3 Ways To Center Yourself
Take a look at what centering is and how it can help increase focus and relieve stress.
Do you ever find yourself at work having difficulty focusing on the assignment you’re working on? Maybe you’re an athlete struggling to get your head in the game but feeling distracted by the roar from the fans and the sounds of the loud music. Trying to stay focused can be a challenge for many of us. This is where centering comes in to help us.
Centering is a meditative and visualization technique that can support you in retaining focus, promoting relaxation, and relieving anxiety (American Psychological Association, 2022). An analogy to better understand the centering technique is the visualization of a pendulum. When you swing one side of the pendulum, it moves back and forth, swaying from one extreme end to the other until it slowly gets closer to the middle. When feeling distracted or anxious, like a pendulum, your thoughts tend to also teeter from side to side. However, when you can recognize this pattern and become mindful about focusing on your breath and making a conscious effort to relax, your thoughts can begin to quietly stand still.
The centering technique is derived from an ancient martial arts practice in Japan called Aikido, which is often translated as the “harmonious spirit” (Windle & Samko, 1992). Aikido techniques used meditation and breathing exercises from Zen Buddhism to center emotions, harmonize energy, and promote calmness (Lukoff & Strozzi-Heckler, 2017). Modern-day centering techniques use mindful breathing to bring attention to one thing at a time, limit mental distractions, and bring physical balance (Rogerson & Hrycaiko, 2002).
In psychology, centering is often used by sports psychologists who use the technique to better support and train athletes in their preparation for competitions and games. Sports psychologists argue that the most basic centering skill—mindful breathing—can help de-stress, reduce negative self-talk, and focus on the moment rather than fixating on the past and future.
However, you don’t need to be an athlete to practice centering. With some practice, anyone interested in this exercise can utilize it for their own needs.
Techniques for Centering Yourself
Here are some strategies to mitigate any feelings of overwhelm or uneasiness (Laurie & Tucker, 1983).
Focus on your breath. The simplest and most fundamental centering technique is conscious or mindful breathing. When we deal with stressful situations or racing thoughts, we may also struggle with breathing at a slow and steady pace. If you notice yourself feeling off-centered or scatterbrained, pause to breathe. Take a deep breath in, hold it for a few seconds, and then let your breath out. Pushing gently against your stomach may help to slowly let any air out. Repeat this process as many times as desired before continuing with your next task.
Grounding your feet. Sometimes when we have our heads in the clouds and feel overstimulated in our minds, we forget to pay attention to the rest of our bodies. One way to combat this feeling is by grounding your feet. Take a moment to stand tall, firmly plant both of your feet on the ground, and feel your energy slowly move down from your head to your feet. This grounding technique can help release tension in your head, shoulders, and neck. You may want to try this exercise on the floor in your home or on the grass if you are outside.
Try journaling. Sometimes thoughts can be piercingly loud in our heads, making it difficult to carry out simple tasks or maintain a balanced mood. One technique to return to your center is by quieting your thoughts with daily journaling. Whether you have a journal you like to write in or just want to use the notes app on your phone, dumping out any harmful thoughts, problems, fears, or frustrations onto paper can help you release the negativity from your mind.
Summary
With all the responsibilities we have in life and the problems we may often have to face, it is normal for us to feel overwhelmed from time to time. However, when those feelings of stress start to overpower our minds and bodies, making us feel off-centered or distracted, it may be helpful to try practices that could help bring us back to center. The centering technique is a great method to incorporate into your daily life or meditation practice. We hope this article provided you with various techniques to consider for your well-being journey.
REFERENCES
● APA Dictionary of Psychology by American Psychological Association (2015–02-28). (2022). American Psychological Association (APA).
● Laurie, S. G., & Tucker, M. J. (1983). Centering: A guide to inner growth. Inner Traditions/Bear & Co.
● Lukoff, D., & Strozzi-Heckler, R. (2017). Aikido: A martial art with mindfulness, somatic, relational, and spiritual benefits for veterans. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 4(2), 81.
● Rogerson, L. J., & Hrycaiko, D. W. (2002). Enhancing competitive performance of ice hockey goaltenders using centering and self-talk. Journal of applied sport psychology, 14(1), 14-26.
● Windle, R., & Samko, M. (1992). Hypnosis, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, and aikido. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 34(4), 261-270.
