Dr. Rippe's Blog

Stop the World¿I Want to Get Off. You may remember that phrase as the title of a 1960s musical. With today's many economic and other stresses, we may find ourselves wishing that we could take a break from the pressure and hecticness. Well, good news! I have a way to do just that.

It's called the 10-Minute Time Out. Close your office door or find a quiet place where you can sit quietly in your chair. You can even lie on the floor. Turn off your phone. Sit or lie comfortably. Relax your muscles and clear thoughts out of your mind. You might picture in your mind a calming landscape or image, such as a sunny sky with drifting clouds, a beach or a mountain view (whatever is calming for you). Focus on your breathing, slowly in and out, to bring you into the here and now. Play close attention to your breath pattern. If thoughts intrude, gently push them away and focus on breathing. In addition to focusing on your breathing, some people find it helpful to repeat a meaningful phrase.

If you have a heart rate monitor, alternatively you can effectively focus on your heart rate as a way to relax. In one simple study that my lab performed, we asked people to sit quietly and focus on their heart rate by looking at the monitor read out. While doing that, they repeated very softly "down, down" or "slower, slower." They did this for ten minutes. Participants were not only able to lower their heart rate, but they wre also able to lower their anxiety level and their blood pressure.

So you want to stop the world for a minute or two and get off?  You can. Just take a ten-minute time out.