The Parkinson's Anxiety Toolkit: Mindfulness Strategies That Work

Feeling overwhelmed by stress and anxiety with Parkinson's? You're not alone. In this episode of Live Parkinson's - Live an Exceptional Life, we dive deep into practical mindfulness techniques to help you find calm and regain control. Discover how to manage the emotional challenges of Parkinson's and improve your overall well-being.

• Key Topics Covered:
  • Understanding the connection between Parkinson's symptoms and anxiety.
  • Practical mindfulness exercises for daily stress relief.
  • Breathwork and body scan techniques to help promote a sense of calm.
  • Tips for overcoming challenges to mindfulness practice.
  • Resources to support your mindfulness journey.

Learn actionable strategies to navigate the emotional landscape of Parkinson's and cultivate inner peace. Whether you're dealing with symptom fluctuations, social anxiety, or worries about disease progression, this episode provides valuable tools to enhance your quality of life.

Calls to Action:

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Disclaimer: The information provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.  Please consult a certified mental health specialist or your health care professional if you feel overwhelmed with anxiety, depression, or hopelessness.

Resources:  These include affiliate links. If you decide to purchase through the link, the company pays me a small commission at no cost to you.

Wherever You Go, There You Are, Mindful Meditation on Everyday Life, Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD.

Mindfulness for Beginners - Reclaiming the Present Moment of Your Life, Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD.

#Parkins

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Mindfulness for Parkinson's Anxiety
• 3:32 Understanding Anxiety in Parkinson's Disease
• 7:17 How Symptoms Contribute to Anxiety
• 10:47 Common Anxiety Triggers and Their Impact
• 15:35 What Mindfulness Really Is
• 19:31 Practical Mindfulness Techniques
• 31:17 Building a Consistent Mindfulness Practice
• 35:15 Resources and Closing Thoughts

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:11

Hello and welcome to Live Parkinson's Live an Exceptional Life. I'm your host, chris Kastenbader, and I've been living an exceptional life with Parkinson's for the past 15 years. The mission of this podcast is to help as many people as possible living with Parkinson's to lead a great quality of life. Today's topic is the Parkinson's Anxiety Toolkit Mindfulness Strategies that Work. Are you feeling on edge? Parkinson's is challenging enough without anxiety making it worse. I know this firsthand. I struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, not realizing they may be linked to Parkinson's, but I find my way through to the other side and no longer experience panic attacks or anxiety that made me feel nervous or anxious all the time. Mindfulness techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy help me regain control and finally take back my life, and these techniques can do the same for you, can do the same for you. In this episode, we'll uncover simple, powerful mindfulness strategies to reduce tension, quiet racing thoughts and help you focus on living your best life with Parkinson's. Stay tuned to learn how they can help you too. As I mentioned in the opening, I've struggled with anxiety and panic attacks, so I understand how life-altering it can be. My hope is, by sharing common anxiety triggers and discussing the benefits of mindfulness and giving you specific strategies to use that you can put anxiety in the rearview mirror and live the life you want to live. Now am I telling you you'll never be anxious again? Absolutely not, because we all experience stress and anxiety in our lives. But the key is is how do we react to it? So in this episode we're going to build an anxiety toolkit that can help you manage anxiety.

Speaker 1: 1:54

So let's take a look at what we'll be covering today. We'll lead it off with understanding stress and anxiety in Parkinson's. We'll examine the connection between how Parkinson's motor and non-motor symptoms can contribute to stress and anxiety. Then we'll transition to common anxiety triggers and how anxiety can manifest physically, having an impact on our quality of life. Now, as part of our discussion, you hear me reiterating several times that if you're being overwhelmed with anxiety or depression, it's important to see a certified mental specialist who can help you develop a treatment plan specific to your needs. So it's imperative that if your issue doesn't seem to be improving, contact your healthcare professional.

