Stress Management Series II (parts #17 to #29)
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John P.
May 25, 2010, 11:13:26 AM5/25/10
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Stress Managements Series
--Stress Management--part #17
Meditation.
Meditation and relaxation techniques are pathways to reaching a sense
of inner peace. These methods stand in contrast to anxiety or a
disturbed state of mind, where thoughts and feelings are in intense
disarray. The beauty of meditation and relaxation techniques are that
they can be so helpful, while being absolutely free of charge.
Another point is that these approaches have both secular and
spiritual forms, the latter being a type of prayer which can be
comforting.
The key scientific substantiation of the helpfulness of meditation
came from Harvard professor Herbert Benson, M.D., who published his
results in a best-selling book called The Relaxation Response (1975).
In his studies, Benson discovered that the physiological signs of the
body slowed down during meditation, and a deep sense of mental ease
was reached. And--there was generalized anxiety relief. Since then,
relaxation techniques have been used in most treatment programs for
those with psychiatric problems.
We must admit though that relaxation techniques don't always work for
everyone all the time. Even so, some practitioners are able to "chase
away" eighty percent of their anxiety episodes with relaxation
techniques, and this is terrific even if the success rate is
imperfect. And too, these techniques often become more helpful over
time with more practice.
-Coming to Quiet
As part of meditation, the person would do well to "come to quiet,"
or try to encourage stillness in the inner self. The use of what are
called relaxation techniques are helpful in fostering calm feelings,
as one seeks to break any stream of worry or irritation crossing his
or her mind. These artciles present four simple methods for coming
to quiet. The are:
* Breath counting
* Muscle tightening
* Abdominal breathing
* Finger pressing
These methods utilize a sense of mental focus to free the mind of
bothersome thoughts. Again, a key to coming to quiet is to focus; we
are trying to change our focus from any disturbing thoughts to a
mental state of stillness and tranquility
of mind. Breath counting is described below.
--Breath Counting. This is the simplest technique, and could be called
the "Four-Eight-Six Method."
Method:
1. Sit in a quiet room and close your eyes. (The very act of just
closing one's eyes reduces over half of the incoming stimuli into
one's mind.)
2. --Inhale to the count of four.
--Hold your breath to the count of eight.
--Exhale to the count of six.
3. Repeat step #2 five times or as many more times as wished.
You may wish to do this mediation for 20 minutes or so.. Your
respiration level should slow as you do more sets of respirations, and
your mind will likely slow down too. Some find it helpful to return
to normal breathing for a minute or so after a set of five counted
breaths, and afterwards return to the breath counting.
SOURCES for the meditation articles will be given at the end of the
segment.
-------------------------------------------
--Stress Management, part #18
More on Meditation.
Muscle Tightening. This is a simplification of a technique called
"progressive muscle relaxation."
Method:
1. Sit in a quiet room and close your eyes. Have your feet on the
ground, and your hands on your lap or at your side.
2. Form a fist in your right hand, tightening your hand and arm
muscles as much as you can. Focus on the feeling of your hand and arm
while your fist is still tight. Count to five slowly as you inhale.
Relax your hand and exhale.
3. Repeat step #2 with your:
--left hand and arm muscles
--right foot and leg muscles
--left foot and leg muscles
--facial muscles (if you are not in public)
Abdominal Breathing. Here the focus is on a relaxing method of
breathing.
Method:
1. Sit in a quiet room and close your eyes.
2. Focus your attention on your stomach as you breathe. As you slowly
inhale, let your stomach expand. As you exhale, let your stomach come
in. Do this ten times or more. As you relax, your respiration should
decrease.
3. As you focus on your breathing, gently direct your mind away from
other thoughts. Yet have a passive attitude; don't get down on
yourself when bothersome thoughts pop back into your mind. Just gently
redirect your mind back to your breathing.
Finger Pressing. This technique is meant to be used about anywhere:
on a crowded bus, a traffic jam, on an elevator full of people, in the
line at a grocery store, or other places where you might feel tense.
Method:
1. This can be done with eyes open, standing or sitting, in private,
or in noisy public places.
2. Focus your mind on the fingers of your right hand. Join the thumb
and index finger of your right hand together. Press hard and focus on
the feeling of tension on the tips of the thumb and finger. Count to
five as you inhale. Exhale to the count of five as you relax your
hand.
3. Repeat step #2 in succession with the other three fingers of the
right hand.
4. Repeat steps #2 and #3 with the thumb and fingers of your left
hand.
5. As bothersome stimuli happens around you, gently redirect your
focus to the pressing of your fingers.
---------------------------------------
--Stress Management, part #19
Additional Material on Meditation
Herbert Benson, the Harvard research physician who demonstarted the
helpfulness of meditation, developed a simple method for meditating
that really works as a relaxation technique. Benson called it the
Relaxation Response. Here is a summary of the Benson technique, taken
from the Internet.
Eight Steps of Benson’s Relaxation Response
Benson's meditation method is very easy to practice. Here are the main
points you have to keep in mind.
• Choose the focus word of your meditation. (Benson suggested the word
‘one’.)
• Sit still and comfortably.
• Close your eyes.
• Relax your muscles.
• Focus your attention on the breathing, simply observing the
in-and-out breath without trying to change anything. Silently say the
chosen focus word or sound while breathing out.
• Continue doing this for 10-20 minutes. (You can open your eyes to
check the time.) After finishing, sit quietly for a minute or so with
eyes closed.
• Do not worry about how successfully you are meditating. Allow
yourself to be relaxed and keep returning your focus on the chosen
word or sound.
• Practice this once or twice a day over a longer period of time.
It should be noted that Benson states in his books that if one wishes
to choose a spiritually oriented word as the focus word of the
meditation that this often is particularly helpful.
