10 Effective Tips for Mindfulness Exercises to Reduce Stress

We all know that exercise is a killer stress-reliever, but what if I told you there is a way to supercharge that sweat session with mindfulness exercises?

Yep, I’m deep diving into the mind-body connection to hit some of those powerful stress relief techniques.

When you start to incorporate these tips for mindfulness exercise into your routine, you’re not only burning calories and gaining physical strength, but you are also tapping into your inner peace – hence why it’s such a powerful tool to reduce stress.

So get ready for a journey of self-discovery as we explore how to combine exercise with mindfulness to reduce stress and create a stronger mind-body connection.

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This post contains affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What are mindful exercises? And what does it really mean?

Any type of physical activity can be considered mindful exercise if instead of simply working out to master a skill or improve your condition, you move and breathe in a way that shifts you from feeling busy and distracted to feeling strong and capable.

And although the two can often cross paths, when you add mindfulness into your exercise it can transform your practice and more effectively push out those feelings of stress.

So what does mindful exercise really mean?

The greatest different lies in the approach and focus during the exercises.

Mindful exercise involves paying close attention to the present moment and being fully engaged in the activity without judgment.

It emphasizes awareness of bodily sensations, breath, and movements.

Ask yourself:

• What sensations does my body feel?
• How does my breath change and move with exercise?
• Am I feeling present in the moment or is my mind wandering?

Regular exercise, on the other hand, focuses primarily on physical fitness goals such as improving cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, and endurance.

While regular exercise also offers mental health benefits, the emphasis is often on physical performance and achieving specific fitness goals.

So, while both types of exercise offer physical and mental health benefits, mindful exercise places greater emphasis on present-moment awareness.

The goal is to cultivate mindfulness and inner peace while exercising, promoting a mind-body connection and reducing stress.

Research on Mindfulness

According to the American Psychology Association, much of the research on mindfulness is focused on two areas:

• Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a therapeutic intervention that involves weekly group classes and daily mindfulness exercises to practice at home, over an 8-week period. MBSR teaches people how to increase mindfulness through yoga and meditation.
• Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a therapeutic intervention that combines elements of MBSR and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat people with depression.

The researchers found that mindfulness-based therapy, including the tips and techniques I suggest below, are specially effective at reducing stress, depression and anxiety along with many other health benefits.

With that said, let’s get into all the tips to mindfulness exercise to reduce stress and improve your mind-body connection.

Here are 6 effective tips for mindfulness exercise to reduce stress

Riding a bike, lifting weights, and sweating it out on a treadmill can all be a mindfulness exercises when done right.

However, engaging in a mindful practice can be hard especially if you are stressed and your mind is going 100 miles per hour.

Mindfulness exercise requires you to slow your mind down and release those tense feelings.

That’s why I have broken down 10 super effective tips for mindfulness exercises to reduce stress and focus in on your body and mind.

1. Start your workout or practice with a few deep breaths

In order to get into a state of complete mindfulness during your exercise, start with a few deep breaths.

Go ahead and close your eyes. Reaching your hands above your head on the inhale and releasing you hands down as you exhale.

Breathe all the way in and all the way out.

Deep breathing itself is an amazing and well known mindfulness practice.

Therefore, it only makes sense that the first tip for mindfulness exercises to reduce stress is to take a few deep breaths.

Take this time to relax your muscles and release any tension and thoughts in your mind.

2. Do a full body scan

As you are completing your deep breathes start to do a full body scan.

Start at the tip top of your head and move all the way down to your toes.

Take note of how your body is feeling and all the sensations.

How is your body feeling in this moment?

3. Clear your mind and reset when needed

During mindful exercise, you want to be completely present in your movement and how your body is feeling.

Clearing your mind can often times be extremely difficult as our brains are super complex and hold a lot of information and thoughts.

Throughout your exercise, try to come back to a clear state of mind.

It is totally normal for your mind to wander but be mindful and bring your thoughts back to your mind-body connection.

4. Try a more low impact form if exercise

While you can move with mindfulness and incorporate mind-body connection into any exercise or workout, there are certain forms that help to enhance your practice.

Low impact exercises such as walking, yoga, Pilates gives your body the chance to reduce stress both physically and mentally.

5. Put on calming music

Calming music can help form a positive environment for mindfulness practices by reducing distractions, promoting relaxation and helping focus the mind.

It is harder to feel the connection of your mind and body if music is blasting.

Calming music aids in reducing stress and invoking a mindful space.

Combine that with dimmed lights and it is golden.⚜️

6. Connect your movement with your breath

Connecting your movement with your body helps to anchor your mind to the present moment. It increases your body awareness so you can be more in tune with sensations of your body.

This can also trigger a relaxation response by activating the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible with relaxation and restoration. The PNS also helps regulate bodily functions like digestion.

Syncing your breath with your movement is very powerful and creates a sense of flow to carry energy as believed in prana (in yoga) and qi (in traditional Chinese medicine).

How to connect your breath with movement:

1. Mindful Awareness: Begin by bringing your attention to your breath. Notice the natural rhythm of your inhalations and exhalations without trying to change them.
2. Match Breath with Movement: As you begin to move, coordinate each movement with either an inhalation or an exhalation. For example, in yoga, you might inhale as you lift your arms overhead and exhale as you fold forward.
3. Maintain Smooth, Even Breathing: Try to maintain a smooth and even breath throughout the movement. Avoid holding your breath or breathing shallowly.
4. Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body responds to the breath and movement. If a particular breath pattern feels strained or uncomfortable, adjust it to suit your needs.
5. Practice Regularly: Like any skill, connecting movement with breath requires practice. Set aside time each day to engage in mindful movement practices such as yoga, tai chi, or qigong.

What brings on stress?

While I firmly believe, along with proven study-based research, that mindfulness exercise and practice can GREATLY reduce your stress, it will never truly go away until you understand what brings it on to begin with.

Stress can be brought on with a bunch of different factors which may include:

• Work Pressure: High workloads, tight deadlines, and demanding responsibilities can contribute to stress, especially if there is a lack of support or resources.

• Financial Issues and Concerns: Money worries, debt, or financial instability can cause significant stress for individuals and families.

• Relationship Issues: Conflict, communication problems, and relationship difficulties with family members, friends, or romantic partners can be sources of stress.

• Health Challenges: Dealing with illness, chronic pain, or managing a health condition can create stress, especially if it impacts daily functioning or quality of life.

• Major Life Changes: Events such as moving to a new city, starting a new job, getting married, or having a baby can be exciting but also bring significant stress due to the adjustments and uncertainties involved.

• Uncertainty and Lack of Control: Feeling uncertain about the future or lacking control over circumstances can contribute to stress, as individuals may feel anxious or overwhelmed by the unknown.

• Social Pressures: Peer pressure, societal norms, and cultural expectations can all contribute to stress, especially if individuals feel pressure to conform or meet certain standards.

• Lifestyle Factors: Poor diet, lack of exercise, inadequate sleep, and excessive use of alcohol or drugs can all contribute to stress and exacerbate its effects on mental and physical health.

It’s important to recognize the sources of stress in your life and develop healthy coping strategies to manage it effectively.

It is my hope that these tips for mindfulness exercises will help you alleviate some of those moments of stress and let you reconnect with your body and mind.

Remember that this is your journey, your body, and your mind. Little by little start doing things for you and that make you feel good.

“The body is a reflection of the mind. If you feed your mind with positive light, your body will reflect that energy.”