WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:06.005 ♪♪♪ 2 00:00:21.154 --> 00:00:22.255 What? 3 00:00:22.255 --> 00:00:23.423 What's all this? 4 00:00:23.423 --> 00:00:27.060 Oh, Annie got me this outfit. 5 00:00:27.060 --> 00:00:29.829 Don't you like it? 6 00:00:29.829 --> 00:00:31.965 Well, it's different. 7 00:00:31.965 --> 00:00:34.434 Oh, it's for my class. 8 00:00:34.434 --> 00:00:36.803 Annie's bringing over a relaxation teacher 9 00:00:36.803 --> 00:00:37.937 this morning. 10 00:00:37.937 --> 00:00:40.807 Seems pretty kooky to me. 11 00:00:40.807 --> 00:00:41.341 [Front door opens] 12 00:00:41.341 --> 00:00:44.344 Hey Mom, Dad. We're here! 13 00:00:50.817 --> 00:00:52.786 We're just in the den, honey. 14 00:00:52.786 --> 00:00:55.822 If you need anything, I'm down the hall. 15 00:01:05.198 --> 00:01:08.201 Mom, I think he's okay. 16 00:01:10.103 --> 00:01:12.105 What we want to do with these exercises 17 00:01:12.105 --> 00:01:16.276 is reduce stress to keep you healthy and feeling good. 18 00:01:16.276 --> 00:01:18.845 Before each exercise, start by rating your level 19 00:01:18.845 --> 00:01:20.580 of tension. 20 00:01:20.580 --> 00:01:23.249 So, Margaret, on a scale from one to five, 21 00:01:23.249 --> 00:01:27.320 with one being quite calm and five being very tense, 22 00:01:27.320 --> 00:01:29.322 how do you feel right now? 23 00:01:29.322 --> 00:01:30.290 I don't know. 24 00:01:30.290 --> 00:01:31.691 Why? Am I stressed? 25 00:01:31.691 --> 00:01:34.694 It's just a measuring tool, Mom. 26 00:01:34.694 --> 00:01:37.230 I'm going to say two. 27 00:01:37.230 --> 00:01:38.031 Okay. 28 00:01:38.031 --> 00:01:39.599 Let's start. 29 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:42.035 This is called Signal Breath. 30 00:01:42.035 --> 00:01:46.806 Take a deep breath and hold it for 3 to 4 seconds. 31 00:01:46.806 --> 00:01:50.410 Exhale slowly while saying a word or phrase 32 00:01:50.410 --> 00:01:53.613 like "peace" or "be calm." 33 00:01:53.613 --> 00:01:56.382 Anything that's comforting. 34 00:01:56.382 --> 00:02:01.421 Let your jaw, shoulders, and arms go limp. 35 00:02:02.822 --> 00:02:05.391 Let's do it two more times. 36 00:02:22.642 --> 00:02:25.645 Now rate your level of stress. 37 00:02:27.413 --> 00:02:29.415 I'm down to a one. 38 00:02:29.415 --> 00:02:31.784 This is awesome. 39 00:02:31.784 --> 00:02:33.419 Margaret? 40 00:02:33.419 --> 00:02:36.956 I don't know, maybe I just don't get it. 41 00:02:36.956 --> 00:02:38.958 [Glass shatters] 42 00:02:39.158 --> 00:02:41.160 Harold! 43 00:02:49.869 --> 00:02:51.671 He just knocked over the TV tray. 44 00:02:51.671 --> 00:02:53.673 He's fine. 45 00:02:55.041 --> 00:02:57.043 What's your stress level now? 46 00:02:58.478 --> 00:03:00.647 At least a four. 47 00:03:00.647 --> 00:03:03.416 This is a great time to use the Signal Breath. 48 00:03:03.416 --> 00:03:06.119 And it really helps to use a stress diary. 49 00:03:06.119 --> 00:03:08.154 Get a notebook or a scrap of paper 50 00:03:08.154 --> 00:03:10.056 and when something stressful happens, 51 00:03:10.056 --> 00:03:11.558 write it down. 52 00:03:11.558 --> 00:03:14.694 Then, write your tension level, do your Signal Breath 53 00:03:14.694 --> 00:03:19.866 three times, then record your stress level again. 54 00:03:19.866 --> 00:03:21.100 You'll be amazed when you see 55 00:03:21.100 --> 00:03:24.003 how Signal Breath works over time. 56 00:03:35.081 --> 00:03:38.318 I think I'm down to a three. 57 00:03:38.318 --> 00:03:41.254 Let's try a visualization exercise. 58 00:03:41.254 --> 00:03:42.989 Make yourselves comfortable. 59 00:03:42.989 --> 00:03:45.425 Sit in a chair or lie down. 60 00:03:53.166 --> 00:03:55.735 Monitor your stress level. 61 00:03:57.537 --> 00:04:03.142 Close your eyes and take a deep breath. 62 00:04:03.142 --> 00:04:09.148 Let it out and feel a release in your body. 63 00:04:09.148 --> 00:04:14.554 Keep breathing and let all your muscles get loose and limp. 64 00:04:16.255 --> 00:04:20.493 Pleasant waves of relaxation flow through your toes, 65 00:04:20.493 --> 00:04:24.063 feet, your legs. 66 00:04:24.063 --> 00:04:27.033 Everything releases as you breathe. 