I know personally that it took a long time and a lot of practice for
my mind to calm down enough to meditate. And often when I'm disturbed
it is still hard to come to quiet. Benson developed other types of
mediation for different types of people, for instance a walking
meditation. We'll discuss these in future issues.
SOURCE: The sources for this section on meditation will be given when
the sequence on mediation is complete.
----------------------------------------------------------
--Stress Management, part #20
Final Words on Meditation
Mindfulness. Harvard Medical School meditation researcher Joan
Borysenko says that "the road to peace of mind is through a practice
called mindlfulness." In another statement she says that "mindfulness
is meditation in action."
What is this mindfulness?
Below are some quotes from Borysenko's book (cited further
below)
that help explain mindfulness and its relation to mediation. Says,
Borysenko:
On mindfulness--"This meditative practice consists of anchoring
attention in the breath and then passively observing thoughts,
feelings, perceptions, and sensations without judgment. Ideas of good
and bad fade away and there is only a contented openness to the
present...It involves a 'be here now' approach...It means being open
to an awareness of the moment as it is and to what the moment could
hold. It is a relaxed state of attentiveness to both the inner world
of thoughts and feelings and the outer world of actions and
perceptions."
You can practice mindfulness while you are taking a walk,
cooking
dinner, mowing the lawn, washing dishes, and any number of other daily
activities. The point of mindfullness is that you focus entirely on
what you are doing--your mind is anchored in the activity of the
moment. If your mind wanders, become aware of whether the thinking
that emerges consists of either afflicting thoughts or non-afflicting
thoughts. If the thoughts are afflicting, the cycle of anxiety will
need to be broken.
I have to say that mindfulness is a meditative technique that I
haven't gotten the hang of yet. My mind becomes bored with everyday
activities, and it wants to zoom around to anywhere that looks
interesting. Or it's caught in a emotional quagmire, and it's then
hard to focus the mind on the activity of the moment.
But folks who engage deeply in mindfulness swear by it, and
report
that they have a sense of peace all day long. So there must be
something here to keep trying about.
The sources for this segment on meditation are:
SOURCES:
Herbert Benson, M.D., The Relaxation Response. (New York: Avon Books,
1975).
Herbert Benson, M.D., Beyond the Relaxation Response. (New York, Avon
Books, 1984).
Lawrence LeShan, How to Meditate. (New York, Bantam Books, 1974).
Joan Borysensko, Ph.D., Minding the Body, Mending the Mind. (New
York:
Bantam Books, 1987).
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of
Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. (New York:
Delta
Books, 1990).
Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D., The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook. (Oakland,
CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1990).
Martha Davis, Ph.D. et al, The Relaxation and Stress Reduction
Workbook. (Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1988).
-----------------------------------------------------------
----Stress Management, part #21
We ran this article last year, and thought it might be a good bit to
revisit within the context of the stress management series. So here's
a piece on some of the practical benefits of humor.
Laughter and Humor
An article on the personal benefits of laughter and humor appeared a
number of years ago in the Christopher News Notes. Check out these
three paragraphs from the publication:
“The facts are in. Studies show that laughter increases the immune,
cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and muscular systems. It
reduces pain and stress, increases alertness, energy and your sense of
well-being. Laughter releases chemicals in the brain and makes
muscles contract and relax.
“Cheerful people are less depressed, bounce back faster from sad
events, have higher achievement in school and at work, tend to have
better health--and may live longer.
“Allen Klein, author of The Healing Power of Humor, says that
patients with chronic pain often feel that they are too uncomfortable
to participate in enjoyable activities. When persuaded to do so, he
says, they find that having fun diminishes their perception of
pain.”
There sure seems to be some really good healthy reasons to seek humor
and laughter.
The Christopher Notes quotes comedian Steve Allen saying this on the
role laughter as an antidote to stress: “My natural way of
approaching stress in my own life was to use humor...Even at some
rather dark and depressing moments, jokes would occur to me and I’d
find myself laughing at them. I became convinced that each of us has
that gift. Everyone taps the well of their laughter and playfulness
throughout life.”
For some guidelines on seeking humor, the Christopher Notes says that
we should stay sensitive to peoples feelings. Humor should not be
used as a weapon. It should not be mean or used at someone’s
expense. Avoid hurtful humor, and enjoy happy humor.
SOURCE: “Have a Good Laugh--The Power of Humor,” from the Christopher
News Notes (January 1998).
-------------------------------------------------------
--Stress Management, part #22
More on Laughter and Humor
There is a time for work. There is a time for fun. This is
echoed even in the Biblical expression of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.
After our work is done and our daily duties are complete, it's
time for enjoyments and laughter. Some happy folks are even able to
enjoy their labors, and can "whistle while they work."
And laughter and merriment enables us to embrace life all the
much more. Here's some info below on some of the life-affirming
aspects of humor and laughter.
* It takes 26 muscles to smile, and 62 muscles to frown. So if you
smile, you’ll be easier on yourself.
* Women smile an average of 62 times a day. Men smile an average of
8 times a day. (That’s a difference of 54 daily smiles!)
* Smiles are universally known as an expression of happiness which is
recognized by almost all cultures. Even babies who are blind smile.
* Smiling releases endorphins and makes us feel better, and even when
you fake a smile you can feel better.
Here’s what some of the world’s great thinkers and celebrities
have said about smiling and laughter--
“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” --e.e.cummings
“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is
laughter.” --Mark Twain
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” --Victor
Hugo
“We don’t laugh because we are happy, we’re happy because we laugh.”
--William James
“Peace begins with a smile.” --Mother Teresa
“Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects." --Arnold Glasow
“Laughter is a shock absorber that eases the blows of life.” --author
unknown
SOURCE: Taken from a hand-out given at a laughter class at a public
housing complex.