5 Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation
Discover the benefits of this meditation technique and learn how to practice it.
Many of us juggle multiple projects at our jobs, take care of our children or elderly relatives, and try to keep up with all the cooking, cleaning, laundry, bills, appointments, school recitals, and family gatherings. Some even wear that multitasking ability as a productivity badge of honor. Sure, we are probably getting a lot of things done, but our minds wander far and wide as we hop from one task to another, and we feel tired and stressed out.
Most of our mind-wandering involves rumination about things that happened earlier or planning and thinking about what we will do next. These thoughts about the past and the future clutter our minds, distract us from the present moment and prevent us from noticing the little everyday pleasures. As a result, many people go through their daily lives as if on autopilot, blindly moving toward their destination without paying attention to the ride. Yet, life is nothing but this ride. Mindfulness can help us remove our blindfolds and be more present in our daily lives.
Mindfulness is a mental state that has its roots in Buddhism and involves being in the present moment with a nonjudgmental awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, sensations, and environment (Hofmann & Gomez, 2017). Therefore, when we are mindful, we perceive what is happening in the present moment instead of rehashing the past or worrying about the future.
Although we can practice mindfulness anytime and anywhere, it can be tough to achieve initially. The good news is that anyone can become better at being mindful, and one of the best ways to cultivate it is by practicing mindfulness meditation. Simply put, mindfulness meditation is a mindfulness-based meditation technique that systematically guides your attention. This systemic guidance allows you to be aware of your breath, bodily sensations, and thoughts you have at that moment without judging them. Mindfulness meditation can improve your well-being in many ways when practiced regularly. Let’s discuss some science-backed benefits of this practice.
Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation
Improved attention span. Mindfulness involves focusing on what is happening at each moment. Therefore, cultivating mindfulness helps our brains better focus on tasks. Researchers tested this idea by comparing the brain activity of subjects new to meditation before and after an eight-week mindfulness meditation training. They found that the post-training brain activity of these subjects was associated with an improved ability to tune out distractions and focus their attention (Kerr et al., 2011).
Increased brain function. The effect of mindfulness meditation on brain function seems to reach beyond focusing well. In another study, researchers looked at the mindfulness-associated changes in gray matter (the brain layers that contain the bodies of neurons) in several brain areas of participants. They observed that an eight-week training of mindfulness meditation resulted in increases in gray matter density in brain areas associated with learning, memory, and emotion regulation (Hölzel et al., 2011).
Better sleep quality. Are you tossing and turning in bed as your mind wanders from one thought to another? Research suggests that mindfulness may help you get some shut-eye time. A meta-analysis evaluated 18 studies that used mindfulness meditation interventions to test the effect of mindfulness on sleep quality. The analysis indicated that mindfulness meditation might alleviate some parts of sleep disturbance (Rusch et al., 2019).
Relieves stress and anxiety. Are you looking for a way to deal with your daily stress and anxiety? Mindfulness may be of help. Practicing mindfulness can reduce your stress and anxiety by allowing you to become less reactive to unpleasant situations (Kabat-Zinn, Massion & Kristeller, 1992). In fact, a meta-analysis has found that mindfulness-based interventions exhibited efficacy in lessening anxiety and depression symptom severity in a wide range of patients and consistently outperformed non-evidence-based treatments and active control conditions (Hofmann & Gomez, 2017).
Treating chronic pain. Mindfulness-based interventions have also been increasingly incorporated into therapies for treating pain. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials suggests that although mindfulness meditation has a limited capacity to reduce pain, it seems to be quite effective in improving the quality of life of chronic pain patients (Hilton et al., 2017).
Summary
Mindfulness meditation can be challenging at first. However, when done regularly, it can help us stay present in the moment and become aware of our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and everything else happening in our surroundings. Although mindfulness isn’t a cure for everything, cultivating mindfulness through meditation can offer numerous benefits for our bodies and minds and increase our well-being. The key is to turn this practice into a habit. We hope this article provided you with tips to incorporate mindfulness meditation into your daily routine.
References
● Hilton, L., Hempel, S., Ewing, B. A., Apaydin, E., Xenakis, L., Newberry, S., Colaiaco, B., Maher, A. R., Shanman, R. M., Sorbero, M. E., & Maglione, M. A. (2017). Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 51(2), 199–213.
