Articles of InterestHere are some articles I found (and a couple we wrote) on the
relationship of breathing to stress reduction and anxiety
avoidance. There’s a lot of “science” that supports the many
benefits of proper breathing; these articles will go into the
details of how it all can work for you.
Breathe Some Life Into
Your Life
Health benefits abundant if you remember to breathe By: Joel McPherson, MA, HRM
Would you be interested in a free method for increased energy,
reduced stress, an end to panic attacks, and even an improved
complexion? No medications or equipment to buy, no extensive
training required!
You already own the required equipment – your lungs. Studies
show that simply learning how to breathe correctly can have
remarkable effects throughout your body. Breathing correctly can be as powerful as it is simple. The
typical person only uses around twenty percent of their lung
capacity, but with practice, they can learn how to tap into their
lung’s full potential. Sending better oxygen content to all the
cells of the body can bring dramatic changes in general health and
mood. Famous health guru, Dr. Andrew Weil, says that if he could
only give one tip for better health, it would be to breathe
properly. Proper breathing technique is central to the ancient
practices of Yoga, Qi Gong, Ayurveda and other meditation
disciplines. A clinical study* of thousands of participants over a
30-year period presents convincing evidence that the most
significant factor in peak health and long life is how well you
breathe. Breathing correctly is critical in maintaining the level
of oxygen for energy, keeping the correct pH levels in the body,
and enough carbon dioxide for bodily functions. Healthy people
make 93 per cent of their energy aerobically (“in the presence of
oxygen,”) but poor breathing habits can reduce the amount of
energy made aerobically to 84 per cent. Seventy percent of the
elimination of wastes from the body is through breathing. The good
news is that poor breathing habits can be reversed. Among infants,
correct breathing comes naturally. Observe a baby as it breathes
to see its belly rise and fall with each breath. As we grow older,
we are taught to “suck in that gut” and “puff out that chest” as
we try to achieve as slim a waist as possible. Such resistance to
the natural breathing posture restricts oxygen intake, which can
lead to numerous physical as well as emotional problems. ”Bad” Breathing Shallow “chest breathing” invites problems by
delivering less air per breath into the lungs. Less air per breath
leads to a higher number of breaths, putting in motion a series of
physiological changes that constrict blood vessels. An imbalance
between the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the lungs delivers
less oxygen to the brain, the heart, and the rest of the body.
Carbon dioxide (CO2,) is a vital gas that is produced by the
body’s energy source: metabolism. The body’s ability to maintain a
normal pH (the balance between acid and alkaline that regulates
the body’s chemical reactions) depends on maintaining an adequate
supply of CO2. Too much oxygen and not enough carbon dioxide can create an
agitated state. As you learn to exhale slowly, you conserve carbon
dioxide and rebalance the system. However, too much carbon
dioxide, and not enough oxygen, can create feelings of fatigue and
depression. Learning to inhale slowly re-balances your system by
taking in more oxygen. In extreme cases, a restricted supply of
oxygen can contribute to anxiety, panic attacks, and even phobias.
Less productive exhaling can also result in a buildup of toxins
that would have been eliminated through breathing. Stress, anxiety, and emotions all affect our breathing – the
natural “fight or flight” response that increases respiration. As
“civilized” people, we typically do not ease such state of arousal
with immediate physical activity. Once breathing is in an aroused
state, the physiological effects on the body remain after the
stressful event has gone. Such arousal promotes rapid breathing
leading to a metabolic imbalance where CO2 levels are too low and
oxygen use is poor. The key element to many meditation disciplines
is that breathing technique can affect one’s emotional state as
much as one’s emotional state can affect one’s breathing. “Bad breathing” is also performed through the mouth rather than
the nose, especially during exercise or a stressful situation.
Breathing through the mouth permits inhaling and exhaling large
volumes of air quickly. This can lead to hyperventilation,
diminished energy, and a weakening of health and well-being. ”Good” Breathing It is easy to develop good breathing habits,
but it takes practice. Most of us are completely unaware of our
breathing – otherwise we would have to remember to inhale over
17,000 times a day! Breathing awareness and practice, or
“breathwork,” is an important part of training for athletes,
musicians, vocalists, and public speakers. To achieve normal levels of oxygen and CO2 in your system, you
begin by focusing your attention on breath! Your goal is to reduce
the number of respirations from a standard of 12 per minute to as
few as four per minute – which can be achieved with practice.
Deep, slow breathing will feel unnatural to many who first try it
and may be uncomfortable to some. After years of shallow “chest
breathing,” some have a low CO2 concentration leaving them with a
tight chest and malfunctioning diaphragm. A slow inhale, followed by holding the breath, and concluding
with an exhale twice as long as the inhale will help balance the
CO2 level. One technique is called “4-7-8 Breathing” in which you
inhale to the count of four, hold the breath to the count of
seven, and slowly exhale to the count of eight. The slow exhale is
key to most forms of breathwork, and critical to achieving stress
reduction. Bad Advice “Take a deep breath” can be very bad advice to
someone who is feeling anxious or is agitated. If such a person
begins taking deep breaths, they are likely to experience an even
more aroused state. A person prone to anxiety most likely is at or
over their optimum CO2 level and needs to slow their respiration
more than increase their intake volume through “take a deep
breath.” Such advice can lead to hyperventilation (breathing too fast.)
