Archive for September, 2010
How to Handle Stress – The Relaxation Response
Sep 30th
Lots of scientific studies show meditation improves health. It alleviates stress. Reduces blood pressure. Even the risk of getting diabetes or having a heart attack fall. But do you know why?
According to Herbert Benson its all down to the Relaxation Response. He says this is a “calm but alert state” produced by meditation. And that you can protect yourself from stress by regularly inducing it.
Benson noticed this effect when doing research on mantra meditation during the 1970′s. His results were pretty unexpected. He found that the body slows during meditation. Breathing and heart rate are slower. But the mind remains active and aware.
But what makes this so special? What’s the difference between this and sitting down and just relaxing?
The answer is that you remain mentally very alert while your body is in deep physical relaxation, which is a unique combination.
So the relaxation response is very different to rest or sleep. As with sleeping, your body slows down. Your metabolism decreases and you consume less oxygen. But during this time you have an active brain. A scan of the brain (EEG) shows Alpha Waves during meditation. This usually only occurs when you’re awake.
Many people will find this technique very useful. Especially since we live in a high stressed society. Why? Because the Relaxation Response protects you from the effects of the Flight or Fight reaction.
The Fight or Flight Response – What is it?
When you believe you are in some form of physical danger, your body reacts with this response. You are then urged through your system to escape from harm. Your body releases some hormones that:
Speed up your heart Make you breathe faster Increase blood flow to your muscles.
When you are in danger this response works perfectly. That’s its purpose. But in present times, the stress we encounter isn’t physical. We face work stress, future worries and family stress. We have bosses that are difficult and deadlines that are impossible.
Still, we find that by design we react as if we are in physical danger. With the Fight or Flight Response.
If there were a physical threat this response would give us the energy to escape or fight. Releasing the built-up energy. But if the stress is mental we cannot easily release it.
With time there is irreversible damage to our system that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
This is why the Relaxation Response becomes essential. When we practice it for 20 minutes in both the morning and evening it helps to protect us from chronic stress.
The Relaxation Response – How it is done
Often our minds are very busy. Full of thoughts. We’re not usually aware of this though. But take a moment to sit and try not to think. Try it now… Impossible isn’t it?
Unfortunately many of these thoughts are upsetting. The Relaxation Response is designed to help us disrupt this activity with a word repeated silently in our mind.
This is a simple process best done twice a day for 20 minutes in each sitting.
1. Select a short word, syllable or even a number.
2. Find somewhere comfortable. Sit down and let go.
3. Allow your body to relax.
4. Repeat your word silently.
5. Let go and don’t focus on doing it right.
6. As your mind starts to wander, focus again on the word.
7. Make sure you do this at least for 20 minutes.
8. When you finish, rest for 3 minute
Helping You To Thin Out The Clutter Surrounding Self Help Audio Programs
Sep 30th
Self help audio programs are on the top of the list of the programs which usually find a great deal popularity, when you look at the various programs which are available online. Self help audio programs are developed by many different people who consecutively have their programs endorsed by many different, more famous people.
With self help audio tapes the idea is that the person that has paid for and is listening to the programs could find a change in their life for the better. The problem with this plan is that the internet has helped in twisting the concept of the self help audio program. The reality is that many self proclaimed gurus and activists are nothing more than individuals looking to take advantage of a demand and profit financially.
There does exists a high demand for self help audio programs as more individuals are not satisfied with their current state of life. Individuals struggle each day to survive, fighting to make their earning, struggling against weight problems and are regularly burdened by poor health. This poor way of living creates a desire to rise above the personal decline, though few have the willpower to accomplish this on their own.
The truth is that people turn toward self help the as a crutch or tool of support. This support system is intended to aid them in recognizing the weaknesses of their life and resetting the clock so that their life could be drastically changed. There are several people that have discovered this need and most of them are trying to exploit this in order to find financial gain.
So how can a person in need of the support provided by self help audio programs discover legitimate resources of information over the financially greedy programs? To start it is important to identify where you’re receiving this self help audio program from. Self proclaimed gurus and opportunists are often easy to identify when you take the time to research the history of the self help industry.
Any program which is trustworthy is usually related to a person who has been involved in the self help industry for a significant period of time and is often a medical professional. Remember that anyone could write a self help audio program but it takes a real expert to create a program which would offer the individual results.
So when you start your search into the vast options that are available regarding self help remember to take your time. Regardless of how good a program sounds, remember that words could be twisted and make sure you’re purchasing from a trustworthy source in the self help industry.