---------------------------------------------------
--Stress Management Techniques, part 23
Laughter and Merriment—more information
As stated last edition, after our work and duties are done, it’s
time
for merriment. In fact, laughter and merriment is so important that
research scientists have been studying it. According to information
at www.helpguide.org, here are some of the research results:
“Humor is infectious. When laughter is shared, it binds people
together and increases happiness and intimacy. In addition to the
domino effect of joy and amusement, laughter also triggers healthy
physical changes in the body:
-Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system
-boost your energy
-diminish pain
-and protect you from the damaging effects of stress
-Best of all, this priceless medicine is free, fun, and easy to
use.”
The researchers continue to say:
“Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have
to
make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good
health. Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict.
Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body
back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens,
inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded,
focused, and alert. With so much power to heal and renew, the ability
to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for problems,
enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physically and
emotional.health”
There’s more evidence that suggests that after a good hearty
laugh,
your muscles are relaxed for up to 45 minutes. And laughter increases
infection-fighting antibodies to help you immune system. When you
laugh there is an improvement of the blood flow in your heart.
Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins to make you feel
better and give a short term relief from pain.
So read the funny pages or whatever source of chuckles, and
enjoy
being merry and more healthy.
SOURCE: Info from www.helpguide.org and a presentation at a public
housing apartment building.
------======================
--Stress Management Techniques, Part #24
Laughter and Merriment—concluding words
Laughter has many physical health benefits: it boosts immunity, lowers
stress hormones, decreases pain, relaxes your muscles, and helps
prevent heart problems. The social benefits of laughter are many too:
it strengthens relationships, attracts others to us, enhances
teamwork, helps defuse conflict, and promotes group bonding.
Added to these, laughter offers a lot of mental health benefits: it
adds joy and zest to life, eases anxiety and fears, relieves stress,
improves mood, and enhances resilience. Laughter dissolves distressing
emotions, like anxious, angry, and sad feelings. Laughter helps us
recharge and increase energy. Humor helps us shift perspective,
enabling us to see things in a less threatening light.
It’s easier to engage in laughter and merriment if you try to smile
more often. Smiling and laughter are contagion. It helps to count
one’s blessing—to keep in mind of the things we really already have
that can make us smile. Gravitate towards people who have healthy
laughter and smile in kind ways. Figure a way of bringing humor into
conversations. Come up with ways of bringing on a chuckle.
But what happens if you are angry? It’s hard to chuckle when you’re
angry. These six suggestions for “lightening up” were offered by a
laughter expert: When some kind of awful thing is happening, ask
yourself--
1. Is it really worth getting upset over?
2. Is it really your problem?
3. Is it worth upsetting others over?
4. Is the situation irreparable?
5. Is it all that important?
6. Is it really that bad?
If you can, make some time open for laughter and merriment. It’s good
for you!
SOURCE: Information and most of the wording from www.helpguide.org and
a handout given at a presentation in a public housing apartment
building.
--------------------------------------------------------------
--Stress Management, Part #25
Secrets of Resilient People
A recent magazine article by freelance writer Beth Howard really gave
some insights into this whole thing we call resiliency. And
resiliency is a big part of handling stress well and mastering stress
management.
The article states up front that everyone has tough times, but some
people navigate through them better. Resiliency is one the variables
that can make the difference. Resiliency is the ability to rebound
quickly from a crisis or trauma. Reference is made to the inner
strength of resilient people, and their ability to adjust future
expectations with new realities. Resilient people are able to bounce
back.
Genes play a role in many cases. One’s genetic make-up can protect a
person from the emotional back-draft of crisis. This according to
Robert Brooks, PhD of the Harvard Medical School. He has co-authored
a book called The Power of Resilience with Samuel Goldstein, a
psychologist from the University of Utah. Goldstein hastens to add
that although genes play a role, a person can learn resilience.
Next issue we’ll discuss eight things a person can do to build
resilience. But for starters—how resilient are we right now? The AARP
article has included a self test for assessing how resilient a person
is—the test compiled in a book called The Resiliency Advantage by
Albert Siebert, PhD. Ask yourself how strongly you agree with these
statements:
-I’m usually upbeat.
-I can tolerate high levels of ambiguity and uncertainty about
situations.
-I adapt quickly to new developments.
-I find humor in rough situations and can laugh at myself.
-I’m good at solving problems.
-I’m strong and durable.
-I’ve converted misfortune into good luck and found benefits in bad
experiences.
Well, there’s a scoring system on this test. I’m sort of a high-grade
neurotic type a whole lot of the time Even so, when my scores were
added up, it turned out that I was “Somewhat Resilient” So there’s
hope! I want to learn these eight new ideas for building resiliency
that will be presented next issue.
SOURCE: Article by Beth Howard in AARP Magazine of the American
Association of Retired Persons (Nov./Dec. Issue); some of the direct
wording above is from the article..
===========
--Stress Management, Part #26
Secrets of Resilient People, more info
Beth Howard’s article on resiliency during stressful periods has a
useful eight-part recommendation list for how to increase resiliency,
based on the common qualities of resilient people. These suggestions
for increasing resiliency are:
1. Stay Connected with People.
2. Become Optimistic
3. Get Spiritual
4. Learn to be Playful.
5. Give Back to Others.
6. Choose Your Battles Well.
7. Take Care of Physical Health.
8. Look for the Silver Lining.
For added explanation:
1. Stay Connected—We all have tough times, and when we share our
burdens in those times there is a better chance of making it through a
crisis. The logic is simple. One year you may have a burden. The
next year your friend may have a burden. If you are both there for
each other, you’ll both make it through the burdens easier.
2. Become Optimistic—If you look for the sunny side, you’ll see the
sunny side. For instance, a University of San Francisco study
discovered that those caregivers who found positive meaning in their
caregiving, became less depressed when their loved one died.
