Try meditation. Growing interest in the mind-body connection has given the practice of mediation a big boost. Research shows it can reduce stress and lower blood pressure, improve work performance and even slow aging. It's a simple, very old technique involving a focused thought that helps quiet the hypothalamus, the sympathetic nervous system and the endocrine system. Your mental focus may be a color, a word, or just the sound of your own breathing. Likely your mind will wander from that central thought or word, but quietly bring it back into focus. (Rational thinking about an idea is not meditation - and can prevent you from attaining deep relaxation.) There are hundreds of ways to meditate. However, one of the simplest methods used today is The Benson Method, developed by Dr. Herbert Benson of the Harvard Medical School. Here's how you can do it:
When you're finished, sit quietly for several minutes, at first with your eyes closed, later with them open. Don't worry about whether you are successful in achieving a deep level of relaxation. Let relaxation happen at its own pace. Practice this meditation a couple of times a day, but wait two hours after a meal to do so. Why the breathing is so important Your body is constantly working to keep body functions and chemistries in balance. However, when you get tense, you begin to breathe with short, shallow gulps. This creates an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your system. Breathing slowly and deeply helps restore this balance and returns to your breathing. You start feeling more relaxed right away. Information courtesy Saskatchewan Health. |
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