by Lois W. Stern What is Stress? Did you ever take a look in the mirror when you are in the midst of a mini crisis, feeling overwhelmed or simply a bit stressed out? You won't be surprised to read that stress quickly registers on our faces, but you might be surprised to learn how quickly it registers on our physcal well being. Did you know that 60% to 90% of all doctor visits are for complaints related to or impacted by stress? Medical researchers are connecting more and more dots in their understanding of the insidious ways stress harms our health. There’s no question that it's important for us to learn all we can about the important topic of stress reduction; but it isn’t necessary to complicate the issue when we already have some simple, proven solutions at our fingertips. The Relaxation Response is one such solution with an impressive amount of research behind it. This research has demonstrated the positive impacts of this method of stress reduction on a wide range of ills, including insomnia and high blood pressure. Developed in 1968 by Harvard professor Herbert Benson, MD, this stress relief technique has roots in virtually every religious tradition. Dr. Benson, widely recognized as one of the foremost researchers in the field of stress management, and Director Emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, has stated that "scores of diseases and conditions are either caused by or made worse by stress." Anxiety, mild or moderate depression, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, hostility, menopausal hot flashes, infertility, PMS, high blood pressure and heart attacks are several of the conditions Dr. Benson has identified as being caused or exacerbated by stress. How Does Stress Harm Us? Stress is much more than simply a feeling of being ‘under the gun’. Along with triggering a “fight or flight response”, stress releases stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline. Although cortisol is necessary for survival, lab research has demonstrated that high levels of cortisol cause shrinkage in the hippocampus, a part of the brain central to memory and thinking. To the degree that we are living stressful lives, with stress buttons constantly in the 'on' position, we experience significant health consequences. Do-It-Yourself Relaxation The Relaxation Response has the exact opposite effect. It undoes stress by slowing the metabolism, lowering blood pressure and heart rate. During the relaxation response, levels of nitric oxide, an important biochemical involved in circulation and the improvement of blood flow, are elevated. This calming biochemical response enables the muscles to relax and breathing to slow down to a more normal rate. The Relaxation Response is based on repetition of a simple word or phrase, just like prayer and other forms of meditation. Prayer generally consists of repetitive words, sometimes in a chant-like rhythm, as in the Catholic prayer: "Hail Mary, full of grace" or the words inherent to many Jewish prayers: “Adonoi Elohanu”. But any word or phrase eliciting a calming effect works well. The Relaxation Response has often been compared to Transcendental Meditation (TM), the technique taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, but learning the Relaxation Response requires no master instructor or costs. You can learn it easily by yourself. Here are the steps to mastery: Set aside 10 to 20 minutes to try this technique once or twice daily, perhaps before breakfast and before dinner: 1. Sit quietly in a comfortable position. 2. Close your eyes. 3. Deeply relax all your muscles beginning at your feet and progressing up to your face. Keep them relaxed. 4. Breathe comfortably. Become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word, "ONE",; silently to yourself. For example, breathe IN... OUT ("ONE"), IN... OUT ("ONE"), etc. Breathe easily and naturally. 5. Other thoughts will come to mind. This is normal and should be expected. When other thoughts occur, simply say "Oh, well" and return to repetition. You may open your eyes to check the time, but don't use an alarm. When you finish, sit quietly for several minutes -- first keeping your eyes closed, then slowly opening them. Wait a few minutes before standing. Don't worry about whether you are "successful" in achieving a deep level of relaxation. Maintain a positive and passive attitude, permitting relaxation to occur at its own pace. When those distracting thoughts inevitably occur, don't be critical of yourself. Try instead to ignore them by not dwelling upon them, and just return to your breathing and repeating of the word "ONE." Practice this technique once or twice a day, but avoid doing so within a couple of hours of eating, as the digestive process seems to interfere with eliciting the Relaxation Response. With just a little practice, this response will come easily and effortlessly. The Serenity Stone The use of the Serenity Stone, similar in concept to the Relaxation Response, is described in depth in the Helpful Resources pages of my book, Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery. This technique was developed by Dr. Millie Grenough, clinical psychiatrist at Yale University School of Medicine, and has gained popularity in training sessions with executives, professional sports team members, clergy and more. The Serenity Stone, in its own violet leatherette pouch, is pictured and available for sale. View and/or place orders here. You have my permission to reprint this article in part or full providing it contains the following attribution: Lois W. Stern is the author of the award winning book, Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery, (Infinity, 2006), soon to be republished in a revised edition with a CD enclosure. Lois invites prospective cosmetic surgery patients, physicians, and media to visit her website to read other articles and/or sign up for her monthly newsletter at: sexliesandcosmeticsurgery.com |