Provided by:
The University of Arizona College of Agriculture &
Life Sciences - Cooperative
Extension
Newsletter 2:
Mindfulness: The Resting Edition
April 4, 2016
Hello Walk Across Arizona participants! We are in our final days of
our six-week program and we see everyone is making their way
across our great state. A few reminders about this week:
Final Issue…
Mindfulness: The
Movement Edition.
Learn tips on how to
incorporate mindful
movement and activities
into your weekly routine.
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Final day for recording mileage is midnight on Saturday,
April 9th, 2016.
You can retroactively document distance, but only mileage
added on or prior to April 9th will count towards your
team’s total distance.
For the WAAZ program and for future use, we have added
a comprehensive walking conversion chart to the Life &
Work Connections page!
We see how far you have walked and praise your efforts, but have
you set aside time to rest? In this newsletter, we’re focusing on
mindfulness with respect to rest because without enough of it, we
can run into a host of unfavorable health issues.
Some people seem to rest peacefully no matter where they are.
Whether they are sitting at a desk or laying down on a grassy
patch under the towering trees near Old Main, some folks just
know how to “do” rest right. Meanwhile, others appear to be
resting because they are not physically in motion but their minds
are constantly on-the-go!
Walk Across Arizona Newsletter
It can be a struggle to rest the body and the mind especially during times of stress. Whether it’s a major work
project keeping us awake at night, several issues going on at home, or dealing with health issues of our own or
of loved ones, finding peace of mind during times like these can be difficult. Although our circumstances affect
our mental state, they don’t have to control them. By taking time to truly rest, we can often gain clarity about
our situations, learn from them and best work through them.
During these final days of the Walk Across Arizona program, here are a few ways to gain a little more peace
and relaxation by taking time to rest and refresh:
 Take time to breathe. The simple practice of deep breathing can help calm body and mind to achieve a
state of relaxation. Closing the eyes and taking a series of slow mindful breaths, in through the nose
and out of the mouth, can help you feel more connected to your body and help quiet the mind.
 Walk it out. Take a 10-15 walk outdoors. Rather than blazing by nature, focus on the physical sensation
of walking and notice the beauty that surrounds you. The fresh air and sights and sounds of nature can
help promote relaxation and help achieve a more restful sleep at night.
 Turn off technology. The blue light emitted from televisions, computers and smartphone screens can
trick our minds into believing it’s daytime. According to the National Sleep Foundation, this light can
suppress melatonin levels (a hormone that increases during periods of sleep), keep our brains
stimulated and thus, disrupt sleep. Set a time to turn off all technology before bedtime to help achieve
a more relaxing environment and a peaceful night’s sleep.
 Remember that peace is always available. Although it may seem light years away when feeling
stressed, peace of mind is always within reach. Like any state of mind, it can require lots of effort to
achieve but well worth the effort in the end.
How will you incorporate mindful rest into your routine? Email us or tag us on social media with your
ideas using the #WAAZ hashtag.
Image courtesy of Pixomar at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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