News
Stressing Out? Stop!

Creating space in the day to stop, come down from the worried mind, and get back into the present moment has been shown to be enormously helpful in mitigating the negative effects of our stress response. When we drop into the present, we're more likely to gain perspective and see that we have the power to regulate our response to pressure.
Here's a short 1-3 minute practice you can weave into your day to step into that space between stimulus and response.
Stop what you're doing; put things down for a minute.
Take a few deep breaths. If you'd like to extend this, you can take a minute to breathe normally and naturally and follow your breath coming in and out of your nose. You can even say to yourself "in" as you're breathing in and "out" as you're breathing out if that helps with concentration.
Observe your experience just as it is-including thoughts, feelings, and emotions. You can reflect about what is on your mind and also notice that thoughts are not facts, and they are not permanent. Notice any emotions present and how they're being expressed in the body.
Research shows that just naming your emotions can turn the volume down on the fear circuit in the brain and have a calming effect. Then notice your body. Are you standing or sitting? How is your posture? Any aches or pains?
Proceed with something that will support you in the moment: talk to a friend, rub your shoulders, have a cup of tea.
Smart Tip: You can even use your smartphone's message indicator as a reminder to STOP. What would it be like in the days, weeks, and months ahead if you started stopping more often?
-Adapted from an article written by By Elisha Goldstein in the August 2013 issue of Mindful magazine.
More News
-
New!
More
James Hetfield, lead singer of Metallica, visits Ukrainian soldiers at Vail Health
When you’re in the emergency room, any surprise visitor is a welcome sight. But when it’s James Hetfield, lead singer of Metallica, then, really, “Nothing Else Matters,” at least for the moment.
-
New!
More
New community benefit law won’t alter Vail Health’s priorities
Nonprofit hospitals in Colorado that receive federal, state and local tax exemptions are expected to provide a certain amount of community benefit. And starting in August 2023, these hospitals — including Vail Health — will have new reporting requirements for how they spend toward “community benefit.”
-
New!
More
Eagle County School District hosts safe driving fairs at high schools
Over the past month, both Eagle Valley and Battle Mountain high schools hosted safe driving fairs. The fairs aimed at educating students about the importance of driving safely as well as on the perils of impaired and distracted driving.