3. Get Spiritual--People who are active in spiritual faith, usually
get through tough times better. A Duke University study found that
physically ill people with spiritual convictions and who participated
in spiritual activities got depressed less often than those who didn’t
engage spiritually. And when the spiritually-engaged people did get
depressed, they recovered faster than others.
4. Learn to be Playful—Resilient people enjoy themselves, says
resiliency expert Al Siebert, PhD. They wonder about things,
experiment, and laugh aloud—almost like children do. The resiliency
motto when you stumble down could almost be—“Chuckle and Get Back Up!”
5. Give Back to Others—Resiliency expert Sam Goldstein, PhD from the
University of Utah faculty says, “The benefit you derive for yourslf
is as great as that you give to others.” It makes sense. Those who
are all wrapped up in themselves, almost smother in their won
miseries. Helping others helps yourself.
6. Choose Your Battles Well—Focus energies on things that you can have
some influence on. Being a champion for lost causes can be saintly,
but the cost is that it won’t necessarily help you become resilient.
If you are stuck in a conflict, be careful of fighting battles you
can’t win.
7. Take Care of Physical Health—Good exercise and good diet. These
help repair neurons in the brain that are hassled by stress.
8. Look for the Silver Lining—Resiliency expert Al Siebert says that
resilient people convert misfortunes into a good situation down the
line, and they are able to gain strength from adversity. They see
negative events as an opportunity to better themselves or to become
better people. There can even be something called post-traumatic
growth.
So it looks like with practice we can become more resilient people,
and handle better the stresses that life throws at us.
SOURCE: Article by Beth Howard in AARP Magazine of the American
Association of Retired Persons (Nov./Dec. Issue 2009); some of the
direct wording above is from the article..
===================
----Stress Management, Part #27
Stress Can Make You Sick
Research scientists are finding more and more how stress can result in
physical health problems, thus calling all the more for knowledge of
stress management techniques.
For instance, studies have linked stress with—
-heart problems
-skin problems like acne, psoriasis, hives, and rosacea
-tension headaches and migraines
-poorer wound healing
-risk for developing depression
-increased risk for common cold and influenza, and
-more difficulties with chronic illnesses.
Stress can also cause constant worrying, difficulty focusing, and
trouble making decisions.
“The good news is” according to Parade magazine writer Dr. Ranit
Mishori, “that there are various ways to cope with stress, ranging
from medications to exercise to calming techniques like meditation and
biofeedback. Taking these routes to ‘chilling out’ is well worth the
effort.”
In the Parade article on stress, Dr. Mishori describes the stress
cycle very effectively. She says:
“Confronted by sudden danger, the human body instantly pumps the
bloodstream full of adrenaline. This hormone, along with cortisol,
raises your blood pressure, temporarily giving you additional
strength, speed, and stamina. In emergency situations, stress can save
your life.”
But, as Dr. Mishori continues—
“But ongoing stress—the kind you might face when you’re experiencing
marital, financial, or work-related problems or are caring for a sick
relative—influences your ability to function and may lower your
immunity.”
Dr. Mishori says that stress can even change the protein levels of
DNA, impacting on our genes.
So we will continue to explore stress management techniques in this
series, to see if there are ways that we can manage better the
negative impacts of the stresses in our lives.
SOURCE: Parade magazine, Oct. 25, 2009—from article entitled “Can
Stress Make You Sick?” by Dr. Ranit Mishori; some of the direct
wording above came from this Parade article.
============================
--Stress Management, Part #28
The Stress of the Economic Downturn
The economic crisis of the past two years is being called the Great
Recession. For most Americans it has been nothing short of a national
stress management crisis.
According to a Parade magazine survey:
- 79 percent of Americans have felt the impact of the recession
- 61 percent of felt they did everything right and still lost
- 65 percent can’t believe that this happened to us today in America
But like any stress management process, people have begun to learn to
adjust. For instance:
- 80 percent of Americans have been forced to do more with less
- 73 percent have made unexpected changes
- 83 percent have reconsidered what they actually need in life.
Specific changes in the right direction have come in these forms:
- 68 percent of Americans are now “creating a meaningful life” or are
“giving back.”
- 52 percent are forming stronger bonds with spouses
- 46 percent are getting closer to old friends
- 35 percent are rediscovering community or religious groups
- 30 percent are volunteering more for charities
Here’s the real clincher for when you respond to economic stress the
right way—
- 89 percent of Americans believe we can overcome this thing “as long
as we come together to support one another.”
Many economists say that the economic recovery will be shaky, may
take a long time, and that there may be many other economic stresses
in the future. If this is true, Americans have already shown that
they have the rudiments to respond to economic stresses by using the
kinds of ideas measured above—and with an ultimately hopeful
conclusion.
SOURCE: Parade magazine data from November 1, 2009
============================
--Stress Management, Part #29
Aromatherapy?
The Saturday Evening :Post recently ran an interesting article on
aromatherapy as a means of reducing stress and other difficulties
related to emotions. The article itself was written Dr. Mehmet Oz,
M.D.—who is really well known via Oprah’s program and his own
television health show.
Aromatherapy apparently links our sense of smell with brain
functioning in those parts of the brain that impact on emotions. This
is apparently accomplished by plant fragrances called essential oils.
Here are some of these fragrances used in aromatherapy and how they
are claimed to be helpful to folks. Again, these are claims. It’s
unknown scientifically to what extent all these claims may be true.
Coconut may reduce stress
Marjoram may ease anxiety
Jasmine and Rose may lift depression
Ylang Ylang may help dispel anger
Geranium may help balance female hormones
Lavender may promote sleep
Lemon may enhance the immune system
Peppermint may stir mental concentration
Ginger may alleviate nausea
Rosemary may boost memory recall and enetgy
Vanilla may soothe various discomforts.
According to Dr. Oz’s article you can learn more about aromatherapy by
contacting the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, or
their website at:
www.naha.org
SOURCE: Dr. Mehmet Oz, M.D., in The Saturday Evening Post (March/
April 2010)
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--Stress Management--part #17
Meditation.