Speaker 1: 2:36

Then we're going to transition to mindfulness and what it is. We'll debunk some of the myths and common misconceptions about mindfulness and then we'll discuss some of the specific benefits of mindfulness and how they translate into helping you live your daily life. Then we'll get into the meat and potatoes of the discussion and explore practical mindful techniques and cover guided mini meditation, mindful movement, mindful daily activities and mindful breathing techniques. Then we'll transition into overcoming some of the common challenges people have with mindfulness practices and discuss some tips for building consistent practice. Then we'll wrap it up by providing some resources that you can use to help you overcome anxiety using mindfulness techniques. So that's the roadmap of where we're going. So if you're ready to put anxiety on the shelf so it's not controlling your life, then stay with me as we start our journey to learn how mindfulness can be a constant friend on keeping anxiety at bay.

Speaker 1: 3:33

And let's begin our journey by first understanding the connection between stress and anxiety and Parkinson's, and then we'll talk about how our motor and non-motor symptoms can play a role. So what exactly is anxiety and Parkinson's? Non-motor symptoms can play a role. So what exactly is anxiety and Parkinson's? Well, anxiety is a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson's, affecting up to 40% of people with Parkinson's, and that's according to the article Anxiety and PD by the Parkinson's Foundation. People can experience different forms of anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, which is characterized by excessive, persistent and often unrealistic worry about everyday situations. People with generalized anxiety disorder may feel a constant sense of fear which I learned is false evidence appearing real or they can experience dread, especially when there's no apparent reason for concern. Gad can interfere with a person's daily life and often limit what they do.

Speaker 1: 4:26

Panic attacks are another form of anxiety in Parkinson's which I can personally attest to. Panic attacks, if you've never had the opportunity to experience them, are sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort that can happen unexpectedly or in response to some type of trigger and, based on my experiences and what I've seen in the literature, they usually last for a few minutes and you often hear people say I don't know what caused the panic attack, it just seemed to come out of nowhere. They have some very distressing and uncomfortable symptoms, but they aren't typically life threatening. Now, a person suffering from panic attacks may experience rapid heartbeat, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating and shakiness, and that's why a lot of people may end up in the emergency room because maybe they think they're having a heart attack. Now I remember when I would get panic attacks my palms would get sweaty, my heart would race and then I would feel the need to get out of where I was and get to a quote safe place. And I would often hear people that had panic attacks say the same story. They would talk about how they'd experienced a panic attack and then they would have to go to their safe space.

Speaker 1: 5:33

And then another form of anxiety, besides panic attacks, which is common in Parkinson's, is social anxiety. People are often embarrassed to go out in public because it could be their tremors. They're having difficulty walking and getting around, difficulties with speech, so they may withdraw from going to social gatherings with friends and family, and that can lead to social isolation and then eventually cause loneliness and depression. So it's important to note that anxiety and Parkinson's isn't just a reaction to the diagnosis but it's linked to changes in brain chemistry caused by the disease. All right, now that we understand that anxiety and its different forms in Parkinson's, let's look at how Parkinson's motor and non-motor symptoms can contribute to stress and anxiety. And we'll lead it off with motor symptoms and we'll start it off with tremors, because most people with Parkinson's have tremors and we all know that. It's the visible shaking of our hands, legs and it can cause people to get social anxiety because they're embarrassed of the tremor and that can lead to social isolation, stress and loneliness.

Speaker 1: 6:46

Clinic social anxiety disorder or social phobia. Bradykinesia, or slowness of movement, can cause difficulty doing everyday tasks, which can create frustration and a sense of helplessness, which can increase anxiety. So a lot of times if you become frustrated with I can't do this anymore, then you start to become anxious and worry about what am I going to be able to do other things as well? Postural instability and a fear of falling can cause significant anxiety in people with Parkinson's, which can limit the activities they participate in. And then, finally, dyskinesias, which, if you haven't experienced them, they're involuntary movements which are often unpredictable and can be distressing and make the person with Parkinson's feel socially awkward, and that can cause anxiety, especially social anxiety. So, in terms of non-motor symptoms, some of the key players leading to stress and anxiety include cognitive changes.