● Hofmann, S. G., & Gómez, A. F. (2017). Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression. The Psychiatric clinics of North America, 40(4), 739–749.
● Hölzel, B. K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S. M., Gard, T., & Lazar, S. W. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry research: neuroimaging, 191(1), 36-43.
● Kerr, C. E., Jones, S. R., Wan, Q., Pritchett, D. L., Wasserman, R. H., Wexler, A., ... & Moore, C. I. (2011). Effects of mindfulness meditation training on anticipatory alpha modulation in primary somatosensory cortex. Brain research bulletin, 85(3-4), 96-103.
● Rusch, H. L., Rosario, M., Levison, L. M., Olivera, A., Livingston, W. S., Wu, T., & Gill, J. M. (2019). The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1445(1), 5–16.
5 Ways To Avoid Mindlessness
Learn what mindlessness is and some ways that you may be able to become less mindless and more mindful.
Mindlessness is a state of unawareness, of going through the motions without being consciously aware of your surroundings or your inner states. It can be described as being on autopilot or responding robotically, without conscious awareness of what you are doing, thinking, or feeling. It can be difficult, perhaps even impossible, to identify when you are in a mindless state - almost by definition you are not aware when you are mindless. As soon as you become aware of your mindlessness, you are no longer mindless.
Generally, mindlessness is considered an undesirable mental state to be in. Being unaware of the present moment, or being focused on something other than what you are doing may increase anxiety and depression while decreasing creativity and problem-solving (Brown & Ryan, 2003). Mindlessness is often understood and defined as a state of being in contrast to mindfulness, which is associated with greater overall well-being and better physical and mental health.
Mindlessness is often defined as the opposite of mindfulness. For example, noticing changes, feelings, and sensations in your body, emotions, and the world around you is considered mindful, while not noticing them is considered mindless. Some research psychologists have defined mindfulness as a construct made up of five dimensions (Baer et al. 2006).
● Awareness - The ability to focus on what you are doing, thinking, or feeling without becoming distracted.
● Non-reactivity - Being able to recognize when mental or emotional states are irrational, stressful, or harmful and being able to psychologically disengage from these harmful states.
● Non-judgement - The ability to be emotionally aware without labeling your emotional experience as good or bad. Being able to acknowledge and practice acceptance of your cognitive experiences without judgment or self-criticism.
● Describing - The ability to observe experiences as they occur. Being able to actively, and cognitively recognize your experiences in passing, and then move forward without dwelling.
● Observing - The ability to pay attention to a variety of sensory experiences in the present moment - sights, sounds, smells, etc. This includes sensitivity to internal phenomena like bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions.
Mindlessness, according to these accounts, is being unable to articulate and describe things that you notice, being distractible or unable to focus, and being unable to accept yourself and the world. Generally, being more mindful and less mindless is associated with better mental health including less neuroticism and higher emotional intelligence.
What Causes Mindlessness?
Being aware takes mental effort and cognitive resources. Being mindful and avoiding mindlessness may require you to remain aware of, and regulate your decisions, evaluations, personal states, environments, options, and choices. Limited cognitive resources can quickly be used up (Baumesiter et al., 1998).
Many of us may have experienced being able to make mindful choices in the morning - choosing oatmeal instead of a donut for breakfast, being alert and attentive in the 8am lecture or meeting, and being present and engaged for the first conversation of the day, only to find that the energy to keep this up throughout the day just isn’t there. By the end of the day, you may say yes to the third piece of cake, may doodle on your notebook at the four o’clock meeting, and may nod along without listening to the conversation on the ride home. Mindfulness is cognitively difficult and mindlessness may simply be easier, especially if you are tired.
How to Become Less Mindless
You may be able to counteract mindlessness by cultivating mindfulness in any number of ways including meditation, yoga, tai chi, and some forms of psychological therapy (Baer et al., 2004). Although all of these practices have different approaches, they do have some commonalities. Notably, they all encourage conscious and deliberate control of attention. Specific techniques for increasing mindfulness may include (Carson and Langer, 2006):
Actively looking for novelty in your environment - Actively noticing new things in your environment or actively noticing new features of things previously taken for granted. When we believe that we are encountering something new, we tend to approach it more mindfully than if we believe we already know what we are facing.
