Self-Care Through the Five Senses
a guest post by Becca Tyree!
Hello! This week Becca Tyree has some really rich insights and creative practical ideas on how to deepen your brain’s pathways to pleasure by using the five senses. So good!
In psychology, one of the most popular coping techniques for anxiety is the “5-4-3-2-1” grounding technique. In a moment of distress, you can anchor in the present moment by paus
ing to focus on: 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This technique is helpful on its own, but the principles gleaned from it can apply to other areas of self-care (including preventative ones)!
When we think about memories, we typically think about the brain, right? But our bodies hold memories, often connected to our phyical sensations. Often, a certain smell or sound transports us back to an emotion before our hippocampus has a chance to figure out what’s happening. Your body has already learned to relax or cheer up when it experiences certain sensations, like the smell of coffee in the morning or the sound of rain on your roof.
We can harness this amazing design by (1) creating new patterns and (2) taking advantage of existing ones to create well-defined pathways to pleasure. When you walk that path (make new memories) regularly, the neural pathways in your brain will literally deepen (strengthen), and it will become easier and more natural to experience enjoyment in the little senses of your day.
Exploring self-care through all 5 senses is effective because it…
Help us to Focus
Encourages Creativity
Provides Variety
Integrates the Brain & Body Effectively
So, today I want to share some ideas for how you can harness the concepts of mind-body connection and neuroplasticity to practice self-care through the senses.
Touch
A journal with great paper quality
A soft blanket when you sit down to read (or do a read-aloud)
Finger painting or painting yourself
Hold a warm or cold beverage
Pop bubble wrap
Sound
Listen to nature sounds… in nature, not a recording. Take your kids to the park (or just your backyard) and lay on a blanket while they play. Observe what you hear, including their laughter/play.
Lay on the floor and listen to something that helps to quiet your mind (Olafur Arnolds or Thomas Newman?)
Make a playlist of Serotonin-inducing songs “you just can’t be sad when you’re listening to ___” (whatever that is for you, maybe Jack Johnson? Colony House?)
White noise for sleep helps because of this associative factor. I love that the Hatch sound machine has the option of automatically starting and ending your white noise at a certain time so your body learns the rhythm, you hear the white noise and your body starts to unwind!
A phone call/audio message/video of a loved one’s voice
Sight
Watch water flow, play with the water to engage your touch and see how the current changes!
Puzzles or Photo albums
Musuems are a great place to slow down and study art, or get a coffee table book of a favorite style/artist
Smell
Nature-walk focused on finding new smells! “Stop and smell the roses.”
Linen spray for bedtime (great for kids, too)
Smell your drinks/food before you taste!
A custom essential oil roller to apply when you’re getting ready in the morning
Find a few go-to essential oil blends to diffuse, setting the atmosphere for your home or office (some people may prefer a candle).
Taste
A “comfort drink” like a morning latte or iced chai (remember, comfort does not have to mean unhealthy), especially if you associate it with a certain time of day and your brain learns to look forward to it!
Let your kids pick out a special snack for read-aloud or quiet time in the afternoon, a great time to work on quiet solo projects like origami or coloring pages
Make something at home that you thought you could only buy (Falafel? Ricotta stuffed shells? Poptarts?)
Presentation impacts perception. Even if you’re cooking for one, let yourself drink out of the fancy wine glass or off your favorite plate.
Do you have a specific self-care routine that engages the senses? Or an idea you’re inspired to try? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!
Wasn’t that great? I love the imagery of pathways. And making homemade Pop-tarts sounds super satisfying!
Also, Becca is supposed to be having a baby in the next few weeks, yay! 🤗
You can read other guest posts by her here:
Reclaiming Sabbath
Lemony Snicket, Whangdoodles, and Resilience
When Did You Stop Playing?
Have a lovely weekend!
Warmly,
Hope from Family Scripts