Meditation and relaxation techniques are pathways to reaching a sense
of inner peace. These methods stand in contrast to anxiety or a
disturbed state of mind, where thoughts and feelings are in intense
disarray. The beauty of meditation and relaxation techniques are that
they can be so helpful, while being absolutely free of charge.
Another point is that these approaches have both secular and
spiritual forms, the latter being a type of prayer which can be
comforting.
The key scientific substantiation of the helpfulness of meditation
came from Harvard professor Herbert Benson, M.D., who published his
results in a best-selling book called The Relaxation Response (1975).
In his studies, Benson discovered that the physiological signs of the
body slowed down during meditation, and a deep sense of mental ease
was reached. And--there was generalized anxiety relief. Since then,
relaxation techniques have been used in most treatment programs for
those with psychiatric problems.
We must admit though that relaxation techniques don't always work for
everyone all the time. Even so, some practitioners are able to "chase
away" eighty percent of their anxiety episodes with relaxation
techniques, and this is terrific even if the success rate is
imperfect. And too, these techniques often become more helpful over
time with more practice.
-Coming to Quiet
As part of meditation, the person would do well to "come to quiet,"
or try to encourage stillness in the inner self. The use of what are
called relaxation techniques are helpful in fostering calm feelings,
as one seeks to break any stream of worry or irritation crossing his
or her mind. These artciles present four simple methods for coming
to quiet. The are:
* Breath counting
* Muscle tightening
* Abdominal breathing
* Finger pressing
These methods utilize a sense of mental focus to free the mind of
bothersome thoughts. Again, a key to coming to quiet is to focus; we
are trying to change our focus from any disturbing thoughts to a
mental state of stillness and tranquility
of mind. Breath counting is described below.
--Breath Counting. This is the simplest technique, and could be called
the "Four-Eight-Six Method."
Method:
1. Sit in a quiet room and close your eyes. (The very act of just
closing one's eyes reduces over half of the incoming stimuli into
one's mind.)
2. --Inhale to the count of four.
--Hold your breath to the count of eight.
--Exhale to the count of six.
3. Repeat step #2 five times or as many more times as wished.
You may wish to do this mediation for 20 minutes or so.. Your
respiration level should slow as you do more sets of respirations, and
your mind will likely slow down too. Some find it helpful to return
to normal breathing for a minute or so after a set of five counted
breaths, and afterwards return to the breath counting.
SOURCES for the meditation articles will be given at the end of the
segment.
-------------------------------------------
--Stress Management, part #18
More on Meditation.
Muscle Tightening. This is a simplification of a technique called
"progressive muscle relaxation."
Method:
1. Sit in a quiet room and close your eyes. Have your feet on the
ground, and your hands on your lap or at your side.
2. Form a fist in your right hand, tightening your hand and arm
muscles as much as you can. Focus on the feeling of your hand and arm
while your fist is still tight. Count to five slowly as you inhale.
Relax your hand and exhale.
3. Repeat step #2 with your:
--left hand and arm muscles
--right foot and leg muscles
--left foot and leg muscles
--facial muscles (if you are not in public)
Abdominal Breathing. Here the focus is on a relaxing method of
breathing.
Method:
1. Sit in a quiet room and close your eyes.
2. Focus your attention on your stomach as you breathe. As you slowly
inhale, let your stomach expand. As you exhale, let your stomach come
in. Do this ten times or more. As you relax, your respiration should
decrease.
3. As you focus on your breathing, gently direct your mind away from
other thoughts. Yet have a passive attitude; don't get down on
yourself when bothersome thoughts pop back into your mind. Just gently
redirect your mind back to your breathing.
Finger Pressing. This technique is meant to be used about anywhere:
on a crowded bus, a traffic jam, on an elevator full of people, in the
line at a grocery store, or other places where you might feel tense.
Method:
1. This can be done with eyes open, standing or sitting, in private,
or in noisy public places.
2. Focus your mind on the fingers of your right hand. Join the thumb
and index finger of your right hand together. Press hard and focus on
the feeling of tension on the tips of the thumb and finger. Count to
five as you inhale. Exhale to the count of five as you relax your
hand.
3. Repeat step #2 in succession with the other three fingers of the
right hand.
4. Repeat steps #2 and #3 with the thumb and fingers of your left
hand.
5. As bothersome stimuli happens around you, gently redirect your
focus to the pressing of your fingers.
---------------------------------------
--Stress Management, part #19
Additional Material on Meditation
Herbert Benson, the Harvard research physician who demonstarted the
helpfulness of meditation, developed a simple method for meditating
that really works as a relaxation technique. Benson called it the
Relaxation Response. Here is a summary of the Benson technique, taken
from the Internet.
Eight Steps of Benson’s Relaxation Response
Benson's meditation method is very easy to practice. Here are the main
points you have to keep in mind.
• Choose the focus word of your meditation. (Benson suggested the word
‘one’.)
• Sit still and comfortably.
• Close your eyes.
• Relax your muscles.
• Focus your attention on the breathing, simply observing the
in-and-out breath without trying to change anything. Silently say the
chosen focus word or sound while breathing out.
• Continue doing this for 10-20 minutes. (You can open your eyes to
check the time.) After finishing, sit quietly for a minute or so with
eyes closed.
• Do not worry about how successfully you are meditating. Allow
yourself to be relaxed and keep returning your focus on the chosen
word or sound.
• Practice this once or twice a day over a longer period of time.
It should be noted that Benson states in his books that if one wishes
to choose a spiritually oriented word as the focus word of the
meditation that this often is particularly helpful.
I know personally that it took a long time and a lot of practice for
my mind to calm down enough to meditate. And often when I'm disturbed
it is still hard to come to quiet. Benson developed other types of
mediation for different types of people, for instance a walking
meditation. We'll discuss these in future issues.