Thinking about puzzles and paradoxes - Actively thinking about things that may be ambiguous or difficult to understand may increase your ability to tolerate ambiguity and may decrease anxiety associated with uncertainty. Paradoxes may include conflicting feelings such as both loving and hating your job.
Considering situations from multiple perspectives - Look at each situation from the perspective of other people. Remember that no one is the villain in their own story.
Considering alternative understandings of problematic parts of yourself - You may be able to reframe problems as opportunities or shortcomings as assets. An ordeal may be an adventure. Impulsivity may be spontaneity. A boring day may be an opportunity for reflection.
Starting a mindfulness journal - Write down significant events of your day. Periodically, you can review the events in your journal, and try to notice new things and perspectives. Practicing mindfully viewing events and situations in retrospect may help to put you in a mindful frame of mind which may then help you avoid mindlessness in your daily life.
In Sum
We all fall into mindless states at one time or another, whether it's because we are tired, overwhelmed, bored, or just because it's easier to work on autopilot sometimes. These moments of mindlessness may not necessarily be problematic if they are short and if we still feel that we are actively present in our own lives. However, excessive mindlessness can cause us to feel that we aren’t actively participating in our lives.
References
● Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., & Allen, K. B. (2004). Assessment of mindfulness by self-report: The Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills. Assessment, 11(3), 191-206.
● Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., Hopkins, J., Krietemeyer, J., & Toney, L. (2006). Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness. Assessment, 13(1), 27-45.
● Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of personality and social psychology, 74(5), 1252.
● Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of personality and social psychology, 84(4), 822.
● Carson, S. H., & Langer, E. J. (2006). Mindfulness and self-acceptance. Journal of rational-emotive and cognitive-behavior therapy, 24(1), 29-43.
8 Tips To Help You Stop Rushing
Explore the causes of rushing and find out how you can rush less.
Mindlessness is a state of unawareness, of going through the motions without being consciously aware of your surroundings or your inner states. It can be described as being on autopilot or responding robotically, without conscious awareness of what you are doing, thinking, or feeling. It can be difficult, perhaps even impossible, to identify when you are in a mindless state - almost by definition you are not aware when you are mindless. As soon as you become aware of your mindlessness, you are no longer mindless.
Generally, mindlessness is considered an undesirable mental state to be in. Being unaware of the present moment, or being focused on something other than what you are doing may increase anxiety and depression while decreasing creativity and problem-solving (Brown & Ryan, 2003). Mindlessness is often understood and defined as a state of being in contrast to mindfulness, which is associated with greater overall well-being and better physical and mental health.
Mindlessness is often defined as the opposite of mindfulness. For example, noticing changes, feelings, and sensations in your body, emotions, and the world around you is considered mindful, while not noticing them is considered mindless. Some research psychologists have defined mindfulness as a construct made up of five dimensions (Baer et al. 2006).
● Awareness - The ability to focus on what you are doing, thinking, or feeling without becoming distracted.
● Non-reactivity - Being able to recognize when mental or emotional states are irrational, stressful, or harmful and being able to psychologically disengage from these harmful states.
● Non-judgement - The ability to be emotionally aware without labeling your emotional experience as good or bad. Being able to acknowledge and practice acceptance of your cognitive experiences without judgment or self-criticism.
● Describing - The ability to observe experiences as they occur. Being able to actively, and cognitively recognize your experiences in passing, and then move forward without dwelling.
● Observing - The ability to pay attention to a variety of sensory experiences in the present moment - sights, sounds, smells, etc. This includes sensitivity to internal phenomena like bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions.
Mindlessness, according to these accounts, is being unable to articulate and describe things that you notice, being distractible or unable to focus, and being unable to accept yourself and the world. Generally, being more mindful and less mindless is associated with better mental health including less neuroticism and higher emotional intelligence.
What Causes Mindlessness?
Being aware takes mental effort and cognitive resources. Being mindful and avoiding mindlessness may require you to remain aware of, and regulate your decisions, evaluations, personal states, environments, options, and choices. Limited cognitive resources can quickly be used up (Baumesiter et al., 1998).
Many of us may have experienced being able to make mindful choices in the morning - choosing oatmeal instead of a donut for breakfast, being alert and attentive in the 8am lecture or meeting, and being present and engaged for the first conversation of the day, only to find that the energy to keep this up throughout the day just isn’t there. By the end of the day, you may say yes to the third piece of cake, may doodle on your notebook at the four o’clock meeting, and may nod along without listening to the conversation on the ride home. Mindfulness is cognitively difficult and mindlessness may simply be easier, especially if you are tired.