67 00:04:27.033 --> 00:04:33.272 Your hips, the belly, your internal organs, 68 00:04:33.272 --> 00:04:38.378 ribs, lungs, and chest. 69 00:04:39.512 --> 00:04:42.582 You are breathing and letting go. 70 00:04:44.117 --> 00:04:50.423 Now your shoulders, hands, arms go limp. 71 00:04:56.396 --> 00:05:07.573 Your throat, neck, face, the tongue, scalp, ears, 72 00:05:07.573 --> 00:05:12.612 and brain all loosely flowing in waves of relaxation. 73 00:05:18.484 --> 00:05:24.490 Now imagine yourself going through a very large door. 74 00:05:24.490 --> 00:05:28.227 You are transported to another place. 75 00:05:29.495 --> 00:05:34.534 You're in a grassy meadow, a peaceful, quiet meadow. 76 00:05:35.702 --> 00:05:41.107 And flowing through the meadow is a winding, small stream. 77 00:05:42.141 --> 00:05:46.846 On each side of the stream are tall, shady trees. 78 00:05:48.047 --> 00:05:51.684 Picture yourself resting on the side of the stream. 79 00:05:52.985 --> 00:05:57.757 Notice the blue sky, the puffy white clouds. 80 00:05:58.991 --> 00:06:02.895 Feel the warmth of the sun on your face. 81 00:06:02.895 --> 00:06:07.600 Look how its rays sparkle on the water. 82 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:11.838 Listen to the birds chirping and the stream 83 00:06:11.838 --> 00:06:17.610 as it flows along the water. 84 00:06:17.610 --> 00:06:19.779 It's calm here. 85 00:06:19.779 --> 00:06:22.615 Tranquil. 86 00:06:22.615 --> 00:06:27.787 Enjoy the simple beauty of this peaceful place. 87 00:06:27.787 --> 00:06:34.393 Now, notice a very large leaf floating in the stream. 88 00:06:34.393 --> 00:06:37.897 And as the leaf floats by you, you find that you can 89 00:06:37.897 --> 00:06:42.268 transfer all your worries, frustrations, 90 00:06:42.268 --> 00:06:46.672 and negative feelings onto the leaf. 91 00:06:46.672 --> 00:06:51.210 All your cares are projected onto that leaf. 92 00:06:51.210 --> 00:06:56.749 And as the leaf floats away, so do your worries, 93 00:06:56.749 --> 00:06:59.819 until it's gone and you feel more at ease 94 00:06:59.819 --> 00:07:03.556 than you have in a long time. 95 00:07:03.556 --> 00:07:06.759 Healthy energy fills your body. 96 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:10.530 And as you come back, you bring that healthy, 97 00:07:10.530 --> 00:07:13.966 positive energy with you. 98 00:07:13.966 --> 00:07:16.536 You can open your eyes. 99 00:07:27.847 --> 00:07:28.848 [Margaret snores] 100 00:07:28.848 --> 00:07:30.783 Mom? 101 00:07:30.783 --> 00:07:32.785 Mom? 102 00:07:33.553 --> 00:07:35.588 What happened? 103 00:07:35.588 --> 00:07:39.325 Let's just say you rock at visualization. 104 00:07:39.325 --> 00:07:40.827 You fell asleep. 105 00:07:40.827 --> 00:07:41.861 No way! 106 00:07:41.861 --> 00:07:43.863 Way! 107 00:07:45.164 --> 00:07:47.900 Our last exercise involves music. 108 00:07:47.900 --> 00:07:51.270 Music is an almost universal relaxation tool. 109 00:07:51.270 --> 00:07:54.473 I'll use classical today, but when you do this on your own, 110 00:07:54.473 --> 00:07:56.509 choose the music you like. 111 00:07:56.509 --> 00:07:58.578 Use your stress diary and remember to rate 112 00:07:58.578 --> 00:08:03.182 your level of tension before and after the exercise. 113 00:08:03.182 --> 00:08:06.886 Sit in a chair or lay down. 114 00:08:08.621 --> 00:08:11.490 Rate your stress level. 115 00:08:11.490 --> 00:08:14.994 Get comfortable and close your eyes. 116 00:08:14.994 --> 00:08:18.164 I'll play the music for about 5 minutes. 117 00:08:18.164 --> 00:08:23.169 While it's playing, let your mind and body relax. 118 00:08:30.109 --> 00:08:35.114 ♪♪♪ 119 00:09:06.846 --> 00:09:09.715 Successfully managing stress benefits caregivers 120 00:09:09.715 --> 00:09:11.717 physically and mentally. 121 00:09:11.717 --> 00:09:13.953 It can also help your loved one. 122 00:09:13.953 --> 00:09:17.757 The more relaxed you are, the better care you'll give. 123 00:09:17.757 --> 00:09:20.893 For more information about stress reduction techniques, 124 00:09:20.893 --> 00:09:23.229 talk to your healthcare professional.