Speaker 1: 7:39

Problems with your memory, concentration and decision-making can cause anxiety. You become frustrated that you can't remember things the way you used to or make decisions. That can all can cause anxiety. You become frustrated that you can't remember things the way you used to or make decisions. That can all lead to anxiety. Social disturbances and that's one of my top non-motor symptoms, and that would include things like insomnia and sleep fragmentation, where you keep waking up in the middle of the night, and that can cause anxiety. So if you think about when you don't get enough sleep, you may seem like you're anxious. The next day you may be a little bit shaky, you may feel a little lightheaded or dizzy and off balance. So not getting enough sleep can be a trigger for leading to anxiety.

Speaker 1: 8:19

Depression is another one which often goes hand in hand with anxiety and Parkinson's, and it's often due to the effect of changes in brain chemicals that regulate our mood. Chronic pain is another source of anxiety. And then, finally, communication issues like changes in your speech soft speech, for instance, which I often experience, can lead to social anxiety, because you may get anxious when people are always saying to you speak up, I can't hear what you're saying. So a lot of times people become frustrated that they have to keep repeating themselves because of their soft voice and they just decide they get anxious and say I'm not going to go out and go out into public, and then that can lead to social anxiety. All right, now that we see how motor and non-motor symptoms can cause anxiety, how does this affect or impact our quality of life.

Speaker 1: 9:07

Anxiety can worsen sleep disturbances, cognitive difficulties and pain. Anxiety can also cause people with Parkinson's to reduce social participation or interaction because you know they're just embarrassed to go out because of their motor symptoms. Whether it be tremor, slowness of movement, it could be fear of falling of their motor symptoms. Whether it be tremor, slowness of movement, it could be fear of falling. Another reason that they get social anxiety is just navigating in public. If you have to go through a busy store or you're in a busy airport or train station, that can all lead to anxiety. Anxiety can be a big cause for reduced independence. People may be worried about the risk of falls and sometimes they're afraid that they can't complete their daily tasks, which can lead to anxiety.

Speaker 1: 9:49

Anxiety and chronic stress can lead to depression, hopelessness and a diminished sense of well-being, because you don't feel like the person that you used to be. And maybe you say to yourself, well, I can't do what I did before. And then you start to think, well, if I can't do this, what else am I not going to be able to do? And what I did before? And then you start to think, well, if I can't do this, what else am I not going to be able to do, and then that makes you anxious. And then, finally, anxiety can make it harder to focus on tasks required for daily living. These can all lead to a negative cycle of anxiety and fear, which I like to call the doom loop, which, once you get stuck in it, it's difficult to break the doom loop unless you have the tools to do that.

Speaker 1: 10:23

Let's turn our attention to some of the common anxiety triggers which can lead us into this negative anxiety loop, and what I mean by that is you get a negative thought and then you start building on that, you become anxious about something and then pretty soon it's well, my palms are getting sweaty, oh, my heart's beating faster, I'm having difficulty breathing, and then you just keep feeding that loop and around and around you go, and until you have a full-blown anxiety problem. So let's try to give you some of the tools that can help us break the cycle, and to do that let's look at some of the triggers that can set off anxiety, and the first is fluctuation in our symptoms. Often the unpredictable nature of our Parkinson's medications can cause a sudden shift in our symptoms. Maybe you're feeling pretty good and then your medication starts to wear off and then all of a sudden you have off periods or breakthrough tremors, or you're having difficulty with your balance or walking, and so the medication isn't controlling the symptoms as well, and this can cause anxiety because we worry about how long our medication will work, especially if we're going out, or how well is it going to control our motor symptoms. And this uncertainty about our on and off periods can be a constant sense of anxiety for some people.

Speaker 1: 11:38

Now another common trigger that relates to is tremors, gaits and dyskinesias, which all lead to social anxiety. You know, being embarrassed by tremors or problems walking can cause anxiety. Just in getting around in public, fear of falling and having difficulty again in public places that are often crowded, and dyskinesias can make people feel embarrassed and cause them to withdraw from social activity. So all three of those together can be big drivers for social anxiety. Now, another major trigger, and one I assume many of us experience, is concerns about disease progression. The fear of the unknown, not knowing how your disease will progress or how fast or how slow, can lead to constant worry and anticipatory anxiety. Now there are a couple of things I've lead to constant worry and anticipatory anxiety. Now there are a couple things I've used to help me manage anticipatory anxiety and to put this in perspective for me and help me reduce the fear of this trigger.

