1. REAL LIFE WELLNESS: STRESS LESS
Simple presentation, designed to help you keep even keel – so we will be doing some practice today, like we did with the first session on movement/fitness

2. OBJECTIVES Practice methods to manage stress in real life
Learn how mindfulness and basic exercise promote balance
Learn about the Lola & Rob Salazar Student Wellness Center
OBJECTIVES

3. Culture of wellness – help
Lead , inspire, engage

4. Stress Less. Stress is different for each person
What people define as stress is different for each person
How we deal with stress is different
So in order to stress less we’re going to work on being more present in the moment
So a lot of times with stress- anxiety and depression are two things people associate with or are connected with stress
Anxiety = focus on the future, worry/obsess about things to come
Depression = obsess over past things/ things we can’t change or control
So in order to stress less – we need to resolve by focusing on right here/right now

5. Tools for mindfulness Scheduling & creating time for oneself
Observation
Meditation (Moment)
Tools for mindfulness
Tools for mindfulness
Learning to be more mindful/blocking everything out/reel it back in by simplifying life (only have a couple browsers open on your computer vs. 10)
Just like you schedule exercise – schedule mindfulness (i.e. take 5 minutes for lunch where you only eat lunch and not multi-task/ 60 seconds to just stop and breathe)
So we are going to practice Observation & Meditation
Observation ( secs.)
Sit up nice and tall in your chairs, feel flat on the floor
Palms up in your lap
Close your eyes
- Feel the temperature of the room
- Notice your breath, notice how your belly expands as you inhale & deflates as you exhale
- Equalize your breath (Inhale for a count of 1, 2, 3…. Exhale for a count of 1, 2, 3) Repeat 3 to 4 times
Notice how you are feeling – physically/how’s your heart feeling/ your thoughts
There’s no right, no wrong, it just is
Scan your body – are you clenching your hips, glutes, thighs? Feel your spine supporting you. Soften your shoulders, let weight of the world to leave/jaw relaxes, unfurrow the brow, feel your scalp
Now return back to your breath – inhale for a count of 1, 2, 3; exhale for 1, 2, 3
Now open your eyes
We’re going to try Meditation too – for 60 secs.
Any changes in how you’re feeling? More open-minded.
You might observe more – take in what you’re actually taking in

6. (Corrective) Exercise IS Medicine
We truly believe Exercise IS Medicine : Physical stress

7. Sitting disease:
Sitting disease causes what’s known as the upper crossed syndrome.
Chest muscles get tight and shorten, neck forward, etc. because the majority of us are sitting at a computer
Stand up against a wall to realign your neck and shoulders, chin in/shoulders back
A lot of times we will do heart expansion stretches, strengthen the back
More pulls than pushes to help open up the chest

8. Sitting disease With this one our glutes and our abs get weak
We have tight hip flexors and low back pain
Arched back
Try to tuck the pelvis, align your hips under your shoulders
85% of the population goes to the dr. for low back pain
If we think about stretching and strengthening our hips
If we start to think about our posture and bone stack we’ll use less energy, have less headaches, shoulders less tense

9. You don’t have to do it alone; we can help.

10. CU Denver Students – fee assessed - $0
CU Denver Students – non assessed
adult learners, online students
CU Denver Faculty, staff
CU Denver Alumni & Retirees
Sponsored guests
Community Day Pass

11. All inclusive plan: Facility access Health coach GT45 Group Fitness
New Members

12. BASIC MEMBERSHIP $49/mo affiliate $59/mo sponsored
Unlimited facility access
Individual Health Coaching Plan
Unlimited group fitness classes
Day use equipment check out

13. Summer facility hours Monday- Thursday: 6 am – 9 pm Friday: 6 am- 8 pm
Saturday: 9 am – 6 pm
Sunday: 12 pm – 8 pm
Summer facility hours

14. Take the first step TODAY.
Today I will_________________ at _____________.
Take the first step TODAY.
What will you do today to stress less?

15. Q & A Amber Long amber.j.long@ucdenver.edu
Questions on any of the topics?