The amount of carbon dioxide in blood generally regulates
breathing and a low level of CO2 tends to make the nervous system
more excitable. If carbon dioxide is released too rapidly, the
arteries and blood vessels constrict and an insufficient supply of
oxygen to the cells results, including blood (and oxygen) supply
to the brain. Restricting oxygen supply to the brain can stimulate
the sympathetic nervous system ("fight or flight") and cause
tension, anxiety, and mood swings. Low levels of oxygen in the
brain has been associated with depression and other changes in
brain waves. Remembering to Breathe Learning the proper breathing technique
is important – remembering to practice that technique can become
even more important. On a typical day, it is easy to become
focused on a task (such as the computer or driving) and forget to
breathe properly. The tendency is to revert into shallow “chest
breathing” when focused. Regularly practicing diaphragmatic
breathing, with measured inhale and exhale, and it will become the
only breathing you do. But, like anything else, proper breathing
is a learned skill and practice is critical. Getting “lost” at a computer keyboard or within the pages of a
good book happens to everyone. You will need a timer or similar
alarm to remind you on a regular basis throughout the day to
practice this skill. Kitchen timers work well as does a wristwatch
alarm or cell phone alarm. As these require resetting and the
audible alarm can be embarrassing in some situations, there is a
“personal breathing coach” device on the market with a discreet,
silent alarm (www.breathminder.com) that is effective. Internet Articles regarding diaphragmatic breathing abound on
the Internet. In addition to the many health benefits achieved
through proper breathing technique, there are numerous web sites
devoted to breathwork for sports, public speaking, singing, and
musical instruments. Many sites incorporate breathwork into
practice of meditation as well as natural healing and holistic
medicine modalities. Search breathwork, diaphragmatic breathing,
or simply healthy breathing to find an extensive array of
materials. Unfortunately, this information is not widespread in today’s
medical community. Illness and Pathology, not Wellness, are the
priority of most healthcare practitioners. In addition, things
that are free and can’t be patented (like breathing) do not
attract funding for research, so little finds its way into popular
medical journals. Breathe Some Life Into It Breathwork is free and you already
own the necessary equipment (lungs) so you and you can practice
virtually anytime anywhere. You first want to evaluate your
current normal breathing pattern, and then learn diaphragmatic
breathing skills, and then to pace your breathing. Once you have
achieved that level, the “trick” is to remember to practice your
breathing and to perform it correctly. With time, these skills
become your normal method of breathing and you begin to breathe
some life into your life!
By: Paul E. McGhee, PhD "The art of medicine consists of keeping the patient
amused while nature heals the disease." (Voltaire) [Adapted from Health, Healing and the Amuse System: Humor as
Survival Training, 1999. Call 800-228-0810 to order, or see
www.LaughterRemedy.com.] Voltaire (and your grandmother) recognized long ago that humor
and laughter are good for you. You've probably noticed yourself
that you simply feel better after a good belly laugh. The problem,
of course, is that your sense of humor generally abandons you
right when you need it the most--on the tough days. But if you
manage to bring your sense of humor to your daily conflicts on
your job, your relationship with your spouse and children, and
your health or financial problems, you'll go a long way toward
improving the quality of your life; and you'll boost your physical
health and well-being in the ways discussed here. Psychoneuroimmunology and Humor Every year, there is
more evidence that your thoughts, moods, emotions, and belief
system have a fundamental impact on the body’s basic health and
healing mechanisms. Much of that evidence is discussed in current
literature. Whether or not you get sick depends on your body’s ability to
fight off infection and disease. In 1980 (prior to the discovery
of the AIDS virus), the departing editor of the New England
Journal of Medicine, Dr. Franz Ingelfinger, estimated that 85% of
all human illnesses are curable by the body’s own healing system.
We now know that building a positive focus in your life plays an
important role in supporting the body's ability to do this. The body’s healing system responds favorably to positive
attitudes, thoughts, moods, and emotions (e.g., to love, hope,
optimism, caring, intimacy, joy, laughter, and humor), and
negatively to negative ones (hate, hopelessness, pessimism,
indifference, anxiety, depression, loneliness, etc.). So you want
to organize your life to maintain as positive a focus as possible.
Emotion: The Key to the Mind’s Influence on Health
Candace Pert noted in Bill Moyers’ Healing and the Mind television
series (and more recently in her book, The Molecules of Emotion)
that emotions--registered and stored in the body in the form of
chemical messages--are the best candidates for the key to the
health connection between mind and body. It is through the
emotions you experience in connection with your thoughts and daily
attitudes--actually, through the neurochemical changes that
accompany these emotions--that your mind acquires the power to
influence whether you get sick or remain well. The key, according to Pert, is found in complex molecules
called neuropeptides. Peptides are found throughout the body,
including the brain and immune system. These neuropeptides are the
means by which all cells in the body communicate with each other.
This includes brain-to-brain messages, brain-to-body messages,
body-to-body messages, and body-to-brain messages. Individual
cells, including brain cells, immune cells, and other body cells,
have receptor sites that receive neuropeptides. The kinds of
neuropeptides available to cells are constantly changing,
reflecting variations in your emotions throughout the day. The exact combinations of neuropeptides released during
different emotional states have not yet been determined. The kind
and number of emotion-linked neuropeptides available at receptor
sites of cells influence your probability of staying well or
getting sick. Building more humor and laughter in your life helps
assure that these chemical messages are working for you, not
against you. "The chemicals that are running our body and our brain
are the same chemicals that are involved in emotion. And that says
to me that . . . we’d better pay more attention to emotions with
respect to health." (Candace Pert) There is no longer any doubt that your daily mood or frame of
mind makes a significant contribution to your health--especially
when it persists day after day, year after year. Anything you can
do to sustain a more positive, upbeat frame of mind in dealing
with the daily hassles and problems in your life contributes to
your physical health at the same time that it helps you cope with
stress and be more effective on the job. Your sense of humor is
one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your
daily mood and emotional state support good health. How Humor Contributes to Health The mere fact that you
feel better after a good laugh is enough for many to conclude that
humor must be good for you. But new evidence confirms what our
grandparents knew all along. Your sense of humor not only enriches
life; it also promotes physical, mental and spiritual health. Muscle Relaxation Research has shown that muscle
relaxation results from a good belly laugh. One study even showed
that people using a biofeedback apparatus were able to relax
muscles more quickly after watching funny cartoons than after
looking at beautiful scenery. You can see this effect in your own
laughter, if you look for it. In my keynote addresses, I have a
routine in which I get everyone in the room doing belly laughter
for half a minute. Afterwards, I ask them what changes they notice
in their bodies. The first comment is usually, "I feel a lot more
relaxed." The next time you have a good long laugh, look for this
feeling of relaxation and reduced tension. Reduction of Stress Hormones When you’re under stress,
your body undergoes a series of hormonal and other body changes
which make up the "fight or flight" response. Even though there’s
no physical threat to your life, your body reacts as if there
were. If you’re under stress day after day, this preparation for a
vigorous physical response (which never occurs) itself begins to
pose a threat--to your health! Anything, which reduces the level
of stress hormones in the blood on a regular basis, helps reduce
this health threat. "There ain’t much fun in medicine, but there’s a heck of
a lot of medicine in fun." (Josh Billings) The limited research on stress-related hormones and humor has
shown that laughter reduces at least four neuroendocrine hormones
associated with the stress response, including epinephrine,
cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone. This is consistent with
research showing that various relaxation procedures reduce stress
hormones. Immune System Enhancement It has long been recognized
that stress weakens the immune system, leaving you more vulnerable
to illness. Only in the mid 1980s, however, did researchers begin
to study the impact of humor and laughter on the immune system.