How to Become Less Mindless
You may be able to counteract mindlessness by cultivating mindfulness in any number of ways including meditation, yoga, tai chi, and some forms of psychological therapy (Baer et al., 2004). Although all of these practices have different approaches, they do have some commonalities. Notably, they all encourage conscious and deliberate control of attention. Specific techniques for increasing mindfulness may include (Carson and Langer, 2006):
Actively looking for novelty in your environment - Actively noticing new things in your environment or actively noticing new features of things previously taken for granted. When we believe that we are encountering something new, we tend to approach it more mindfully than if we believe we already know what we are facing.
Thinking about puzzles and paradoxes - Actively thinking about things that may be ambiguous or difficult to understand may increase your ability to tolerate ambiguity and may decrease anxiety associated with uncertainty. Paradoxes may include conflicting feelings such as both loving and hating your job.
Considering situations from multiple perspectives - Look at each situation from the perspective of other people. Remember that no one is the villain in their own story.
Considering alternative understandings of problematic parts of yourself - You may be able to reframe problems as opportunities or shortcomings as assets. An ordeal may be an adventure. Impulsivity may be spontaneity. A boring day may be an opportunity for reflection.
Starting a mindfulness journal - Write down significant events of your day. Periodically, you can review the events in your journal, and try to notice new things and perspectives. Practicing mindfully viewing events and situations in retrospect may help to put you in a mindful frame of mind which may then help you avoid mindlessness in your daily life.
Summary
We all fall into mindless states at one time or another, whether it's because we are tired, overwhelmed, bored, or just because it's easier to work on autopilot sometimes. These moments of mindlessness may not necessarily be problematic if they are short and if we still feel that we are actively present in our own lives. However, excessive mindlessness can cause us to feel that we aren’t actively participating in our lives.
References
● Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., & Allen, K. B. (2004). Assessment of mindfulness by self-report: The Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills. Assessment, 11(3), 191-206.
● Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., Hopkins, J., Krietemeyer, J., & Toney, L. (2006). Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness. Assessment, 13(1), 27-45.
● Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of personality and social psychology, 74(5), 1252.
● Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of personality and social psychology, 84(4), 822.
● Carson, S. H., & Langer, E. J. (2006). Mindfulness and self-acceptance. Journal of rational-emotive and cognitive-behavior therapy, 24(1), 29-43.
10 Tips for a Peaceful Mind
Learn about the science behind cultivating a peaceful mind.
A peaceful mind may be defined as a state of calmness or tranquility that is free from worry, ruminative thoughts, or other types of busy, frenetic thoughts. Oftentimes, we spend too much time thinking—thinking about what’s to come in the future, what’s happened in the past, or even what’s going on right now. These are the times when we may crave a peaceful mind. We desire to rest our brains and just be present in the moment without the constant buzz of thoughts running through our heads.
There is actually a pretty good amount of research on how we can decrease our distressing thoughts and calm the body. For example, we know that the body’s stress response includes sympathetic nervous system activation, and the release of hormones like cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (Charmandari, Tsigos, & Chrousos, 2005). All of these make us feel wired, and this makes it difficult to have a peaceful mind. That’s why some of the techniques we’ll discuss below target the body directly. Once we help the body calm down, the mind can more easily follow.
Visualization: A relatively simple way to start calming the mind is by using visualization. To try it, simply imagine yourself in a peaceful place. While visualizing yourself in this place, try to look at the world around you. What do you see, hear, and smell? If you can get your mind to imagine you’re in a place that makes you feel peaceful, your brain and body actually react as if you are in that place (Quoidbach, Wood, & Hansenne, 2009).
Do things you enjoy: Sometimes we get stuck in a clouded mind when our lives are dull, stagnant, or uninspiring. That’s why doing things you enjoy may help put your mind at ease. Doing fun things can help stimulate your mind so that when you are relaxing, your mind can fully rest.
Go for a swim: Another way to calm the body is to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Interestingly, immersing the body in cold water helps activate this system (Mourot et al., 2008). So if you’re feeling your mind racing, go for a swim in cold water or even take a cold shower.
