Posts by Anne Stamatakis
Relaxing Your Eyes!
1) 20-20-20 plus 20 Rule When you’re focused on work, you tend to get closer to the screen, spend more time staring at it, and blink very rarely. That’s a perfect setup for eye strain. The American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests you follow the 20-20-20 rule. About every 20 minutes, look at least 20 feet…
Read MoreI would rather be happy than right.
I have No written all over my face, and I’m glaring at my husband with it. “I’m right!” I insist, yet again. “No, you’re not!” he counters. “You know I’m right!” I fling back at him. “You’re doing your British Resistance thing,” he replies knowingly. Damn, that argument always scores points. And so our ridiculous…
Read MoreThe Princess and the Pea
In this classic fairy story, the princess proves her royal status to the doubting Queen by being highly sensitive to and disturbed by the pea placed under her mattress overnight. Subsequently, she and the prince are married, and of course, “live happily ever after.” But, unfortunately, we don’t hear about how overwhelming it can…
Read MoreCan you talk yourself into relaxing?
Eve is in her mid-seventies. Her above-average height contributes to an imposing figure, always dressed in a bold colored and well-tailored trouser suit. She exudes a quiet confidence that she doesn’t have to prove to anyone. Her movements are slow and deliberate, her posture burdened by many years with too many responsibilities. However, when she…
Read MoreRelaxation Tips for Insomnia
I reach out to the bedside table and feel around for my smartphone. I have it on the lowest light setting because I’m aware that blue light on any computer screen can disturb sleep rhythms. I confess that I don’t always remember putting my phone on Airplane mode to cut the EMF (electric & magnetic…
Read MoreHow does your imagination affect your body?
Reading time: under 4 minutes Steve has a mysterious shoulder pain that has persisted for three months. He sees me every fortnight and receives temporary relief from our sessions, but the discomfort always seems to reappear. We are both frustrated with his limited range of motion and overall lack of progress. I have applied every…
Read MoreA very different kind of hug for Valentine’s
Some of us have been more isolated than others during this crazy Corona-coaster ride. Not having anyone to touch, or share any physical closeness with, may have affected levels of loneliness for some, more acutely than others. Those of us with a spouse, lover, trusted friend, children, parents, grandchildren, or siblings to hold & hug…
Read MoreIs Your Nervous System Noisy?
Most of us may think of noise as something coming from the outside of our bodies such as traffic, horns hooting, brakes squealing, sirens whining. Others may consider people’s voices, children squealing, dogs barking or TV sounds constantly in the background as noisy. Thank heavens most of us do not have to deal with the…
Read MoreIs meditation for you?
Is meditation for you? I know that for many of you meditation brings forth images of sitting in abnormal positions and concentrating on being calm and relaxed for extended periods of time. That alone can put you off from this practice, which is as ancient as civilization itself and yet has re-emerged in the last…
Read MoreBreathing
When I ask clients if they enjoy breathing, they tend to pause and look at me quizzically like I’ve asked a rather dumb question. The usual reply is, “I never really thought about it.” A natural response, as we all tend to take breathing as a given. It just happens, doesn’t it? We don’t…
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