The best evidence that humor boosts the immune system comes from
studies where immune system measures are taken before and after a
particular humorous event--usually a comedy video. But research
showing that individuals with a better sense of humor have
stronger immune systems is also significant, since it shows the
importance (for your health) of making the effort to improve your
sense of humor. Immunoglobulins The greatest amount of research to date
has focused on immunoglobulin A, a part of your immune system
which serves to protect you against upper respiratory problems,
like colds and the flu. Our saliva contains IgA, and this is often
referred to as the body’s first line of defense against upper
respiratory viral and bacterial infections. Several studies have
shown that watching as little as 30 or 60 minutes of a comedy
video is enough to increase both salivary IgA and blood levels of
IgA. This has been shown for both adults and children.
Immunoglobulins M and G have also been shown to be enhanced as a
result of humor/laughter. Laughter even increases levels of a
substance called Complement 3, which helps antibodies pierce
through defective or infected cells in order to destroy them. Cellular Immunity Several different aspects of the
cellular immune system have also been shown to be enhanced by
watching a comedy video. B cells are produced in the bone marrow,
and are responsible for making the immunoglobulins. If you count
the number of these cells in the blood before and after a comedy
video, you can demonstrate a significant increase in the number of
B cells circulating throughout the body following humor. Watching a one-hour humorous video also increases the
activity--and number--of natural killer cells, the number and
level of activation of helper T-cells, and the ratio of helper to
suppresser T-cells. Natural killer cells have the role of seeking
out and destroying tumor cells in the body, as well as battling
the latest cold- and flu-generating viruses and other foreign
organisms. Humor has also been shown to increase levels of gamma
interferon, a complex substance that plays an important role in
the maturation of B cells, the growth of cytotoxic T cells, and
the activation of NK cells. It also tells different components of
the immune system when to become more active, and regulates the
level of cooperation between cells of the immune system. Taken as a whole, it’s clear that there is something about
humor and laughter that causes the immune system to "turn on"
metabolically and do more effectively what it is designed to
do--promote health and wellness in the face of internal or
external threats. Duration of Humor-Induced Immuno-enhancement Only a few studies
have examined the duration of the immuno-enhancement effects of
humor. This may be an artificial question, since emotional changes
are known to cause fluctuations in the immune system, and your
emotional state generally depends on whether or not you’re dealing
with anything stressful at the moment. If something happens to
make you angry or anxious soon after watching a comedy video, this
counteracts the immune benefits resulting from the video. This is
where the strength of your own sense of humor comes in. If you are
able to find a light side of the situation, you sustain the
immunoenhancing benefits resulting from the humor you’ve been
exposed to. The limited research along these lines suggests that a
strengthened immune system is sustained for 30 minutes for IgA,
IgG, number of B cells, activation and number of T cells,
activation and number of natural killer cells, and
gamma-interferon. The immunoenhancement effect was still present
12 hours later for IgA, IgG, number of B cells, complement 3 and
gamma-interferon. No attempt has been made to study durations
beyond 12 hours. Sense of Humor and Immunity Given all the evidence that
watching a humorous video strengthens different components of the
immune system, it makes sense that individuals who have a better
developed sense of humor--meaning that they find more humor in
their everyday life, seek out humor more often, laugh more,
etc.--should have a stronger immune system, because they get more
of the kinds of benefits offered by watching a comedy video by
exercising their sense of humor more often. Consistent with this
expectation, three studies have shown that individuals with higher
scores on a sense of humor test have higher "baseline levels" of
IgA. "The simple truth is that happy people generally don’t
get sick." (Bernie Siegel, M.D.) Humor’s ability to protect you against immunosuppression during
stress was evident in a study, which compared people with a
well-developed sense of humor (they found a lot of humor in their
everyday life or frequently used humor to cope with stress) to
people with a poor sense of humor. Among those who rarely found
humor in their own lives, especially when under stress, greater
numbers of everyday hassles and negative life events were
associated with greater suppression of their immune system (IgA).
Among those with a well-developed sense of humor, on the other
hand, everyday hassles and problems did not weaken the immune
system. Their sense of humor helped keep them from becoming more
vulnerable to illness when under stress. Pain Reduction Norman Cousins drew the attention of the
medical community to the pain-reducing power of humor in his book
Anatomy of an Illness. This spinal disease left him in almost
constant pain. But he quickly discovered while watching comedy
films that belly laughter eased his pain. In his last book, Head
First: The Biology of Hope, he noted that 10 minutes of belly
laughter (just counting the laughing time) would give him two
hours of pain-free sleep. Over a dozen studies have now documented
that humor does have the power to reduce pain in many patients.