Speaker 1: 12:35

And I think one of the things that's easy to do with this trigger is what if? Thinking. What if I can't walk? What if I become dependent on someone? What if my tremors become so bad that I can't walk? What if I become dependent on someone? What if my tremors become so bad that I can't pick things up and feed myself? So you can probably think of a million other more what ifs? And one of the things I've learned early on is and I learned it from my grandmother, who was blind and she could do pretty much anything she wanted that a person with sight could do she cooked, she did gardening with my grandfather and she always told me why worry about things that you think are going to happen? Because most of the time they don't happen or they don't go the way you think they're going to happen. So why not enjoy your life and deal with the problem as it happens? So, 50 years later, I still use her advice and I don't worry about how the disease is going to progress. I deal with each step and stage as it comes and I just live my life on a day-to-day basis.

Speaker 1: 13:31

Now, another thing I always think of is a scene from one of my favorite movies, and it was the movie Jack, and it starred Robin Williams and he plays a boy who has progeria, which is a rare genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly, starting their early years. So Jack is giving a speech at his high school graduation where he's the valedictorian and he appears to be about 80 years old. As part of his graduation speech, he says we start to worry about our life and our future. Where am I going to be in 10 years? But I say to you I'm going to be in 10 years. Please don't worry so much.

Speaker 1: 14:08

Time is fleeting. If you're ever distressed, cast your eyes to the summer sky and the stars are strewn across the velvety night. And when a shooting star streaks across the blackness and turns night into day, make a wish Make your life spectacular. I know I did and that really hit home to me and that's how I try to live my life Not worry and make my life spectacular. And my wish is that you can do the same and just live. I try to live my life day at a time and try not to worry about what's going to happen in the future, because I can't change it anyway. So those are some of the common triggers for anxiety. So hopefully you can recognize them and keep them from causing you to get into that negative cycle or doom loop.

Speaker 1: 14:56

All right, now let's close out our understanding of anxiety and Parkinson's by looking at some of the ways anxiety can affect us physically muscle tension and rigidity. It can cause rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating and sleep disruptions, just to name a few. So that's why it's so important that we have strategies for managing our anxiety, which leads us nicely into how we can use mindfulness techniques and strategies for managing our anxiety. So let's first get an understanding of what mindfulness is and how it can help us before we dive into specific strategies.

Speaker 1: 15:38

All right, mindfulness, essentially it's a practice of paying attention to the present moment, intentionally, without judgment. Okay, curious. What does that mean? All right, it means you become more aware of your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensation as they arise, without really giving much thought to them, so without judging them. So you're staying in the present moment. You may have some oh, my heart's beating faster, and so you don't concentrate on that. So essentially, let me give you that as an example. So rather than you're sitting there and you say my heart's beating faster, so rather than focusing and dwelling on it and saying to yourself, my heart's beating faster is something wrong, what's causing my heart to beat faster? And then we're continually building on this until anxiety sets in and the next thing you know we might be having a panic attack. So instead you say, oh, my heart seems to be beating faster, and then you move on. You don't fixate or dwell on why your heart's beating faster, you just notice that it's beating a little bit faster. So you use this type of non-reactive awareness as a powerful tool, and we can use that as part of our Parkinson's toolbox for helping us manage our stress and anxiety and improve our overall well-being.

