Breathe better to get better stress relief. I share important considerations to boost your capacity to relax and relieve stress.
Stress results when we encounter demands that require us to adjust. These demands may be imagined or real. They may occur instantly or build over time. First, social interactions may cause stress. Secondly, physical changes brought on by puberty or menopause cause stress on the body. Third, our own perceptions, thoughts, and feelings contribute to increased stress. As a result, we cannot escape stress. It is a physical response to unspecified demands made upon it, according to Dr. Hans Selye.
Any adjustment that we are required to make initiates the stress response.
Fight or Flight
The stress response is also known as the “fight or flight” response. Many learned about this safety mechanism in second grade science class.
Fight or flight protected early mankind by instantaneously preparing the body to protect itself from harm. I often reference the picture of a caveman pointing a spear at a saber-toothed tiger. This picture is a vivid reminder of the stress some of us experienced in second or third grade science class. The body immediately goes through a series of changes as it prepares to run or fight.
The hypothalamus stimulates the sympathetic nervous system when faced with a real or imagined threat. After that, the adrenal and pituitary glands kick in. Most associate the pituitary gland with puberty. The glands begin to secrete adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol. These are the primary stress hormones. In the end, the body immediately begins to change.
Stress Feels Like
The physical changes are noticeable. First, the heart begins to beat harder and faster. Next, the muscles tense and stiffen. After this, the stomach flutters or nausea sets in. This is caused by a slowing down of the digestive system. There are other changes that may go unnoticed. Senses like seeing and hearing sharpen. Hands and feet become cold as blood is diverted to larger muscle groups.
The stress response is triggered repeatedly throughout the day. For example, being cut off by an inconsiderate driver during rush hour increases stress. Encounters with difficult customers or colleagues also lead to more stress. Having to present a project to the executive team creates stress as well. This type of stress is usually felt over time or through the duration of the project.
A Problem
When the body is in distress, breathing becomes shallow and irregular. This is noticeable when frightened, anxious or excited. Shallow breathing also occurs during panic attacks. Sometimes we create conditions that contribute to shallow breathing. Wearing tight clothing, sitting hunched over a desk, or sucking in the stomach all prevent proper breathing.
Shapeware, girdles, or slimming undergarments compress the abdomen. This limits full diaphragmatic breathing. Additionally, poor posture is often ignored or goes unnoticed. It too, constricts breathing. When breathing shallowly, air flows only into the upper chest. This type of breathing limits the effectiveness of the respiratory system. As a result, the body is cheated from receiving an adequate amount of fresh oxygen. Consequentially, the ability to remove waste from cells in the body is also hampered.
One Solution
Proper breathing is the absolute best way to reset the stress response by initiating the relaxation response. The relaxation response is a phrase coined by Dr. Herbert Benson. Dr. Benson is a cardiologist and founder of the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The concept came out of his research studies of practitioners of Transcendental Meditation. He concluded that it is possible to trigger. a series of changes in the body to arrive at a state of relaxation.
Today, we know that certain ways of breathing trigger the relaxation response. Slow, deep breathing quiets the mind and relaxes the body. Deep breathing is the same as abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing. Air flows deep into the lungs when it is inhaled. The expansion of the lungs causes the diaphragm to expand downward. The free flow of oxygen enables the lungs to do their job and the body receives what it needs to relax, reset, and renew itself.
I teach breathing exercises as a part of stress management consultations.
Are you interested in learning to relieve stress better? You may go to my website, click on client portal to request an appointment.
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