"Humor is the instinct for taking pain playfully." (Max
Eastman) Many patients discover this in their own experience. Rheumatoid
arthritis patients who report more chronic pain, for example, also
say they look for humor more often in everyday life. They’ve
learned that humor helps manage their pain. Consistent with this
idea, one study showed that when elderly residents of a long-term
care facility watched funny movies, the level of pain they
experienced was reduced. In a study of 35 patients in a rehabilitation hospital, 74%
agreed with the statement, "Sometimes laughing works as well as a
pain pill." The patients had such conditions as traumatic brain
injury, spinal cord injury, arthritis, limb amputations, and a
range of other neurological or musculoskeletal disorders. "A clown is like an aspirin, only he works twice as
fast." (Groucho Marx) For those who do experience pain reduction following laughter,
why does it occur? One possibility is distraction. Humor draws
attention away from the source of discomfort--at least
momentarily. The most commonly given explanation, however, is that
laughter causes the production of endorphins, one of the body’s
natural pain killers. This explanation makes good sense, but as of
1999, no one has been able to demonstrate it with data.
Investigators who have tried to show the endorphin-humor
connection have failed to do so. Regardless of whether laughter does or does not cause the
release of endorphins into the blood stream, its ability to reduce
pain is undoubtedly partly due to its reduction of muscle tension.
Even brief relaxation procedures have been shown to reduce
pain--both in laboratory and clinical settings. Many pain centers
around the country now use meditation and other relaxation
techniques to reduce the level of pain medication needed by
patients. Laughter is just one additional technique for achieving
the same effect. Other Benefits Laughter also provides an excellent
source of cardiac exercise. The next time you’re having a good
belly laugh, put your hand over your heart when you stop laughing.
You’ll see that your heart is racing, even after 15-20 seconds of
laughter. It will remain elevated for 3-5 minutes. This has caused
some to refer to laughter as "internal jogging." You can give your heart a good workout several times a day,
just by laughing. One physician noted that his patients who say
they laugh regularly have lower resting heart rates. While this is
no substitute for real exercise, many seniors and bed-ridden
patients don’t have the option of other forms of physical
exercise. For them, laughter is FUNdamental to good cardiac
conditioning. Other physical health benefits may result from humor and
laughter, but scientists have been very slow in looking for them.
Laughter may turn out, for example, to help lower blood pressure.
As your heart beats more rapidly during laughter, it pumps more
blood through your system, producing the familiar flushed cheeks.
Not surprisingly, blood pressure increases during laughter, with
larger increases corresponding to more intense and longer-lasting
laughs. If this were a lasting increase, it might be harmful. When laughter stops, however, blood pressure drops back down to
its baseline. Given the relaxation effect of laughter, laughter
may help bring blood pressure levels below one's baseline. At this
point, however, researchers have made little effort to examine
this possibility. Laughter triggers a peculiar respiratory pattern which offers
health benefits for certain individuals. In normal relaxed
breathing, there is a balance between the amount of air you take
in and breathe out. The problem is that when you are not breathing
deeply, a considerable amount of residual air remains in the
lungs. When you’re under stress, breathing becomes even shallower
and more rapid, reducing the amount of oxygen taken in and
producing a still greater amount of residual air. This breathing
also occurs more from the chest, instead of the diaphragm.
(Relaxation techniques emphasize the importance of breathing from
the diaphragm.) As this residual air stays in the lungs for longer periods of
time, its oxygen content drops and the level of water vapor and
carbon dioxide increases. The health risk here arises for
individuals prone to respiratory difficulties, since the increased
water vapor creates a more favorable environment for bacterial
growth and pulmonary infection. Frequent belly laughter reduces this risk by emptying your
lungs of more of the air that’s taken in. When you laugh, you push
air out of your lungs until you can’t push out any more. Then you
take a deep breath and start the same process all over again. Each
time you laugh, you get rid of the excess carbon dioxide and water
vapor that’s building up and replace it with oxygen-rich air. Hospitalized patients with respiratory problems are often
encouraged to breathe deeply and exhale fully, but nurses have
difficulty getting them to do so. Most patients enjoy a good
laugh, though, so many nurses have learned to tell them a joke
from time to time or give them a comedy tape to view. Emphysema and other respiratory patients often have a build-up
of phlegm or mucous in their respiratory tracts. Nurses try to get
them to cough to loosen up and expel these substances, but they
generally don’t enjoy coughing, so the phlegm builds up. When they
laugh, however, they inevitably start coughing, producing exactly
the effect the nurses want--and the patients have a good time in
the process. Do People with a Good Sense of Humor Get Sick Less
Often? We have seen that humor and laughter positively influence our
body in ways that should sustain health, but little research has
been done on whether a better sense of humor actually helps keep
you from getting sick. However, since people with a better sense
of humor have higher IgA levels, and since research has shown that
those with higher levels of salivary IgA are less likely to get
colds or be infected with Streptococcus, humor should reduce the
frequency of colds. The only study to directly examine this question found that the
impact of one’s sense of humor upon colds depends on the kind of
sense of humor you have. It was only individuals whose sense of
humor took the form of seeking out and appreciating humor who had
fewer and less severe colds/flu than their low humor counterparts.
