Taming Stress in Multiple Sclerosis - National Multiple Sclerosis ...

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Do two or three cycles of deep breathing.
Pick a word or phrase that makes you feel calm.
Although any word will do, many people find that
words that end in an m or n sound are most helpful—
words like “calm,” “home,” “noon,” or “one.”
Close your eyes and repeat the word or phrase
over and over either in your mind or out loud.
Concentrate on the way the word sounds inside your
head. Try not to think about what you are doing or
how you are feeling.
If you have trouble relaxing or concentrating on the
word, stop, do a cycle of deep breathing, and try again.
End the exercise by gently stretching and exhaling.
Although 15 minutes may be the
ultimate goal of the meditation
period, the actual time isn’t
really important. Be realistic.
Don’t worry if you only are
able to concentrate for a
few minutes at fi rst. Just sit
quietly for the rest of the
time period. (Just sitting
quietly will do you good.)
With practice, the time
and the depth of relaxation
will increase.
STAYING WELL
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