Get outside: Perhaps one of the best ways to put your mind at peace is to get outside. Research shows that spending time in the wilderness, a park, or even your front yard may be beneficial for your well-being (Ulrich & Parsons, 1992). The outdoors offers so many different things that can help soothe the mind—fresh air, sunlight, and breathing in the scent of trees are all good for our health. Try to spend at least 15 minutes outside each day.
Meditation: Meditation is a commonly used strategy when we want a more peaceful mind. The goal with meditation is to clear the mind of thoughts and just be present, often focusing on the breath.
Listen to music: One study showed that listening to peaceful, relaxing music can reduce cortisol, a key stress hormone (Khalfa et al., 2003). In particular, binaural beats (i.e., when two tones with slightly different frequencies are played to each ear) seem to be beneficial and can even help improve performance (Garcia-Argibay, Santed, & Reales, 2019). Given the research, listening to soothing music may be another simple way to put the mind at peace.
Yoga: Yoga can actually reduce cortisol, a key stress hormone (Thirthalli et al., 2013). It’s not entirely clear why, but it might be because yoga involves deep breathing and concentration that prevents us from ruminating on our worries. Doing yoga regularly can be a great way to create a more peaceful mind and a healthier body.
Mantras: Using mantras may be another way to create a more peaceful mind. Mantras are types of chanting that are often used as part of Eastern meditation techniques. Early research suggested that mantras may be beneficial for well-being. Studies show that mantras can result in short-term decreases in stress and depression (Wolf & Abell, 2003).
Massage: Massage is another technique that may be helpful. One study showed that 10, 30-minute massages over five weeks led to a lower cortisol response (Field, 2005). Soothing physical touch does indeed seem to relax us. Whether it's human-to-human interaction or getting aches and pains out of our bodies, massage can be a useful trick for calming the mind and body.
Deep Breathing: Deep, controlled breathing has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This system is key in helping us de-stress and it is the counterbalance to the sympathetic nervous system—our fight or flight system. Deep breathing also can quickly reduce anxiety and promote a greater sense of calm (Zope & Zope, 2013). By taking a few deep breaths, we begin to tell our body that things are safe, and the systems that are overactive can begin to mellow.
Summary
With all the buzzing stress we have to deal with these days, a peaceful mind can be hard to come by. Luckily, there are some things we can do to calm worries and put our minds more at ease. Hopefully, the tips provided here will get you started.
References
● Charmandari, E., Tsigos, C., & Chrousos, G. (2005). Endocrinology of the stress response. Annu. Rev. Physiol., 67, 259-284.
● Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (2005). Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy. International Journal of neuroscience, 115(10), 1397-1413.
● Garcia-Argibay, M., Santed, M. A., & Reales, J. M. (2019). Efficacy of binaural auditory beats in cognition, anxiety, and pain perception: a meta-analysis. Psychological Research, 83(2), 357-372.
● Khalfa, S., BELLA, S. D., Roy, M., Peretz, I., & Lupien, S. J. (2003). Effects of relaxing music on salivary cortisol level after psychological stress. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 999(1), 374-376.
● Mourot, L., Bouhaddi, M., Gandelin, E., Cappelle, S., Dumoulin, G., Wolf, J. P., ... & Regnard, J. (2008).Cardiovascular autonomic control during short-term thermoneutral and cool head-out immersion. Aviation, space, and environmental medicine, 79(1), 14-20.
● Quoidbach, J., Wood, A. M., & Hansenne, M. (2009). Back to the future: The effect of daily practice of mental time travel into the future on happiness and anxiety. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(5), 349-355.
● Thirthalli, J., Naveen, G. H., Rao, M. G., Varambally, S., Christopher, R., & Gangadhar, B. N. (2013). Cortisol and antidepressant effects of yoga. Indian journal of psychiatry, 55(Suppl 3), S405.
● Ulrich, R. S., & Parsons, R. (1992). Influences of passive experiences with plants on individual well-being and health. The role of horticulture in human well-being and social development, 93-105.
● Wolf, D. B., & Abell, N. (2003). Examining the effects of meditation techniques on psychosocial functioning. Research on Social Work Practice, 13(1), 27-42.
● Zope, S. A., & Zope, R. A. (2013). Sudarshan kriya yoga: Breathing for health. International journal of yoga, 6(1), 4.