AND BREATHE

Our reactions to the pandemic are normal says cardiac specialist nurse Shere Ruano. But unless we express our feelings we can drown in stress.

Shere experienced post traumatic stress while working as an arrhythmia nurse specialist. It led her to develop online resilience training based around breathing and mindfulness through her company RhythmiaBreath. She explains: “When you become stressed levels of dopamine, the hormone you get when you’re in love, that relaxes you, is replaced by cortisol, the stress hormone.

Simply learning to breathe properly can make us more prepared.

When tiredness and irritability, our human smoke detectors, appear we’re so stressed we ignore them. If you’re stressed for a long period like the current situation, you reach a point where your body and mind need to recharge.”

THAT’S WHERE BREATHING COMES IN

“Anxiety causes us to develop an abnormal way of breathing where we don’t get

enough oxygen into our bodies. Simply learning to breathe properly can make us more prepared, more resilient to the situation,” says Shere. Her course is being offered free to NHS staff and MC magazine readers in partnership with Mersey Care until next spring as part of Life Rooms online (liferooms.org) It explores coping and adapting to stressful situations to make us more resilient in the

The cotton masks on the iron men at Crosby beach are embroidered with just a few words – but they speak volumes. The Stay Safe messages are examples of craftivism – combining craft and activism – to engage people in social justice issues in a quiet, non-confrontational manner. Rebecca Horn (pictured opposite) uses them to offer uplifting messages around her home area in Waterloo.

Shere Ruano says simply learning to breathe properly can make us more resilient.

face of challenges. Through lectures, quizzes and practical activities it will help participants develop coping mechanisms and offer practical tips to use right away.

Rhythmia Breath:

info@rhythmiabreath.com

CRAFTWORK CONNECTIONS

For more information go to: liferooms.org

them. I thought the masks would make the connection with the current situation. When I’m working overseas I take bits of old material and thread with me and use my spare moments to embroider small banners which I bring home and tie to trees around St John’s Road. It’s a calming, thoughtful activity when I’m far from home but is also a way for me to stay in touch with my community when I’m away.” Find out more about craftivism at craftivist-collective.com