SOURCE: The sources for this section on meditation will be given when
the sequence on mediation is complete.
----------------------------------------------------------
--Stress Management, part #20
Final Words on Meditation
Mindfulness. Harvard Medical School meditation researcher Joan
Borysenko says that "the road to peace of mind is through a practice
called mindlfulness." In another statement she says that "mindfulness
is meditation in action."
What is this mindfulness?
Below are some quotes from Borysenko's book (cited further
below)
that help explain mindfulness and its relation to mediation. Says,
Borysenko:
On mindfulness--"This meditative practice consists of anchoring
attention in the breath and then passively observing thoughts,
feelings, perceptions, and sensations without judgment. Ideas of good
and bad fade away and there is only a contented openness to the
present...It involves a 'be here now' approach...It means being open
to an awareness of the moment as it is and to what the moment could
hold. It is a relaxed state of attentiveness to both the inner world
of thoughts and feelings and the outer world of actions and
perceptions."
You can practice mindfulness while you are taking a walk,
cooking
dinner, mowing the lawn, washing dishes, and any number of other daily
activities. The point of mindfullness is that you focus entirely on
what you are doing--your mind is anchored in the activity of the
moment. If your mind wanders, become aware of whether the thinking
that emerges consists of either afflicting thoughts or non-afflicting
thoughts. If the thoughts are afflicting, the cycle of anxiety will
need to be broken.
I have to say that mindfulness is a meditative technique that I
haven't gotten the hang of yet. My mind becomes bored with everyday
activities, and it wants to zoom around to anywhere that looks
interesting. Or it's caught in a emotional quagmire, and it's then
hard to focus the mind on the activity of the moment.
But folks who engage deeply in mindfulness swear by it, and
report
that they have a sense of peace all day long. So there must be
something here to keep trying about.
The sources for this segment on meditation are:
SOURCES:
Herbert Benson, M.D., The Relaxation Response. (New York: Avon Books,
1975).
Herbert Benson, M.D., Beyond the Relaxation Response. (New York, Avon
Books, 1984).
Lawrence LeShan, How to Meditate. (New York, Bantam Books, 1974).
Joan Borysensko, Ph.D., Minding the Body, Mending the Mind. (New
York:
Bantam Books, 1987).
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of
Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. (New York:
Delta
Books, 1990).
Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D., The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook. (Oakland,
CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1990).
Martha Davis, Ph.D. et al, The Relaxation and Stress Reduction
Workbook. (Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1988).
-----------------------------------------------------------
----Stress Management, part #21
We ran this article last year, and thought it might be a good bit to
revisit within the context of the stress management series. So here's
a piece on some of the practical benefits of humor.
Laughter and Humor
An article on the personal benefits of laughter and humor appeared a
number of years ago in the Christopher News Notes. Check out these
three paragraphs from the publication:
“The facts are in. Studies show that laughter increases the immune,
cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and muscular systems. It
reduces pain and stress, increases alertness, energy and your sense of
well-being. Laughter releases chemicals in the brain and makes
muscles contract and relax.
“Cheerful people are less depressed, bounce back faster from sad
events, have higher achievement in school and at work, tend to have
better health--and may live longer.
“Allen Klein, author of The Healing Power of Humor, says that
patients with chronic pain often feel that they are too uncomfortable
to participate in enjoyable activities. When persuaded to do so, he
says, they find that having fun diminishes their perception of
pain.”
There sure seems to be some really good healthy reasons to seek humor
and laughter.
The Christopher Notes quotes comedian Steve Allen saying this on the
role laughter as an antidote to stress: “My natural way of
approaching stress in my own life was to use humor...Even at some
rather dark and depressing moments, jokes would occur to me and I’d
find myself laughing at them. I became convinced that each of us has
that gift. Everyone taps the well of their laughter and playfulness
throughout life.”
For some guidelines on seeking humor, the Christopher Notes says that
we should stay sensitive to peoples feelings. Humor should not be
used as a weapon. It should not be mean or used at someone’s
expense. Avoid hurtful humor, and enjoy happy humor.
SOURCE: “Have a Good Laugh--The Power of Humor,” from the Christopher
News Notes (January 1998).
-------------------------------------------------------
--Stress Management, part #22
More on Laughter and Humor
There is a time for work. There is a time for fun. This is
echoed even in the Biblical expression of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.
After our work is done and our daily duties are complete, it's
time for enjoyments and laughter. Some happy folks are even able to
enjoy their labors, and can "whistle while they work."
And laughter and merriment enables us to embrace life all the
much more. Here's some info below on some of the life-affirming
aspects of humor and laughter.
* It takes 26 muscles to smile, and 62 muscles to frown. So if you
smile, you’ll be easier on yourself.
* Women smile an average of 62 times a day. Men smile an average of
8 times a day. (That’s a difference of 54 daily smiles!)
* Smiles are universally known as an expression of happiness which is
recognized by almost all cultures. Even babies who are blind smile.
* Smiling releases endorphins and makes us feel better, and even when
you fake a smile you can feel better.
Here’s what some of the world’s great thinkers and celebrities
have said about smiling and laughter--
“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” --e.e.cummings
“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is
laughter.” --Mark Twain
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” --Victor
Hugo
“We don’t laugh because we are happy, we’re happy because we laugh.”
--William James
“Peace begins with a smile.” --Mother Teresa
“Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects." --Arnold Glasow
“Laughter is a shock absorber that eases the blows of life.” --author
unknown
SOURCE: Taken from a hand-out given at a laughter class at a public
housing complex.
