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The Brain Break

Learn how to practice a 'brain break' with this article from Goldie Hawn's course on mindfulness.
a quote from Goldie Hawn overlaid across mountains 'every brain needs a break'.
We have now arrived at the core practice of this week: the Brain Break.

Practicing a Brain Break is one of the most powerful things we can all do to promote our well-being and resiliency.

  • The Brain Break is a short listening and breathing exercise.
  • It can help harness our attention and calm our minds and bodies.
  • This exercise can help us develop focus and reduce stress.

Research on Breathing

The Brain Break invites you to breathe more deeply – inhaling through the nose and exhaling slowly through the nose or mouth. Research has shown that diaphragmatic (deep belly) breathing may contribute to:

  • relaxation and reduced stress.
  • reduction of the stress hormone cortisol.
  • the release of brain chemicals that have a calming effect and may increase focus.

Let’s Take a Brain Break
We invite you to take a moment for yourself with this short mindful breathing practice, the MindUP Brain Break.
This practice takes about 2 minutes. Select the play icon to listen to the audio. Use your device’s audio or a headset for better sound quality.

Take Two Minutes for Mindful Breathing

This article is from the free online

The Goldie Hawn Foundation: Mindful Leadership

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life