Speaker 1: 16:52

Now, I know it all sounds great, but how can mindfulness help us in our day-to-day living with Parkinson's? Well, first, mindfulness can help maintain a sense of calm and help us control our emotions when we start to worry about symptom fluctuations, disease progression or being out in social situations, again by staying in the present moment and concentrating on something you see, or just acknowledging the thought and letting it move on. Second, mindfulness can help us regulate our emotions, because we become more aware of our response to how we're reacting and how our emotions come into play, and we can use mindfulness to reduce how we react to them. And then, third, mindfulness can make us more self-aware of our body sensations, like tremors and rigidity, for instance. Otherwise, it allows us to realize that we can control how we react to these symptoms. So we realize we're having symptoms, we can focus on it and say, oh my gosh, these symptoms, they're embarrassing me, how can I stop this? Where's my medication? And then you start to get anxious, and then that just keeps building on each other. Now, I've often heard it said that the difference between someone who's anxious and experiencing anxiety symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms and shortness of breath and a thrill seeker is that the anxious person sees these symptoms as a sign of dread and discomfort, while the thrill seeker sees these same sensations as a sign of excitement and joy. So oftentimes it's how we react to body sensations that determines the outcome we have, and mindfulness can help us with managing our body sensations as well and help us react in a more positive manner.

Speaker 1: 18:33

Now, pain management is another way. Mindfulness can help Many people with Parkinson's experience pain, and mindfulness can help individuals shift their attention away from pain, helping to reduce the intensity that we might be experiencing in terms of pain. And then mindfulness can help with our sleep by promoting relaxation and help us to reduce our racing thoughts, which can improve our sleep quality, because one thing I hear a lot of people say is oh, it takes me forever to fall asleep because my mind's racing. So we can use mindfulness techniques to help us reduce those racing thoughts. Mindfulness can help us gain increased sense of control and promote overall sense of well-being by helping us feel more grounded and in control of our experiences, allowing us to better accept our experiences. So, instead of why is this happening to me? We're changing our thinking and saying, oh, I'm enjoying this because All right.

Speaker 1: 19:26

Now that we have a solid background on what mindfulness is and how it can benefit us on our Parkinson's journey, let's take a look at some specific mindfulness techniques and strategies that we can use to help us manage our anxiety. As we cover these strategies, I think it's important to debunk the myth that mindfulness is only for meditation experts. This couldn't be further from the truth. Anyone can learn these techniques and strategies and apply them to their daily life. And let's start out with our first mindfulness technique, and that's mini meditation. Say what, chris? Yes, I said mini meditation, and we'll walk you through an example in a minute.

Speaker 1: 20:01

But many people you think of meditation. You think of a monk in some mountain, a chalet, sitting there, meditating all day long. But meditation has many forms and a lot of times it can be just focusing on certain things, like focusing on your breathing, focusing on a specific mantra or word, so it doesn't have to be this psychic thing that you don't understand. So let's go through an example that you can use, and then you can go online to find others as well, and there are books available as well on meditation if you're looking to build more meditative practices. So in this short meditation, we'll focus on general breath awareness and we'll do a light body scan. So this is how it would go.

Speaker 1: 20:45

Please find a comfortable position. You can sit in a chair, lie down, whatever feels comfortable for you. There's no right or wrong way. Just allow yourself to settle in, adjusting your position as needed. If closing your eyes is comfortable, you can gently close them. If not, you can keep them softly open, gazing downward. Now let's take a moment to settle in and arrive just as we are.

Speaker 1: 21:16

Now let's bring our attention to our breath. I want you to notice the sense of your breath as you breathe in and out Breathe naturally. You don't need to change your breathing naturally. You don't need to change your breathing, just observe it. You might notice the rise and fall of your chest and abdomen or the cool sensation of air entering your nostrils and the warmer sensation as it leaves. If your mind wanders, that's perfectly normal. Just guide your attention back to your breath. There is nothing to accomplish here, just gentle noticing of your breath. If your tremors or other motor symptoms are there, notice them as part of your present moment and gently bring your attention back to your breath.

Speaker 1: 22:12

Now let's gently shift our attention and our awareness to our bodies. Start by noticing the sensation in your feet. Notice the contact of your feet with the floor or a footrest. You don't have to judge or analyze any of the sensations, just observe them. If it's uncomfortable to focus on a specific body part, move on to the next. Gently move your awareness up to your legs. Notice any sensations of pressure, warmth. If you feel any tension, simply acknowledge it without judgment. Notice any sensations of pressure, warmth. If you feel any tension, simply acknowledge it without judgment.