---------------------------------------------------
--Stress Management Techniques, part 23
Laughter and Merriment—more information
As stated last edition, after our work and duties are done, it’s
time
for merriment. In fact, laughter and merriment is so important that
research scientists have been studying it. According to information
at www.helpguide.org, here are some of the research results:
“Humor is infectious. When laughter is shared, it binds people
together and increases happiness and intimacy. In addition to the
domino effect of joy and amusement, laughter also triggers healthy
physical changes in the body:
-Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system
-boost your energy
-diminish pain
-and protect you from the damaging effects of stress
-Best of all, this priceless medicine is free, fun, and easy to
use.”
The researchers continue to say:
“Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have
to
make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good
health. Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict.
Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body
back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens,
inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded,
focused, and alert. With so much power to heal and renew, the ability
to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for problems,
enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physically and
emotional.health”
There’s more evidence that suggests that after a good hearty
laugh,
your muscles are relaxed for up to 45 minutes. And laughter increases
infection-fighting antibodies to help you immune system. When you
laugh there is an improvement of the blood flow in your heart.
Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins to make you feel
better and give a short term relief from pain.
So read the funny pages or whatever source of chuckles, and
enjoy
being merry and more healthy.
SOURCE: Info from www.helpguide.org and a presentation at a public
housing apartment building.
------======================
--Stress Management Techniques, Part #24
Laughter and Merriment—concluding words
Laughter has many physical health benefits: it boosts immunity, lowers
stress hormones, decreases pain, relaxes your muscles, and helps
prevent heart problems. The social benefits of laughter are many too:
it strengthens relationships, attracts others to us, enhances
teamwork, helps defuse conflict, and promotes group bonding.
Added to these, laughter offers a lot of mental health benefits: it
adds joy and zest to life, eases anxiety and fears, relieves stress,
improves mood, and enhances resilience. Laughter dissolves distressing
emotions, like anxious, angry, and sad feelings. Laughter helps us
recharge and increase energy. Humor helps us shift perspective,
enabling us to see things in a less threatening light.
It’s easier to engage in laughter and merriment if you try to smile
more often. Smiling and laughter are contagion. It helps to count
one’s blessing—to keep in mind of the things we really already have
that can make us smile. Gravitate towards people who have healthy
laughter and smile in kind ways. Figure a way of bringing humor into
conversations. Come up with ways of bringing on a chuckle.
But what happens if you are angry? It’s hard to chuckle when you’re
angry. These six suggestions for “lightening up” were offered by a
laughter expert: When some kind of awful thing is happening, ask
yourself--
1. Is it really worth getting upset over?
2. Is it really your problem?
3. Is it worth upsetting others over?
4. Is the situation irreparable?
5. Is it all that important?
6. Is it really that bad?
If you can, make some time open for laughter and merriment. It’s good
for you!
SOURCE: Information and most of the wording from www.helpguide.org and
a handout given at a presentation in a public housing apartment
building.
--------------------------------------------------------------
--Stress Management, Part #25
Secrets of Resilient People
A recent magazine article by freelance writer Beth Howard really gave
some insights into this whole thing we call resiliency. And
resiliency is a big part of handling stress well and mastering stress
management.
The article states up front that everyone has tough times, but some
people navigate through them better. Resiliency is one the variables
that can make the difference. Resiliency is the ability to rebound
quickly from a crisis or trauma. Reference is made to the inner
strength of resilient people, and their ability to adjust future
expectations with new realities. Resilient people are able to bounce
back.
Genes play a role in many cases. One’s genetic make-up can protect a
person from the emotional back-draft of crisis. This according to
Robert Brooks, PhD of the Harvard Medical School. He has co-authored
a book called The Power of Resilience with Samuel Goldstein, a
psychologist from the University of Utah. Goldstein hastens to add
that although genes play a role, a person can learn resilience.
Next issue we’ll discuss eight things a person can do to build
resilience. But for starters—how resilient are we right now? The AARP
article has included a self test for assessing how resilient a person
is—the test compiled in a book called The Resiliency Advantage by
Albert Siebert, PhD. Ask yourself how strongly you agree with these
statements:
-I’m usually upbeat.
-I can tolerate high levels of ambiguity and uncertainty about
situations.
-I adapt quickly to new developments.
-I find humor in rough situations and can laugh at myself.
-I’m good at solving problems.
-I’m strong and durable.
-I’ve converted misfortune into good luck and found benefits in bad
experiences.
Well, there’s a scoring system on this test. I’m sort of a high-grade
neurotic type a whole lot of the time Even so, when my scores were
added up, it turned out that I was “Somewhat Resilient” So there’s
hope! I want to learn these eight new ideas for building resiliency
that will be presented next issue.
SOURCE: Article by Beth Howard in AARP Magazine of the American
Association of Retired Persons (Nov./Dec. Issue); some of the direct
wording above is from the article..
===========
--Stress Management, Part #26
Secrets of Resilient People, more info
Beth Howard’s article on resiliency during stressful periods has a
useful eight-part recommendation list for how to increase resiliency,
based on the common qualities of resilient people. These suggestions
for increasing resiliency are:
1. Stay Connected with People.
2. Become Optimistic
3. Get Spiritual
4. Learn to be Playful.
5. Give Back to Others.
6. Choose Your Battles Well.
7. Take Care of Physical Health.
8. Look for the Silver Lining.
For added explanation:
1. Stay Connected—We all have tough times, and when we share our
burdens in those times there is a better chance of making it through a
crisis. The logic is simple. One year you may have a burden. The
next year your friend may have a burden. If you are both there for
each other, you’ll both make it through the burdens easier.
2. Become Optimistic—If you look for the sunny side, you’ll see the
sunny side. For instance, a University of San Francisco study
discovered that those caregivers who found positive meaning in their
caregiving, became less depressed when their loved one died.
3. Get Spiritual--People who are active in spiritual faith, usually
get through tough times better. A Duke University study found that
physically ill people with spiritual convictions and who participated
in spiritual activities got depressed less often than those who didn’t
engage spiritually. And when the spiritually-engaged people did get
depressed, they recovered faster than others.
