Stress affects our mental fitness. It replaces (is that right because kills doesn't sound right?) neurons and affects crucial functions of memory, reducing mental performance. Stress damages the brain health and it is important, especially for older people, to understand the stress factors and find ways to minimize them.

In the handbook you can find exercises which can help you minimize stress factors or learn how to manage them. Try some relaxation methods, apply laugh therapy or use your creativity to combat stress. See the exercises below in more detail in the handbook!

M2.1 | Relaxation Mode            

M2.2 | Which Tree Are You?     

M2.3 | I Can Feel My Heartbeat              

M2.4 | Let’s Laugh Together     

M2.5 | Up, Up Up You Go!!!     

M2.6 | Warm Your Senses, Warm Your Body    

M2.7 | The Power of Our Thoughts       

M2.8 | Anti-tension Dance        

Psychologically, the benefits of creating things is fulfilling and gives people a more positive outlook on life. Creativity interventions have been shown to positively affect mental and physiological health indicators, too. Children aren't the only ones who can benefit from creative activities such as art, writing, dance or doing old things in a new way, or in a different way; creativity is ageless.

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GARDEN

• Facilitators could suggest that participants try to associate a ’feeling’ or meaning to the mandalas.
• After their creation, the mandala of each learner could be printed in colour and shared with the group thus linking well to M3.5 Sharing Sensations.
• Similar to the M3.3 Narrative Café exercise each person could describe the mandala or the feeling associated with it and could combine it with some narratives of individual life events. The social interaction of M3.3 Narrative Café could be linked to this, sharing life experience, preferences and a personal development process.