your skin.  Tingling, warmth, coolness, itching, pain, tension, pleasure, lightness.  Be aware of any judgments or stories that your mind adds to the experience as you touch.  It is natural for your mind to add judgments and preferences about yourself and others.  Without struggling, simply notice the judgments, and gently bring your awareness back the sensations in your body.
  • Mindful Walking: Walking is a controlled act of falling.  When you walk mindfully, have the intention of noticing every aspect of your body as you raise your foot to take a step.  Monitor the sway of your hips.  Notice the tension in your calf as you raise your foot, the pull in your thigh and the pressure upon landing on your heel.  Alternate and again monitor the movement of your body as you lift the opposite foot.  Be aware of the movement of your shoulders, hips and arms as you balance yourself to walk.  As your mind wanders, gently redirect your attention back to your breath and the movements of your body.  To help you maintain your focus, you may want to mentally label each step.  “Left, Right, Left, Right.”
  • Alternate Nostril Breathing (Yoga breathing exercise): Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through your left nostril. Do this for a count of four seconds. Immediately afterwards close your left nostril with your right ring finger and little finger while you simultaneously remove your thumb from your right nostril and exhale through this nostril. Do this for a count of eight seconds. Complete your cycle by inhaling through your right nostril for a count of four second and follow by closing your right nostril with your right thumb and exhale through your left nostril for a count of eight seconds.  Start by doing three cycles, adding one per week until you are doing seven cycles.

To your health,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

  1. Klein, AS, Skinner, JB and Hawley, KM.  “Targeting binge eating through components of dialectical behavior therapy: Preliminary outcomes for individually supported diary card self-monitoring versus group-based DBT.” Psychotherapy. (2013). 50(4), 543-552.
  2. van de Weijer-Bergsma, E,  Formsma, AR, Bruin, EI,  Bögels, SM. “The effectiveness of mindfulness training on behavioral problems and attentional functioning in adolescents with ADHD.” Journal of Child and Family Studies. (2012). 21(5), 775-787.
  3. Witek-Janusek, L, Albuquerque, K, Chroniak, KR, Chroniak, C,  Durazo-Arvizu, R, Mathews, HL.  “Effect of mindfulness based stress reduction on immune function, quality of life and coping in women newly diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.” Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, (2008). 22(6), 969-981.
  4. Sarang, P and Telles, S.  “Effects of two yoga based relaxation techniques on heart rate variability (HRV).”  International Journal of Stress Management. (2006). 13(4), 460-475.
  5. Vempati, RP and Telles, S.  “Yoga-Based Guided Relaxation Reduces Sympathetic Activity Judged from Baseline Levels.” Psychological Reports. (2002). (90), 2 487-494.
  6. Srivastava, RD, Jain, N, and Singhal, A. “Influence of Alternate Nostril Breathing on Cardiorespiratory and Autonomic Functions in Healthy Young Adults.” Indian Journal Physiology and Pharmacology. (2005). (49), 4, 475–483.
  7. Subramanya, P and Telles, S.   “Effect of two yoga-based relaxation techniques on memory scores and state anxiety” BioPsychoSocial Medicine. (2009). (3), 8.
  8. Tsang HW, Fung KM, Chan AS, Lee G, Chan F. “Effect of a qigong exercise programme on elderly with depression.” International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. (2006). (21), 9, 890–897.
  9. Oh, Byeongsang, Sun Mi Choi, Aya Inamori, David S.Rosenthal, and Albert S. Yeung. “Effects of Qigong on depression: A systemic review.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2013). doi:10.1155/2013/134737

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

anxiety,depression,MBSR, Miami holistic health coach, Miami psychologist, mindfulness meditation, stress,

How mindfulness meditation can help you to soothe your mind and extend your life . . .

In Psychology and Wellness

If you’re reading my blog, you’re probably not fully aware of what is happening right now and you are distracted by a torrent of thoughts and feelings.  Researchers from Harvard University have found that people spend 46.9% of their waking time thinking about something other than what they’re doing and that this generally leads to a state of unhappiness.

Moreover, negative emotional states like dissatisfaction, stress, anxiety and depression can contribute to and accelerate the speed of cognitive decline.  It’s no wonder then that you may be searching for a way to help you improve your life satisfaction and enhance your cognitive abilities.  Fortunately, the simple skill of paying attention to your breath can help to soothe your mind you and may even extend your life.

Research has found that learning and practicing mindfulness meditation (i.e., observing your breath and simply noticing your thoughts and emotions non-judgmentally with curiosity, receptivity and affection) can lower your levels of stress, increase telomerase activity (i.e., your telomeres play a key role in the aging of your cells), enhance cognitive abilities like your memory and ability to focus and may even extend your lifespan by warding off the physiological effects of aging.1, 2, 3   

This is significant news since research from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study has found that having early adverse life experiences like physical, emotional or sexual abuse, having parents who divorced, abused alcohol and drugs or family mental illness significantly increases the likelihood that you will experience emotional and cognitive impairments, adopt heath risk behaviors, chronic disease and lead to premature death.4

To learn mindfulness meditation is simple but not easy.   Several resources exist, however; to support you and provide guidance as you cultivate a steady practice.  The Center for Mindfulness, developed by Jon Kabat Zinn, offers an 8-week MBSR training program.  You can also find MBSR programs locally or online.

To your health,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

  1. Epel, E, Daubenmier, J, Moskowitz, JT, Folkman, S, and Blackburn, E. “Can meditation slow rate of cellular aging? Cognitive stress, mindfulness, and telomeres.” Annals NY Academy of Science. (2009). 1172: 34–53. doi:  10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04414.Jacobs, TL, Epel, ES, Lin, J, Blackburn, EH, Wolkowitz, OM, Bridwell, DA et al. “Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators.” Psychoneuroendocrinology. (2011). 36(5) 664–681.
  2. Hölzel, BK, Carmody, J, Vangel, M, Congleton, C, Yerramsetti, SM, Gard, T, and Lazar, SW. “Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density.”  Psychiatry Research.  (2011). 191(1):36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006.
  3. Kim, S, Bi, X, Czarny-Ratajczak, M, Dai, J, Welsh, DA, Myers, L, et al. “Telomere maintenance genes SIRT1 and XRCC6 impact age-related decline in telomere length but only SIRT1 is associated with human longevity.” (2012). Biogerontology.  13(2):119-31. doi: 10.1007/s10522-011-9360-5.
  4. Teicher, MH, Anderson, CM and Polcari, A. “Childhood maltreatment is associated with reduced volume in the hippocampal subfields CA3, dentate gyrus, and subiculum.” Proceedings in the National Academy of Science U S A. (2012). 109(9) 563-572. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1115396109.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.