Surprisingly, those whose sense of humor took the form of
initiating humor more often did not have fewer or less severe
colds/flu. The researchers argued that being a person who likes to
tell jokes or otherwise initiate humor takes them into more
frequent contact with other people, which serves to expose them to
infectious agents more often, robbing them of the advantage that a
more active sense of humor otherwise offers. Obviously, more
research is required to clear up this confusing picture. The importance of active use of one’s sense of humor in
producing humor’s health benefits was confirmed in another study
in an unusual way. It found that among a group of mothers with
newborn infants, those who actively used humor to cope with the
stress in their lives had fewer upper respiratory infections--and
their infants also had fewer infections. This seemed to be because
these mothers had higher levels of immunoglobulin A in their
breast milk. Consistent with this finding, another study showed that mothers
with low levels of IgA at the time of birth had babies who showed
more illnesses in the first six weeks postpartum. So
breast-feeding mothers now have all the more reason to build
plenty of laughter in their life every day. Among adults, if we look at bodily symptoms alone, independent
of any diagnosed illness, there is some evidence that individuals
who have more negative reactions to humor (finding a lot of
different types of humor aversive or objectionable) report more
bodily symptoms and complaints. Students complaining of
cardiovascular symptoms and gastroenterological symptoms also have
been shown to have this more negative reaction to humor. Coronary heart disease (CHD) has long been linked to the
so-called Type A personality. One pair of researchers observed
over 25 years ago that only type B individuals use humor as a
coping tool in dealing with stress and hostile feelings. Hostile
humor has also been found to be the main kind of humor enjoyed by
Type A patients, while Type B patients enjoy non-hostile as well
as hostile humor. This is consistent with the findings showing a
close relationship between hostility and heart disease. While
laughter at hostile humor must provide some of the benefits
described above for CHD-prone individuals, those benefits are
clearly not enough to offset the bodily effects caused by
hostility to begin with. Developing non-hostile aspects of one’s
sense of humor to counteract this effect is essential for Type A
individuals. Learning to Use Humor to Cope with Stress The biggest obstacle
to obtaining these benefits of humor in your own life is the
growing stress on your job and in your personal relationships--and
perhaps the fact that you've never made an effort to develop a
good sense of humor. Humor is well-documented to be a powerful
tool in coping with life stress, but how do you go about
developing this skill if you don't already have it? I have developed a hands-on Humor Skills Training Program,
which shows you how to develop the basic foundation skills you
need in order to use humor as a coping tool. The skill development
program is presented in my book, Health, Healing and the Amuse
System: Humor as Survival Training. Use the phone number at
the beginning of this article to order the book. I have also
provided guidelines on developing humor skills at my web site,
www.LaughterRemedy.com. [NOTE: To obtain the original references for the research
discussed here, or to obtain more information on the physical and
mental health benefits of humor, see Dr. McGhee's book, Health,
Healing and the Amuse System. "Additional information on humor and
health is available at Dr. McGhee's website,
www.LaughterRemedy.com.] Paul McGhee, PhD, is currently president
of The Laughter Remedy, in Wilmington, Delaware. He is
internationally known for his research on humor, and has published
11 books on humor. He now works full time as a professional
speaker providing programs to hospitals and corporations on the
benefits of humor, giving special attention to how humor helps
cope with stress and sustain peak performance and quality of
service or care on the tough days. To arrange for a program for
you group, contact him at 302-478-7500. You can also contact him
through his web site at www.LaughterRemedy.com.
Seattle Times, May 10, 2000, Section C3
By: Carol Krucoff Slow, deep breathing is a powerful anti-stress technique. When
you bring air down into the lower portion of the lungs, where the
oxygen exchange is most efficient, heart rate slows, blood
pressure decreases, muscles relax, anxiety eases and the mind
calms. Experts in the field of mind-body medicine say that few people
in Western, industrialized society know how to breathe correctly.
We are taught to suck in our guts and puff out our chests, which
causes the muscles to tense and respiration rate to increase. As a
result, we are a nation of shallow "chest breathers," who
primarily use the middle and upper portions of the lungs. Babies
breathe from the belly, but with age, most people shift from this
healthy abdominal breathing to shallow chest breathing. Breathing is the only bodily function you can do either
consciously or unconsciously. Studies have linked focused
breathing with reducing hot flashes in menopausal women, relieving
chronic pain and reducing symptoms of PMS. Some hospitals have
begun teaching relaxation breathing to patients treated for a wide
range of conditions.
· Too often and you actually can induce stress.
· Too seldom, and you fail to benefit from it. By: Janice A. McPherson
At this point, you want to learn how to breathe correctly so it
becomes natural and automatic to you. You will need to practice
doing it right and most therapists agree that each breath should
be performed correctly to achieve maximum benefit. It is important to breathe correctly, but not too much. As
mentioned above, too much can make you dizzy. That is one of the
big problems in a panic attack, the rapid, shallow breathing
causes an oxygen overload, which actually gets you light-headed,
and then fearful of that sensation (it feeds itself.) Experiment yourself: (and if you try this, please sit safely in
a chair) take a full, deep breath then hold it for a few seconds,
then slowly exhale. Repeat this several times and you will start
to feel different and quite possibly dizzy. You will see that
changing your breathing technique and respiration intervals can
have an immediate effect. How do you remember to breathe at the right intervals? We
mentioned this earlier, but remember that, with practice, you will
learn how to breathe "correctly" all the time. It is important to
learn inhale properly, how to breathe into your diaphragm, and how
to slowly measure your exhale. This takes practice for it to
become a natural part of your respiration. And, if done correctly
and regularly, you will begin to receive positive health benefits
such as lowered blood pressure, less stress, and a general relaxed
state. The BreathMinder will help you remember to practice and
soon, proper breathing will come naturally to you. Much more information about breathing can be found at
http://www.stop-anxiety-attack-symptoms.com/technique.html along
with suggested reading and some good recordings. Many people with
stress-related problems, anxiety and panic disorder, phobias, etc.
have found almost instant relief through controlled breathing
technique.
Optimal Health & The Fight
Against Stress
Beverly Beuermann-King 'Health is wholeness and balance, an inner resilience that
allows you to meet the demands of living without being
overwhelmed.' Weil, 1997 Optimal health allows you to come into contact with germs and
not get infections. You can be in touch with allergens and not
suffer allergies. Optimal health should bring a sense of strength
and joy, even amidst the day-to-day stresses of life. It is more
than just the absence of disease. Health involves good health
care, self-awareness, living according to our values and beliefs,
being your own best friend, realizing the value of family, friends
and co-workers, and enjoying an enthusiasm for work, growth and
life. The mind-body connection is just starting to be unraveled.
