Monsters, Mayhem, and Mindfulness: Nurses Staying Centered Even on the Darkest Day or Night

In the United States, October 31st is Halloween, a day filled with all things scary, from haunted houses and eerie sounds to things that go bump in the night. For nurses, this atmosphere feels all too familiar. It’s not about ghosts or goblins, but the unpredictability and intensity of hospital work. Sudden patient emergencies, beeping monitors, and constant activity can make a shift feel like a haunted house with no exit sign.

Though nurses do not scare easily, sometimes they get rattled. That’s why having a few tricks up your sleeve to ward off the stress of the shift may be your guide to lead you out of the dense fog and into the light. With that in mind, let’s explore how hospital work can resemble a haunted house, and how mindfulness offers a way through. 

Is it a Haunted House or My Shift at the Hospital?

Think about it:

• Jump Scares ~ sudden alarms or rapid codes.

• Fog Machines ~ mental overload from multitasking.

• Dark Corners ~ the unknowns of patient care.

• Pesty Monsters ~ endless charting, complicated interactions, or unexpected assignments.

Any of these situations can cause your blood pressure to rise and the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. Your breathing picks up, and beads of sweat saturate your hairline. In moments like these, mindfulness and grounding techniques are your treat to keep the mayhem at bay! Next, let's look at tools that can help you stay centered.

Halloween Mindfulness Tools for Nurses 

1. Grounding Breathwork

When you feel your stress rising, return to your breath for a simple reset:

• Inhale deeply for 5.5 seconds, imagining you’re filling a round pumpkin with air.

• Exhale for 5.5 seconds, “deflating” the pumpkin. Repeat 3–5 times. This helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system, easing tension.

2. Check-In with Your “Five Senses”

Use your senses to bring you into the present and out of the dark of the haunted house:

• 5 things you see (the IV pole, your pen, your badge, a call light, a computer monitor)

• 4 things you feel (your scrubs, the chair, your stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff)

• 3 things you hear (monitor beeps, footsteps, patient voices)

• 2 things you smell (pumpkin latte, soap)

• 1 thing you taste (a candy mint)

This quick practice takes you out of “fight-or-flight” and back into the here and now. As you grow more comfortable with mindfulness, you can try adding more brief techniques into your routine, even when time is tight.

3. Mini Mindful Breaks

Think of these as small “safe rooms” inside the haunted house of your day. Even 1 minute can reset your nervous system:

• Take a few, slow, intentional breaths before entering a patient’s room.

• Stretch your arms overhead and roll your shoulders between charting sessions.

• Step outside, even briefly, for a breath of fresh air (and maybe a glimpse of fall leaves).

4. Reframe the Monsters

Instead of seeing your tasks or challenges as “monsters,” try reframing:

• The end of shift charting → a chance to reflect on the care you’ve given.

• A tough interaction → an opportunity to practice empathy or boundaries.

• A super busy unit → proof that your presence makes a difference.

Naming your “monsters” and giving them a playful spin may lighten the emotional load. Now, let’s consider a few steps to create your own personal escape plan for when the haunted house shifts get overwhelming.

Creating Your Own Haunted House Escape Plan

• Carry a grounding object: a smooth stone, a small charm, or an essential oil roller can act as an anchor when stress hits.

• Lean on your team: Haunted houses are easier when you don’t walk alone, and the same goes for your shifts at work.

• Treat yourself: Celebrate getting through the day with a small seasonal joy, such as a pumpkin latte, a walk in nature, admiring the changing leaves, or, yes, a piece of Halloween candy.

Nursing can feel like a never-ending haunted house, full of monsters, jump scares, and dark corners. But you’re not stuck wandering in fear. By practicing mindfulness, grounding yourself in the present, and reframing the hectic day or night, you can find calm amid the mayhem. Remember: even in the scariest haunted house, there’s always an exit, and for nurses, mindfulness is the door.

10-Minute Halloween Yoga Flow for Nurses to Remain Centered While Releasing Tension and Stress

1. Grounding Breath (Seated) – 1 min

• Sit comfortably in Sukhasana (Easy Pose) or a chair with feet flat on the floor.

• Close your eyes and inhale deeply, imagining you’re filling up a glowing jack-o’-lantern.

• Exhale slowly, releasing tension and “fog” from your mind.

• Repeat for 3–4 breaths to center yourself.

2. Standing Forward Fold with Shoulder Opener - 1 min

• Stand tall, hinge forward into Uttanasana (Forward Fold).

• Clasp hands behind your back, lifting arms toward the sky.

• Let your chest open like “bat wings,” releasing tension in your shoulders.

• Take 3–5 breaths.

3. Seated Spinl Twist - 1 min each side

• Sit cross-legged or in a chair.

• Place your right hand on your left knee, left hand on the small of your back, and gently twist.

• Hold for 3 breaths, then switch sides.

• Relieves spinal tension after long shifts.

 4.  Cat–Cow – 2 mins

• Come onto hands and knees.

• Inhale: drop your belly, lift your chest and tailbone (Cow Pose).

• Exhale: round your back like an angry cat (Cat Pose).

• Gently move with your breath through the two poses, letting go of any tension in your back and spine.

 5. Chair Pose with Eagle Arms – 1 min each side

• From standing, bend knees slightly (Chair Pose).

• Cross right arm under left, wrapping for Eagle Arms.

• Lift elbows slightly and hold for 3–5 breaths.

• Switch sides. Great for the tight upper back and shoulders.

 6. Wide-Leg Forward Fold – 1 min

• From Tadasana, Step Your feet wide, about 3-4 feet apart.

• With hands on your hips, fold forward, moving your hands to the mat or blocks.

• You may choose to sway side to side, bending your right knee as you shift your weight to the right. Come back to center, and then as you bend your left knee, shift your weight to the left. Move with your breath. 

• Releases hamstrings, hips, and lower back.

7. Reclined Spinal Twist – 1 min each side

• Lie on your back, hug your knees into your chest.

• Drop both knees to the right, arms out wide.

• Look left for a gentle twist.

• Hold for 3–5 breaths, then switch.

• Releases spinal tension and aids digestion.

8. Corpse Pose (Savasana) – 1–2 mins

• Lie flat on your back, arms relaxed at your sides.

• Close your eyes and let your body melt into the mat.

• Imagine yourself surrounded by a glowing jack-o’-lantern light—safe, calm, and restored.

Thank yourself for showing up on your mat or in a small space at work, to come back to the present to refresh and recharge.