Health First 

Relaxation Prescription for Stress Relief

Om Baniya

The term stress may be defined as a state of psychological and or physiological imbalance resulting from the disparity between situational demand and the individual's ability and or motivation to meet those demands.  From a medical standpoint, stress is a disturbance in the body’s homeostasis. From an ayurvedic standpoint, stress is an obstruction in the flow of natural intelligence. Technically whenever we perceive any physical or psychological threat or challenge, we are under the grip of stress.

 

Classification of Stress:

Generally, there are two types stress: eustress and distress. Eustress is healthy stress, where the stress is taken up as a challenge to perform better in life and is productive. It is also called positive or good stress. Distress is negative stress, where one is not able to cope with stress and tries to escape from it. It is counterproductive. It is also called negative or bad stress.

Symptoms of distress: 

Following is a brief list of distress symptoms. Emotional distress symptoms: moodiness, anger, irritability and frustration, anxiety and panic fear, feeling overwhelmed, agitation, inability to relax and irritability or short temper. Physical distress symptoms: headache, back pain, neck pain, loss of sex drive, frequent colds. Intestinal or gut distress symptoms: heartburn, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation, stomach cramping, acid reflux, nausea. Arousal distress symptoms: sudden rise in blood pressure, rapid heartbeat and palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain. Cognitive symptoms: memory problems, inability to concentrate, poor judgment, seeing only the negative, anxious or racing thoughts. Behavioral Symptoms: worrying, eating more or less, sleeping too much or too little, isolating yourself from others, procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities, using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax and nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).

 

Distress and diseases: 

Most of the diseases which we come across, have its link with distress, it is said that 80% of diseases are due to distress. They are either originated or aggravated by distress and are called psychosomatic diseases. The most common diseases associated with distress are: asthma, heart attack, angina, high blood pressure, digestive disorders, stomach ulcers, hyperacidity, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, sleeplessness, headaches, migraine, arthritis, diabetes, impotence, addictions, memory problems, anxiety, depression and various psychological disorders.

 

Memory’s worst enemy: 

Distress is one of the most common causes of memory problems among healthy people. When you are under the grip of distress, your memory does not work properly. Distress affects both, short-term and long-term memory. Memory expert Arthur Bornsrien has called distress the number one enemy of a good memory.

Treatment of Distress: 

There are various types of prescription medication for stress; these include drugs like benzodiazepines, anti-depressants, as well as beta blockers. But these medicines, when given, merely sweep the dust under the carpet. So such medicines are not right option. Relaxation technique is one of the best treatment options to combat the menace of distress. 

Relaxation is the act of relaxing the mind and body, and can also be defined as the state of being relaxed. It is the state of being free from tension and anxiety. Learning how to relax deeply, and allowing accumulated stress and tension to dissolve not only feels great but it’s also an essential part of keeping healthy. Regular relaxation can help you manage stress, reduce levels of pain and discomfort, increase wound healing, and even help you access greater creativity. 

Relaxation, through the use of visualization, breathing or meditation stimulates the relaxation response, an in-built program in which the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. This balances the state of arousal generated by the sympathetic nervous system in response to prolong stress.

Relaxation Prescription: 

Lie flat on the back. Place the hands a little away from the thighs with the palms up. Stretch the legs out. Keep the heels together and the toes apart. Now close the eyes and breathe very slowly. Begin by consciously and gradually relaxing each part and each muscle of the body; feet, calves, knees, thighs, abdomen and hips. Then relax the muscles of the back, chest, arms, fingers, neck, head and face in that order. After relaxing all the muscles and muscles groups, then place one hand on your abdomen right beneath your rib cage. 

Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose into the bottom of your lungs—in other words, send the air as low down as you can. If you are breathing from your abdomen, your hand should actually rise. Your chest should move only slightly while your abdomen expands. Hold the breath for a moment and then exhale slowly through your mouth or nose, depending on your preference. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale. Be sure to exhale fully. As you exhale allow your whole body to just let go (you might visualize more relaxed). Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth or nose for ten cycles. Try to keep your breathing smooth and regular, without gulping in a big breath or letting your breath out all at once. Count from ten down to one counting backwards one number with each exhalation. The process should go like this:

Slow inhale………..pause…………Slow exhale (ten)

Slow inhale………..pause…………Slow exhale (nine)

Slow inhale………..pause…………Slow exhale (eight)

And so on down to one. Go deeper. Feel the deeper relaxation. Then you visualize the romantic and beautiful days of the past, feel good and enjoy this moment. Now gently rub your palms and rub them gently over your eyes, slowly open your eyes and come back to your outer world as a recharged battery. Do this exercise 3 times a day, in morning, after returning from work and at the time of sleeping.

This type of relaxation technique is also effective with symptoms of all types of anxiety, insomnia, depression, high blood pressure and all other diseases associated with distress. -(Dr. Baniya is a Psychotherapist and CogMed Coach)