The mind and the body are one and the same. The brain receives
information about the external world and from within the body. It
interprets it, makes decisions about what to do, and directs the
body to respond accordingly. The brain also responds to its own
activity and these thoughts can have a potent effect on the body.
The physical problems rooted in our thoughts are no less real than
a cut finger. Our body reacts in the same way to a perceived
threat as to a real one. It can not distinguish between worrisome
thoughts and a 'real' stress. Health is dynamic, apt to break down
as conditions change. Optimal health though, allows us to quickly
come back to order by having a strong healing system. Our healing
system therefore must involve both strategies for the body and the
mind. For more information on this article, see
www.WorkSmartLiveSmart.com
-Reuters News Service
NEW YORK (Reuters Health, October 19, 2004) - The use of a
device to assist with slow breathing is associated with a
reduction in blood pressure in hypertensive patients, according to
a report in the October issue of The Journal of Clinical
Hypertension. Previous studies using the portable device have shown its
effectiveness in reducing blood pressure, the authors explain, but
whether a minimum duration of slow breathing is required to lower
blood pressure has not been determined. Dr. William J. Elliott, and colleagues from Rush Medical
College in Chicago, investigated whether there was a minimum
duration of slow, device-guided breathing to obtain a significant
lowering of blood pressure in a study of 149 hypertensive patients
randomized to the use of the device or simple blood pressure
monitoring. In all patients who received the device and had blood
pressures measured, there was a significant relationship between
the duration of slow breathing and the degree of systolic blood
pressure lowering, the authors report. Patients who used the device for at least 180 minutes over the
8-week study (approximately 23 minutes/week) experienced a mean
systolic blood pressure lowering of 15.0 mm Hg, compared with a
7.3-mm Hg lowering among patients who used the device less than
180 minutes during the study. The high users (>180 minutes) achieved breathing rates below
10 breaths/minute approximately 61 minutes/week, the researchers
note, compared with only 22 minutes/week of slowed breathing among
the low users. The slow breathing time was consistent throughout
the study for high users, but it declined among low users to the
extent that 78% of low users did not use the device at all during
the last week. Even among high users, the device was used only about half the
recommended time of 45 minutes/week. "These data suggest that isolated systolic hypertension, which
may be the most difficult form of hypertension to control, can be
significantly improved by device-guided slow breathing when
performed as recommended," the authors conclude. "Larger and longer studies will be needed to demonstrate the
utility of device-guided slow breathing in the long-term control
of hypertension," they add.
By: Michael White
For over 30 years, exciting data has been collected that
supports the importance of good breathing for peak health and
longevity. Sadly, a number of factors have kept this information from
entering the mainstream of medical practice. First of all, studies
that focus on wellness are still not the primary focus of most
medical training, which concentrates on illness and pathological
factors. In addition, those things that can't be patented--such as
breathing--don't typically invite research funding. And without
considerable research, information doesn't gain admittance into
medical journals. Furthermore, a good source of hard medical data about breathing
has also been limited due to the reduction of autopsy rates, which
diminished from 40% in 1940 to 15% in 1999. By gauging the
deterioration of a person's diaphragm, autopsies can give us
valuable information about the relationship between breathing and
health. Here, however, are excerpts from some studies of interest to
all who'd like to breathe--and live--more fully. They show us the
way to opening our minds in this crucial area of health and
well-being. Mounting Evidence Clinical studies including thousands
of participants spanning a 30-year period offer persuasive
evidence that the most significant factor in health and longevity
is how well you breathe. 1. The Framingham study focused on the long-term predictive
power of vital capacity and forced exhalation volume as the
primary markers for life span. "This pulmonary function
measurement appears to be an indicator of general health and vigor
and literally a measure of living capacity". Wm B. Kannel and
Helen Hubert. These researchers were able to foretell how long a person was
going to live by measuring forced exhalation breathing volume,
FEV1 and hypertension. We know that much of hypertension is
controlled by the way we breathe. "Long before a person becomes
terminally ill, vital capacity can predict life span." William B.
Kannel of Boston School of Medicine (1981) stated, "The Framingham
exam’s predictive powers were as accurate over the 30-year period
as were more recent exams." The study concluded that vital
capacity falls 9 percent to 27 percent each decade depending on
age, sex and the time the test is given. The study’s shortcoming
was in suggesting that vital capacity cannot be maintained and or
increased, even in severe cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease. Any opera (not necessarily voice) teacher will support the idea
that breathing volume can be increased. Yet activities such as
singing or sports are no guarantee of optimal breathing. In fact,
they can even invite breathing blocks from gasping, forcing the
exhale and breath heaving. You don't have to learn how to sing to
have a huge pair of lungs. But you DO need to know how to breathe.
I maintain that if you train someone to breathe correctly, they
will naturally know how to sing. I’ve never seen it fail. You can get the complete Framingham study at the National
Institute of Health's Database.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/ REMINDER: Most of scientific research is and was done with rats
and primates who do not breathe the same as humans. Researchers
did not seem to believe at that time that one could improve one's
breathing. Many still do not believe one can improve one's
breathing. This is simply not true. 2. 29 years after the Framingham study, the same conclusions
prevail. Lung Function May Predict Long Life Or Early Death How
well your lungs function may predict how long you live. This
finding is the result of a nearly 30-year follow-up of the
association between impaired pulmonary function and all causes of
mortality, conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo.
