The Effects of Stress on Wellness

Medical conditions can increase our stress.  Emotions can influence or be influenced by what is happening in your body.  When you have a day with increased pain, feel sick, or suffer with the limitations of a disability you might experience less of an ability to concentration.  You might suffer from depression or anxiety, or decreased appetite.  These are all related to the body's fight or flight response resulting from the stress that you are experiencing.


Stress activates this response.  This response is the fast track to the automated response in you body that prepares you to deal with a perceived threat or danger.  A tiger attach would be a good example.  This response is a primitive, automatic response.  The blood pressure rises, the breath rate increases, the heart rate goes up, and the blood flow to the muscles changes.  Your body is ready!  When you experience long-term stress, you begin to live in this state. The fight or flight response contributes to reduced immunity, diarrhea and/or constipation, sleep disturbances, fatigue, headaches, poor concentration, shortness of breath, weight loss or gain, increased muscle tension, anxiety and/or depression.  The fight or flight response is meant to engage for only emergencies not for daily living. 



The effects of chronic stress would be described as stagnation of qi in Chinese medicine.  Qi is that vital energy that flows through your bodies and supports the correct functioning of our organs. The free flow of qi in your body is blocked when dealing with chronic stress.  Stagnation of qi can lead to depression, anger, and irritability.  Stagnation can lead to pain. Treatment requires that the free flow of
qi be restored.  The techniques used to achieve the relaxation response help you free the flow of qi in your body. 



In the 1970's a Harvard Medical School researcher named Herbert Benson first described what he called the relaxation response.  Unlike the flight or fight
response it is not automatic but it can be learned. It takes practice to develop this technique so that you can call on it to counteract the stress that is caused by your medical condition.



The relaxation response isn't new.  Many healers and philosophers have practiced it over the centuries.  In Chinese medicine, prescribed meditation, guided imagery, qi gong, and tai chi all have the components of the relaxation response.  First, they focus the mind on a phrase, word, an image, your breath or an action.  Second, they adopt a passive attitude toward thoughts that come into your mind.  Regularly practicing the relaxation response causes a change in how you respond to the stresses in life.  Your blood pressure lowers, heart rate and breath rate reduce, and oxygen consumption is less. 



The relaxation response is not the same as feeling relaxed.  Reading a book, watching TV, talking to a friend are relaxing activities but do not have the same physiological changes. 



Cautions:

If you have a seizure disorder, you should practice this technique lying down.  Some seizures are brought on by a change in arousal level such as going to sleep or waking.  The relaxation response creates a similar brain wave response to the first stages of sleep.  You may find that seizure decrease with the relaxation response or you may find that a physical practice such as yoga or tai chi is better for you. 



Insulin dependent diabetics may find that your need for insulin changes with this practice.  Stress increases the need for insulin.  You will need to monitor your blood glucose carefully as you practice the relaxation response and work with your health care provider to adjust your medications.  Similarly if you are on medications for hypertension, monitor your blood pressure as you practice and work with your physician as your blood pressure changes. 



There are CDs, videos and tapes that can help you in practicing the relaxation response.  Explore several different tools to find the one that works best for you in your life.

The relaxation response is an important tool for managing chronic medical conditions and the stress that comes with them.  Daily practice offers a safe, practical option that you can use at any time and in most circumstances to reduce the stress in your life.  It will help reduce your blood pressure, normalize your breath rate and heart rate.  It will move the flow of qi smoothly throughout your body, eliminate stagnation and calm your spirit.

Enjoy your practice as you work towards improving your health!

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