Speaker 1: 23:02

Move your awareness now to your hips and torso. Notice any sensations in your back and abdomen. Allow your shoulders to relax, noticing any tension. Move your awareness to your hands and arms. Notice the sensations in your fingers. Finally, bring your awareness to your neck, face and head. Notice any sensation of tightness and relaxation. Allow your entire body to be present just as it is Now. Take a few deeper breaths, allowing yourself to gently return to the present moment. Begin to wiggle your fingers and toes and then, when you feel ready, gently open your eyes if they are closed.

Speaker 1: 23:56

Take a moment to notice how you feel. Remember this is a practice. There's no right or wrong way to do it. You can make this meditation shorter or longer to fit your own needs, focusing on different body parts or simply focusing on your breath. The most important thing is to be gentle and kind to yourself. Thank you for partnering with me. Now, how did that make you feel? I hope you noticed that by staying in the present, focusing on your breath or body part without judging, can be a calming and relaxing experience. So staying in the now can be very calming and help keep anxiety at bay. All right, our next strategy in our mindfulness toolbox is mindful movement, and that can be a powerful tool in your mindfulness toolbox because it combines the physical benefits of exercise with the mental clarity of mindfulness. By focusing on sensations and movement, you can enhance your body's awareness, reduce stress and improve your mental well-being. Reduce stress and improve your mental well-being.

Speaker 1: 25:05

Now let's look at how we can use general practices, like ones used in Tai Chi and walking, and how they can be used to practice mindful movement, starting with the present moment. Awareness, as we discussed, the core of mindfulness is bringing our attention to the present moment as you're moving, your focus in the sensations in your body rather than letting your mind wander. Next is non-judgmental observation. So avoid judging your movements or comparing yourself to others. Simply observe your body's sensations, without criticism. And, in paying attention to sensations, notice the feelings of your feet on the ground, the stretch in your muscles, the rhythm of your breath, and pay close attention to any pain, tightness or other sensations, acknowledging them without fighting them and, in general and intentional movements, form movements, slowly and deliberately, focusing on the quality of each movement. Be mindful of your posture and balance, making adjustments as needed. So those are some of the components of mindful movement.

Speaker 1: 26:11

Now, some mindful movement practices for Parkinson's would include Tai Chi. Tai Chi's flowing movements promote balance, coordination and flexibility. Mindfully perform each movement, paying attention to the shifting weight and your connection to the ground. Focus on the breath as you do each movement. Walking, even a simple walk, can be a mindfulness practice. Focus on the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your steps and the movement of your arms. Notice the sights and sounds, the smells around you, bringing your attention to the present moment. Pay attention to how your body is moving and how your balance is feeling.

Speaker 1: 26:56

Now a couple of considerations to mention with mindful movement that I wanted to mention are safety. First, choose movements that are appropriate for your current physical abilities, and then listen to your body. Pay attention to any discomfort and any pain and if you have those, stop immediately. Modify your movements, adapt your movements to accommodate any limitations you have, and if you need support things like a cane walker wall, use those as well. And then focus on small movements. Even small, gentle movements can be practiced mindfully. And then consistency is key. Do short, regular sessions, and they're actually more beneficial than doing infrequent long sessions.

Speaker 1: 27:47

Already, next up in our mindfulness toolbox is mindful daily activities. Yes, you can incorporate mindfulness into our daily activities, focusing on sensory awareness. Now let's look at a few examples, and we'll start with mindful eating. So, starting with our senses, before you start eating, take a moment to notice the colors and textures of your food, smell the aromas as you take each bite. Pay attention to the taste, the texture on your tongue. In terms of movement, be aware of the movement of your hands as they bring the food to your mouth. Notice the coordination that's required to move your arms to your mouth while opening your mouth at the same time.

Speaker 1: 28:28

Mindful dishwashing Using your senses. Feel the warmth of the water on your hands, the smoothness and slipperiness of the soap, the texture of the dishes and then the clanking of the dishes. Listen to the sound of running water over the clanking dishes and then the clanking of the dishes. Listen to the sound of running water over the clanking dishes While you're moving. Pay attention to the movement of your hands as you wash each dish. Notice the rhythm that you use. And then, mindful dressing Feel the texture of the fabric against your skin. Notice the weight of the clothing. Pay attention to the fine motor movements required to button the shirt or zip a zipper. Notice the movements of the clothing. Pay attention to the fine motor movements required to button the shirt or zip a zipper. Notice the movements of your hands and arms.