Results of the study appear in the September issue of Chest. The
purpose of the current study was to investigate the association
between pulmonary function and mortality for periods that extended
past 25 years, the limit of previous studies. Dr. Schunemann and
colleagues also wanted to determine for how long pulmonary
function is a significant predictor of mortality. Results showed
that lung function was a significant predictor of longevity in the
whole group for the full 29 years of follow-up. "It is important
to note that the risk of death was increased for participants with
moderately impaired lung function, not merely those in the lowest
quintile," Dr. Schunemann said. "This suggests that the increased
risk isn't confined to a small fraction of the population with
severely impaired lung function." The reasons lung function may
predict mortality are not clear, Dr. Schunemann said, noting that
increased risk is found in persons who never smoked, as well as
among smokers. "The lung is a primary defense organism against
environmental toxins. It could be that impaired pulmonary function
could lead to decreased tolerance against these toxins.
Researchers also have speculated that decreased pulmonary function
could underlie an increase in oxidative stress from free radicals,
and we know that oxidative stress plays a role in the development
of many diseases." Dr. Schunemann said the fact that a
relationship does exists between lung function and risk of death
should motivate physicians to screen patients for pulmonary
function, even if more research is needed to determine why. "It is
surprising that this simple measurement has not gained more
importance as a general health assessment tool," he noted. From
Mike: "Surprising" puts it mildly! Schunemann HJ, Dorn J, Grant
BJB, Winkelstein W, Jr., Trevisan M. Pulmonary Function Is a
Long-term Predictor of Mortality in the General Population 29-Year
Follow-up of the Buffalo Health Study. Chest 2000;118(3)656-664.
3. Decline in FEV1 (breathing volume) by age and smoking
status: facts, figures and fallacies. Thorax 1997 52:820-827. This study shows the importance of longitudinal studies as
opposed to cross sectional ones." This published article focused on a compilation of 83 published
reports and clinical studies showing clearly that the primary
measurement for lung function (FEV1) is based on cross sectional
data instead of longitudinal data. This means essentially that
they include sick people with widely diverse circumstances in
their statistics and compile everyone's data for mass diagnosis.
This 1997 research paper points out that, "from one low
measurement of FEV1 (forced exhalation volume) in an adult, it is
impossible to determine whether the reduced lung function is due
to not having achieved a high maximum during early adulthood, or
to having an accelerated rate of decline or to any combination of
these." "Western medical studies, via cross sectioning, continue
to look for role modeling epidemiological "norms" that include the
ranks of the ill. Cross sectioning is 60% effective and proven by
many to be ineffective over the last 40 years." The health professional's opinion can have immense personal,
social, legal, and economic consequences. When it is based on
information colored by sick or otherwise non-optimum healthy or
inappropriately chosen individuals, the statistic(s) become
weighted in favor of, or excessively influenced by, illness or
what is perceived as illness, and may well be in reality, simple
mechanical dysfunction. Cross sectional studies can bring the
averages down and cause many who do not need the intensity,
duration or style of treatment recommended by many health
practitioners to be over or under medicated, or inappropriately
fed, exercised, massaged or educated. From Mike: We need to focus on how to improve breathing, not on
how it became impaired. Dwelling too much on problems and
pathology gets in the way of creativity and flexibility. 4. The
von Ardenne studies focused on oxygen’s relationship to most major
categories of illness. When your blood oxygen goes way down, you
get sick, die or at least shorten your life span. This book is a
masterful compilation of clinical insights and variations on
breathing assessments, cofactors and some techniques of breathing
development called Oxygen Multistep Therapy. Dr. Manfred von Ardenne was a student of Dr. Otto Warburg.
Warburg received the 1931 Nobel Prize for proving that cancer is
anaerobic; it cannot survive in a high oxygen environment. Germs,
fungi and bacteria are anaerobic as well. von Ardenne was also
inspired by Karl Lohmann who discovered adenosine triphosphate,
ATP, which many believe to be the human body’s main energy
currency. von Ardenne was an electron physicist who in addition to
his interest in astronomy, developed quite a good reputation for
cancer research . He went on to develop a process he called Oxygen
Multistep Therapy. In his book of the same name, Dr. von Ardenne
addressed some 150 respiratory and blood gas aspects including
elements of what we might call respiratory psychophysiology. Some studies addressed in the book are: - Dependence of O2
uptake at rest. - The O2 deficiency pulse reaction as a warning
sign of a life-threatening crisis, and the lasting remedying of
the crisis. - Procedures that influence and measure increases and
decreases in arterial and venous O2 blood levels. - The necessary
physical exercise to attain a training effect (which is less than
you might expect). - Increases in brain circulation during
physical strain. - Rate of blood flow in the circulation of the
organs. - Various examples in changes of O2 uptake. Heart minute
volume and blood flow of the organs decisive for O2 transport. -
Relation of ATP concentrations in rat brains as a function of the
oxygen partial pressure of the inspired air. He graphed much of his research. Other cofactors that influence
lung volume are airways hyper-responsiveness, atopy, childhood
respiratory infections, air pollution, posture, subluxation of the
spine, exercise, deep and superficial fascia, nutrition,
occupational hazards, abuse and trauma, attitude, and age, height,
weight and sex. The Manfred von Ardenne studies are best obtained by getting
his book called Oxygen Multistep Therapy. His material is good but
remains primarily within the illness model instead of the wellness
model. 5. Obesity And Breathing Effects of Obesity on Respiratory
Resistance (increased force required to breathe and shortness of
breath). Chest 1993 May,103(5):1470-1476. These findings suggest
that in addition to the elastic load, obese subjects have to
overcome increased respiratory resistance from the reduction in
lung volume related to being overweight. 6. Numerous measurements
have shown that the low pO2art resulting from stressful events of
following degeneration of the lung heart system (LHS) in old age
can be re-elevated up to high values. Manfred von Ardenne - Stress
1981 Vol 2 Autumn. 7. Self-evaluation of respiratory deterioration
was significantly predictive of death from all causes. Kauffmann
F, Annesi I, Chwalow J -Epidemiological Research Unit INSERM U
169, Villejuif, France. European Respiratory Journal 1997 Nov;
10(11):2508-2514 In other words there are ways of your telling
yourself how good your breathing is and what you observe is
related to how long you may live due to good or bad breathing. 8.
