You have heard it before, but I will tell you again, excessive stress is detrimental to your physical and psychological well-being. Under stress, our bodies release hormones that increase our metabolisms, heart rates, blood pressure, breathing rates, and muscle tension.
Unfortunately, if you are continually experiencing stressful situations, these reactions could result in a number of physical and emotional symptoms, including headaches, stomachaches, inability to sleep, anxiety, loss of appetite, and disrupted concentration. Scientific evidence also indicates that chronic stress can lead to, or worsen, certain illnesses.
But wait - before you get stressed about this news, there is hope! The good news is that learning how to relax is relatively quick and easy. According to Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School, everyone possesses an inborn bodily response called the relaxation response. This response decreases metabolism, heart rate, and blood pressure, essentially counteracting the negative effects of your daily diet of stress.
The relaxation response has many beneficial functions. It can help you unwind whenever you are feeling stressed, prevent stressful feelings from ever occurring, or relieve your headaches and muscle tension.
A great deal of research has focused on the benefits of the relaxation response. In one study, 80% of the people suffering from hypertension actually decreased their blood pressure medication following regular use of relaxation techniques. Furthermore, of that group, 20% gave up their medication entirely.
Relaxation exercises have also been proven to enhance sleeping patterns, decrease anxiety, depression, and anger, lead to improved academic performance, and increase emotional stability and overall satisfaction in life.
Breathe deeply - into your abdominal area, through the nose. Place your hand on your abdomen, just below your rib cage. You should feel your hand rise as you breathe in.
Hold this breath for a count of four.
Slowly release the breath through the mouth. Simply focus on the rhythm of your breathing. You may choose to silently say one word repeatedly as you exhale, such as relax, one, calm, release, etc.
If you have intrusive thoughts, don't worry. Just return to your deep breathing.
Variations on this exercise: Image a balloon inflating as you inhale, and letting go of the balloon, releasing your breath as it deflates. Image yourself blowing a feather away from you as you exhale and watch it float around the room. This exercise can be done at anytime, in any situation in which you feel flustered, frustrated, confused, or anxious (sitting in traffic, taking a test, having an argument, etc.) For best results, perform this exercise for 10 to 20 minutes once or twice a day.
Imagine a tranquil scene, such as a beach you once visited, a perfect sunset over a peaceful lake, a crystal clear stream, or a snow laden forest.
By concentrating on this image for 10 minutes, you will feel the same peace and quiet you might experience if you were actually there.
Get enough sleep. Use an alarm to remind you to go to bed, if necessary.
Every day, find time for solitude and introspection. Seek out quiet places.
Learn to enjoy quiet. Unplug your phone or switch on your answering machine while you take a bath, study, sleep, or spend precious time otherwise.
Develop a realistic appraisal of how much you ought to do in a 12-hour day. Set priorities for each day; write them down.
Hopefully these simple strategies will help you relax and put things into perspective as you head into the craziness of the next few weeks. My suggestion is that you dedicate 15 to 20 minutes of each day to yourself, jumping off the treadmill of life for a breath of fresh air. With daily practice you should see positive results very quickly. Stay tuned for part II of this relaxation response series, coming in January. If you have any questions, or you would like additional advice, please feel free to contact us at the Counseling and Student Development Center (831-5540). You may also reach me personally at my e-mail address: sldupcak@wpi. Good Luck!
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