4. Learn to be Playful—Resilient people enjoy themselves, says
resiliency expert Al Siebert, PhD. They wonder about things,
experiment, and laugh aloud—almost like children do. The resiliency
motto when you stumble down could almost be—“Chuckle and Get Back Up!”
5. Give Back to Others—Resiliency expert Sam Goldstein, PhD from the
University of Utah faculty says, “The benefit you derive for yourslf
is as great as that you give to others.” It makes sense. Those who
are all wrapped up in themselves, almost smother in their won
miseries. Helping others helps yourself.
6. Choose Your Battles Well—Focus energies on things that you can have
some influence on. Being a champion for lost causes can be saintly,
but the cost is that it won’t necessarily help you become resilient.
If you are stuck in a conflict, be careful of fighting battles you
can’t win.
7. Take Care of Physical Health—Good exercise and good diet. These
help repair neurons in the brain that are hassled by stress.
8. Look for the Silver Lining—Resiliency expert Al Siebert says that
resilient people convert misfortunes into a good situation down the
line, and they are able to gain strength from adversity. They see
negative events as an opportunity to better themselves or to become
better people. There can even be something called post-traumatic
growth.
So it looks like with practice we can become more resilient people,
and handle better the stresses that life throws at us.
SOURCE: Article by Beth Howard in AARP Magazine of the American
Association of Retired Persons (Nov./Dec. Issue 2009); some of the
direct wording above is from the article..
===================
----Stress Management, Part #27
Stress Can Make You Sick
Research scientists are finding more and more how stress can result in
physical health problems, thus calling all the more for knowledge of
stress management techniques.
For instance, studies have linked stress with—
-heart problems
-skin problems like acne, psoriasis, hives, and rosacea
-tension headaches and migraines
-poorer wound healing
-risk for developing depression
-increased risk for common cold and influenza, and
-more difficulties with chronic illnesses.
Stress can also cause constant worrying, difficulty focusing, and
trouble making decisions.
“The good news is” according to Parade magazine writer Dr. Ranit
Mishori, “that there are various ways to cope with stress, ranging
from medications to exercise to calming techniques like meditation and
biofeedback. Taking these routes to ‘chilling out’ is well worth the
effort.”
In the Parade article on stress, Dr. Mishori describes the stress
cycle very effectively. She says:
“Confronted by sudden danger, the human body instantly pumps the
bloodstream full of adrenaline. This hormone, along with cortisol,
raises your blood pressure, temporarily giving you additional
strength, speed, and stamina. In emergency situations, stress can save
your life.”
But, as Dr. Mishori continues—
“But ongoing stress—the kind you might face when you’re experiencing
marital, financial, or work-related problems or are caring for a sick
relative—influences your ability to function and may lower your
immunity.”
Dr. Mishori says that stress can even change the protein levels of
DNA, impacting on our genes.
So we will continue to explore stress management techniques in this
series, to see if there are ways that we can manage better the
negative impacts of the stresses in our lives.
SOURCE: Parade magazine, Oct. 25, 2009—from article entitled “Can
Stress Make You Sick?” by Dr. Ranit Mishori; some of the direct
wording above came from this Parade article.
============================
--Stress Management, Part #28
The Stress of the Economic Downturn
The economic crisis of the past two years is being called the Great
Recession. For most Americans it has been nothing short of a national
stress management crisis.
According to a Parade magazine survey:
- 79 percent of Americans have felt the impact of the recession
- 61 percent of felt they did everything right and still lost
- 65 percent can’t believe that this happened to us today in America
But like any stress management process, people have begun to learn to
adjust. For instance:
- 80 percent of Americans have been forced to do more with less
- 73 percent have made unexpected changes
- 83 percent have reconsidered what they actually need in life.
Specific changes in the right direction have come in these forms:
- 68 percent of Americans are now “creating a meaningful life” or are
“giving back.”
- 52 percent are forming stronger bonds with spouses
- 46 percent are getting closer to old friends
- 35 percent are rediscovering community or religious groups
- 30 percent are volunteering more for charities
Here’s the real clincher for when you respond to economic stress the
right way—
- 89 percent of Americans believe we can overcome this thing “as long
as we come together to support one another.”
Many economists say that the economic recovery will be shaky, may
take a long time, and that there may be many other economic stresses
in the future. If this is true, Americans have already shown that
they have the rudiments to respond to economic stresses by using the
kinds of ideas measured above—and with an ultimately hopeful
conclusion.
SOURCE: Parade magazine data from November 1, 2009
============================
--Stress Management, Part #29
Aromatherapy?
The Saturday Evening :Post recently ran an interesting article on
aromatherapy as a means of reducing stress and other difficulties
related to emotions. The article itself was written Dr. Mehmet Oz,
M.D.—who is really well known via Oprah’s program and his own
television health show.
Aromatherapy apparently links our sense of smell with brain
functioning in those parts of the brain that impact on emotions. This
is apparently accomplished by plant fragrances called essential oils.
Here are some of these fragrances used in aromatherapy and how they
are claimed to be helpful to folks. Again, these are claims. It’s
unknown scientifically to what extent all these claims may be true.
Coconut may reduce stress
Marjoram may ease anxiety
Jasmine and Rose may lift depression
Ylang Ylang may help dispel anger
Geranium may help balance female hormones
Lavender may promote sleep
Lemon may enhance the immune system
Peppermint may stir mental concentration
Ginger may alleviate nausea
Rosemary may boost memory recall and enetgy
Vanilla may soothe various discomforts.
According to Dr. Oz’s article you can learn more about aromatherapy by
contacting the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, or
their website at:
www.naha.org
SOURCE: Dr. Mehmet Oz, M.D., in The Saturday Evening Post (March/
April 2010)
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