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When you are in a stressful situation, your body
experiences a stress response (often called the “fight or flight”
response). Your heart rate and blood pressure increase, your air passages open
up, and glucose pours into your blood stream. Blood vessels that feed your skin
and digestive system constrict, sending extra blood to your muscles, heart, and
brain. These changes prepare your body and mind for action. You are on edge,
ready to fight or flee.
The
stress response is natural and sometimes beneficial. It enables you to focus
your physical and mental abilities in a sudden dangerous or challenging situation.
The constant activation of the stress response, however, is not natural, and
can cause various mental and physical problems.Your body also has a relaxation
response that opposes the stress response. The relaxation response occurs naturally
when your mind is at ease, but it can’t occur when you are worrying, judging,
or analyzing.
You can
deliberately produce the relaxation response by freeing your mind from these
kinds of thoughts. One way to do this is by meditating. Sleeping, lounging
around, and watching television are often less helpful because they may not free
your mind from disturbing or arousing thoughts. Regular activation of the
relaxation response can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression and promote
healing from stress-related physical illnesses. Daily mental relaxation will
increase your ability to tolerate the stressful events in your life as they
occur, so you are less tempted to turn to food for comfort.
There are
several ways to activate the relaxation response. Three of the easiest and most
powerful techniques are sensory focus, basic meditation, and repetitive
physical exercise. These all involve
focusing your mind on something simple and non-arousing. This gives your brain
an intellectual and emotional break, allowing the relaxation response to occur.
Here’s how to get started on a more relaxing lifestyle:
1. Read the rest of this section, then choose a mental relaxation
technique (sensory focus, basic meditation, or repetitive physical exercise)
and make it a daily habit.
2. Choose a set time each day for your relaxation session, such as
after your morning shower or during an afternoon break.
3. To allow the relaxation response to fully engage, make your
daily relaxation session last for at least twelve minutes. If you don’t have
time for a twelve-minute session, do at least a five-minute
session so you don’t get out of the habit.
4. Use one or more of these mental relaxation techniques to calm yourself
any time you start to feel stressed or anxious throughout the
day.
Copyright ©Stan Spencer, PhD –Originally appeared in The Diet Dropout's Guide to Natural Weight Loss by Stan Spencer, PhD
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