Speaker 1: 29:08

Now, some key things to remember with mindful movement is to start small and try incorporating mindfulness into one to two activities a day, whether it be eating or dishwashing or dressing any of those. There's a bunch of different mindfulness techniques you can use. And then be patient Mindfulness is a practice and it does take time to develop. And then try to use the sensory focus when you can Emphasize, bringing your attention to the sensations that each of the activities brings. And then, don't judge, just notice. Notice the sensations you know, without judging oh, this is, I don't like this sensation, Just acknowledge it and then let it move on.

Speaker 1: 29:51

And then our final mindfulness strategy that I wanted to discuss is mindfulness breathing, and this is a great tool for high stress and anxiety. Now, the nice thing about them is they're simple, accessible and you can practice them anywhere. And let's start with what they call box breathing, which is also known as square breathing, and the way to do box breathing is inhale slowly and deeply for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of four, and then exhale slowly and completely through your mouth for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of four and then repeat the cycle for several rounds. So that's in for a count of four. Hold for a count of four. Exhale for a count of four, and then hold your breath for a count of four. Exhale for a count of four and then hold your breath for a count of four. Now, the benefits of box breathing is that it helps reduce stress and anxiety by regulating your autonomic nervous system. So, by you controlling your breathing, it promotes calmness and relaxation and helps improve your focus and concentration by focusing on your breath.

Speaker 1: 31:04

Next up is diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, and what you want to do is start by placing one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen, or belly Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise while keeping your chest still, exhale slowly through your mouth, allowing your abdomen to fall, and then you want to repeat that several times. Now, the benefits of belly breathing is that it promotes relaxation and reduces stress. It improves oxygen intake and lung capacity, and it can also help to alleviate some muscle tension. Help to alleviate some muscle tension and then, finally, is 4-7-8 breathing. So start off by exhaling completely through your mouth, making a whooshing sound, and then you want to close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven and then exhale completely through the mouth, making a whooshing sound, a count of eight, and then you want to repeat that cycle four times. Now this breathing technique promotes deep relaxation and sleep, reduces stress and anxiety and helps calm the nerves. So use these breathing techniques whenever you become anxious or stressed.

Speaker 1: 32:25

Box breathing or square breathing was in for four, hold for four, breathe out for four and then hold for four and then the four, seven, eight breathing is another one I've used and participated with, and that's again. You exhale completely and then you breathe in through your nose for a count of four, hold it for a count of seven and then exhale completely through your mouth for a count of eight. So use these breathing exercises when you become anxious or stressed and be aware of the early signs like increased heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, etc. If you start feeling these, go find a quiet place and focus on your breathing. Focus the breath by bringing your full attention to the sensation of your breath. So slow down your breathing and then your breathing quality will quickly and rapidly start to diminish. Because if you start to breathe heavily and quickly, then your body knows that something's wrong and if it feels uncomfortable, it's going to start to release adrenaline and then you're going to get yourself more excited. So you want slow, intentional breaths and you want to focus on the breath. So stay away from the quick, rapid breaths. Focus on the breath. So stay away from the quick, rapid breaths. And if you feel comfortable, you can use a mantra like I'm calm, I am peaceful, whatever you want you can use as your mantra. So some people focus on a mantra instead of the breath. So it's up to you on how you want to apply it. Okay, these are the techniques you can apply to your normal daily living to help you reduce stress and anxiety and stay calm.

Speaker 1: 34:05

Now let's briefly discuss some of the common obstacles that you may run into, leading off with difficulty concentrating due to symptoms. Now you can use short sessions, starting with one to two minutes, and gradually increase the time. So that can be the breathing, it could be the mini meditation, and you can use guided meditations like the one I just shared with you to help as well. Next up is finding the time for practice due to daily challenges. So first try to integrate them into your daily activities, like eating and walking, and then set reminders. Use alarms or apps to remind you yourself to practice. Hey, I want to practice my mindful techniques, so I got to go do that. And then remember, do them in small time increments. Even a minute of mindfulness is effective.

