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Scappoose School District Employee Wellness
Wellness Wednesday Tips from Nurse Brenda:
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Self-Massage
Posted by Brenda VanDomelen on 6/9/2021 10:00:00 AMSelf-MassageIf you've ever had a massage, you've probably experienced the stress-relieving benefits firsthand. But if you need any convincing, research on massage therapy has demonstrated that massage has a positive effect on health and that people report less stress and anxiety and improved mood after receiving massage. Massage has also been shown to reduce fatigue and insomnia and to relieve muscle pain. In a study conducted on people with dementia, a simple hand massage reduced anxiety and agitation and lowered physiological markers of stress, like cortisol levels.While a day in the spa is always welcome, you can receive the stress-relieving benefits of massage on your own. You can intuitively self-massage any area of your body where you feel tension by applying pressure to that area in any manner that feels restorative. Otherwise, here are a few quick self-massage exercises to get you started.To Soothe Aching Feet1. Sitting down resting one of your feet on your other knee.2. Cradle your foot in both of your hands3.Using your thumbs, apply pressure in a circular motion.4.Fold one of your hands over your toes and move your foot in a circular motion.To Relieve Back Tension1. Sitting or standing, place your hands on your hips so that your thumbs are pressing into your low back on either side of your spine.2. Making small circular motions with your thumbs move your hands up and down your back.3. When you find particularly tense areas of your back, increase your pressure or spend more time massaging that area.To Release Tight Shoulders1. Stand with your back up against a wall and place a tennis ball between your shoulders.2.Move your body up and down by bending and straightening your legs to move the ball up and down your spine.3. If you find particularly tight places along your spine, focus your movement so that the ball makes small movements around it to release the tension.
Recent
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Wellness programs for you:
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Grow your own tomatoes
Check out this presenation by Sonia Reagan, Oregon State University Columbia County Extension Service to learn tips and tricks for growing your tomatoes this summer!
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March 2021 Wellness Word
Find your BINGO cards here and partipcate for a chance to win a $20 gift card!
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Financial Wellness Class Recording 2.17.2021
What are the 4 ways to increase your wealth? Join this 20 minute talk with a Financial Planner from Sommers Financial to learn these tips for employees at all income levels.
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Summer Reading List
Scappoose School District Employee Wellness Program
Emotional Well-being
Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators – Elena Aguilar
Overwhelm: Strategies for the Long Haul – Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky
Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier – Robert Emmons
Trauma Stewardship – Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky, Connie Burk
21 Days to Resilience – Zelana Montminy
10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works – Dan Harris
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy – Sheryl Sandberg, Adam Grant
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead – Brene Brown
Emotional First Aid – Guy Winch
The Happiness Advantage – Shawn Achor
The Upside of Stress – Kelly McGonigal
Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence – Rick Hanson
Social Well-being
The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People – Gary Chapman
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t – Simon Sinek
Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships – Daniel Goleman
Mindful Relationships – Dr. B Grace Bullock
Dare to Lead – Brené Brown
Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success – Adam Grant
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking – Susan Cain
Collaborative Intelligence: Thinking with People Who Think Differently – Dawna Markova
Strengths Finder 2.0 – Tom Rath (Gallup)
Physical Well-being
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams – Matthew Walker
The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer – Elizabeth Blackburn
The Joy of Movement: How exercise helps us find happiness, hope, connection, and courage – Kelly McGonigal
Are You Fully Charged? The 3 Keys to Energizing Your Work and Life – Tom Rath
Omnivore’s Dilemma – Michael Pollan
The Wellness Project – Phoebe Lapine
Summer Podcasts
Scappoose School District Employee Wellness Program
Emotional Well-being
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Mindfulness Meditation Podcast
The Hilarious World of Depression
Social Well-being
Modern Love – originally printed in the New York Times
Physical Well-being