Bipolar & The 3 Minute Stress-Relief Exercise

When stresses start to overwhelm you, take 3 minutes to refresh and destress.

William Marchand, MD , an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Utah, stresses the value of mindfulness interventions in his book Depression and Bipolar Disorder: Your Guide to Recovery. His patients with bipolar often cite the stress that comes from multitasking at work, such as keeping up with emails and talking with colleagues while trying to focus on the task at hand. Expectations in this digital age to be connected at all times present an additional challenge, he adds.

To start cultivating mind awareness and switch off “autopilot mode,” which can trigger symptoms, Marchand suggests a three-minute breathing exercise:

During the first minute

Assess your current situation. What are you thinking? What’s causing you stress?

During the second minute

Focus on the physical sensations of your breath.

During the third minute

Focus on the physical sensations of your entire body.