Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness means knowing directly what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment.
"It's easy to stop noticing the world around us. It's also easy to lose touch with the way our bodies are feeling and to end up living 'in our heads' – caught up in our thoughts without stopping to notice how those thoughts are driving our emotions and behaviour,"
- Professor Mark Williams,former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre
Becoming more aware of the present moment can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better.
Is mindfulness right for me?
Mindfulness can help:
- to develop helpful responses to difficult feelings and events
- if you find it hard to switch off and relax
- if you worry a lot about events you cannot control
- to feel calmer and manage stress better
- to manage some physical health problems like chronic pain
- to be kinder towards yourself
How to be more mindful?
Reminding yourself to take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you is the first step to mindfulness.
Notice the everyday
"Even as we go about our daily lives, we can notice the sensations of things, the food we eat, the air moving past the body as we walk," says Professor Williams. “It has huge power to interrupt the 'autopilot' mode we often engage day to day, and to give us new perspectives on life."
Keep it regular
Mindfulness is most effective when done on a regular basis. It can be helpful to pick a time or event each day – the morning journey to work or a walk at lunchtime – during which you decide to be aware of the sensations created by the world around you.
Try something new
Trying new things, such as sitting in a different seat in meetings or going somewhere new for lunch, can also help you notice the world in a new way.
Watch your thoughts
"It might be useful to remember that mindfulness isn't about making these thoughts go away, but rather about seeing them as mental events. Imagine standing at a bus station and seeing 'thought buses' coming and going without having to get on them and be taken away.” This can be very hard at first, but with gentle persistence it is possible.
Name thoughts and feelings
To develop an awareness of thoughts and feelings, some people find it helpful to silently name them: "Here's the thought that I might fail that exam." or, "This is anxiety."
Different mindfulness practice
As well as practising mindfulness in everyday life, it can be helpful to set aside time for a more formal mindfulness practice. Mindfulness meditation involves sitting silently and paying attention to thoughts, sounds, the sensations of breathing or parts of the body, bringing your attention back whenever the mind starts to wander.
Useful resources
Headspace https:/
An app that teaches you mindfulness gradually through guided sessions.
Buddhify https:/
A mindfulness app designed to fit busy lifestyles
Be Mindful is an online course for reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
There are many mindfulness videos on YouTube that are free to watch.
Information taken from https://
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If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Speech and language therapy service.
About this information
Service:
Speech and language therapy
Reference:
VV/033
Approval date:
27 September 2024
Review date:
1 September 2027
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.