Speaker 1: 34:53

Now, dealing with negative thoughts. Acknowledge thoughts without judging them, just letting them pass like clouds. Use compassionate self-talk, practice kind and gentle self-talk. Consider therapy or counseling to address underlying emotional issues. And then, finally, medication fluctuations. Practice during your on times, when symptoms are better managed than during off times. And then remember to focus on simple breathing exercises.

Speaker 1: 35:20

All right, here's some tips for building consistent and mindful practice. Start with short sessions, again no more than five minutes, and then gradually increase the duration, and then find a quiet, comfortable space that's going to help you focus especially on your breath, or a mantra, and then use reminder apps. And then, finally, is be patient. Remember it is a practice and be compassionate with yourself. So realize finally, is be patient. Remember it is a practice and be compassionate with yourself. So realize it does take time.

Speaker 1: 35:48

All right, before we wrap up, let's provide some resources that you can reference to learn more about how mindfulness can help you manage anxiety on your Parkinson's journey, and let's start with foundations that and we'll lead it off with the Parkinson's Foundation and that's at parkinsonsorg, and they have resources and programs related to mental wellness, including mindfulness, so check their website for local chapters, online resources and educational materials. And then you have the Michael J Fox Foundation or michaeljfoxorg, and while they're primarily focused on research, they do have information on mental health strategies, and their webinars and online forums can be very beneficial as well. And then you have the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. It was founded by John Kabat-Zinn, and this center is a leading resource for mindfulness-based stress reduction. And you can find them at umasseducfm Mindfulness apps for various needs, including stress and anxiety.

Speaker 1: 36:52

Headspace offers guided meditations and mindfulness exercises. Calm provides guided meditations, sleep stories and relaxing music. Insight Timer features a vast library of free guided meditations from various teachers, and then 10% Happier. This provides guided meditations and mindfulness courses with a focus on practical application. Now, websites like Coursera and Udemy offer online mindfulness courses that can be taken at your own pace. And then, finally, books Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn is a classic book on mindfulness-based stress reduction, and the book Wherever you Go, there you Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, and this is a beginner-friendly introduction to mindfulness, and I'll put links for these books in the podcast description.

Speaker 1: 37:48

Now I want to share with you that you should consult your health care provider before starting any new mindfulness or exercise program to ensure they meet your specific needs and limitations. And that brings us to the end of today's episode. I hope you found these mindfulness techniques and insights helpful in your journey to managing stress and anxiety with Parkinson's. Now remember, mindfulness is a practice and it takes time and patience, so be kind to yourself and celebrate every mindful awareness you can. Now, before we go, I wanted to emphasize that I'm not a healthcare professional or a mental health specialist.

Speaker 1: 38:23

The information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. If you're feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, depression, fear or hopelessness, please reach out to a certified mental health specialist and they can provide you with personalized support and guidance to address your specific needs. Now, if you want to learn more about living your best life with Parkinson's, please visit liveparkinsonscom. There you can subscribe to the free monthly newsletter filled with valuable tips, resources and community stories. And if you're unsure about how to build your best Parkinson's care team for your Parkinson's journey, be sure to get a copy of our Building your Parkinson's Care Team Resource Guide and Supplemental Workbook. It's available for a nominal fee and is designed to help you navigate the collective natures of Parkinson's care so that you can live your best life with Parkinson's.

Speaker 1: 39:20

Lastly, if you would like to support the podcast and the mission to help people with Parkinson's lead a great quality of life, I would greatly appreciate your support, which helps me develop more resources and supports the podcast. You can visit my Ko-fi page at ko-ficom slash liveparkinsons to make a donation. Every little bit helps to develop valuable content. Thank you for listening and remember even with Parkinson's you can find moments of calm and peace. Until next time, take care and be mindful. Stay healthy, stay strong and live your best life with Parkinson's. Thank you.