Breathe Well Be Well. Robert Fried, Ph D. A strong collection of
18 years working with correlating hyperventilation and its
relationship to many illnesses never before linked to poor
breathing. 9. Dr. Otto Warburg received the 1931 Nobel price for
proving that cancer is anaerobic. It does not survive in high
concentrations of oxygen. A crucially important factor in
breathing is the exhale, which is much more than the inhale. But
contemporary lung volume measurements are inconsistent and guided
by cross sectional criteria instead of longitudinal data and
therefore do not adequately predict decline within individuals.
This lack of insight about optimal functioning can cause people to
be trained to do forced inhalations that may actually be harmful
in long run. 10. Do you often catch yourself not breathing? Do you
experience shallow, labored breathing; shortness of breath; a high
chest; stuck, erratic, or reverse breathing? Are you unable to
catch your breath? Do you have blue-tinted lips or fingernails;
trouble sleeping; more than 6 -8 resting breaths per minute with
3-6 second pauses; heart beat irregularities; poor posture, mild
to severe depression; tightness across your chest; excessive
stress; asthma or COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
symptoms; constant fatigue; chronic pain; chest pains; anger;
anxiety; hyperventilation? Do you think you can't sing or want to
sing better? For more breathing-relevant studies in a free
newsletter or to take the free breathing self tests and see how
you compare to others, access www.breathing.com/tests.htm
Breathing Pattern Retraining and Exercise in Persons with Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) "Smaller breaths conserve energy in the short tem but
contribute to respiratory muscle fatigue and hyperinflation as the
work of exercise increases or is prolonged." "A properly designed
breathing retraining program in which patients with COPD learn to
control their pattern of breathing under the stress of performing
different modes of exercise at increasing intensity and duration
may markedly decrease dyspnea and improve gas exchange." This
article is courtesy of Michael Grant White - OBDMT, NE, LMBT, and
used here with his written permission. Michael White is the author
of Secrets of Optimal Natural Breathing, Building
Healthy Lungs Naturally, The Way You Breathe Can Make You
Sick or Make You Well, and Sleeping and Snoring. Mike
is the founder and director of The Optimal Breathing School
combining key elements of Christianity, Tibetan, Hither, and
Kundalini Yoga, Pranayama, Chi Kung, (Qigong), Massage therapy,
meditations, Tai Chi, Karate, Reichian Therapy, Radiance
Breathwork™, Rebirthing™, Meditation, Chanting, Toning, Operatic
and Public Speaking training, and nutrition. You can read scores
of articles he's written, or reach him through his website at http://www.breathing.com/.
By: Dennis Lewis
This article, by Dennis Lewis, is a revised version of an
article first published in Authentic
Breathing News on November 30, 2004 I recently had an unusual
exchange with a couple of singers about how the diaphragm
functions in relation to singing and the human voice. For whatever
reason, these people believed that the diaphragm is basically a
passive organ, moved down and up mainly by the movement of the
lungs and the viscera. Unfortunately, this is a common
misconception among many people, and has ramifications in their
lives far beyond singing and speaking. Here is a short, highly
simplified description of how the diaphragm actually works. The lungs sit on top of the diaphragm, a very powerful muscle
which is fixed to the lower ribs, sternum, lumbar vertebrae (via
the crura), and so on. When we inhale, and if our diaphragm is in
good health, it normally contracts, and the dome of the diaphragm
flattens downward (other movements by the diaphragm in other
directions take place as well) against the viscera, which allows
the lungs to expand to receive fresh air. When we exhale, the
diaphragm relaxes upward (returns as a result of its elasticity)
against the lungs, helping to expel used air from them. In other
words, when we are breathing well the dome of the diaphragm first
contracts downward during inhalation to allow the lungs to expand
more fully, and then relaxes upward pushing on the bottom of the
lungs and, along with the secondary breathing muscles, helps the
lungs empty (except for the residual volume that is necessary to
keep them from collapsing). The changing thoracic pressures,
greatly influenced by the movements of the diaphragm, help
regulate the movement of air in and out of our lungs and, of
course, through our vocal cords. If you have a tight belly, one that does not easily and freely
expand outward as you inhale, the diaphragm has a more difficult
time moving downward because it is being resisted by the
contracted abdominal muscles and the viscera (everything touches
something else and a movement or constriction in one pace
influences everything around it). When you relax your belly and
allow it to expand as you inhale, your viscera drop slightly down
and out and the diaphragm can more easily contract downward. Then,
when exhalation takes place, the diaphragm begins its upward
movement of relaxation and elasticity aided by the natural
movement of the belly as it returns toward the spine. All of this
is called natural diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing. If your
diaphragm is weak, however, or if your abdominal muscles are
contracted or held very tightly, you will have less diaphragmatic
contraction and movement downward during inhalation and thus less
diaphragmatic elasticity and movement upward during exhalation. As
an experiment to see how your belly influences your breathing,
suck in your belly now and try to inhale deeply (be careful not to
do it too strenuously as you can hurt yourself). Then relax your
belly, put both hands on it, and allow it to expand as you inhale.
Notice any differences. The fact is, with your belly held very
tightly there will be much less downward movement of your
diaphragm on inhalation since there is so much resistance from the
abdominal muscles and viscera to this movement. And, if there is
little downward movement on inhalation, there will be little
upward movement on exhalation. So you will feel a lot of tension
and effort in your breathing, which will often become less
efficient, shallower, and faster, driven mainly by the secondary
breathing muscles of the chest. Unfortunately, as a result of more and more perceived mental
and emotional stress in our lives, as well as the common image of
the flat, hard belly that is so prevalent today, people carry a
lot of unnecessary tension in their bellies, and, over time, this,
combined with unnecessary tensions in the throat, chest, and back
and many other factors that I discuss in my books and audio
program, constricts the diaphragm and makes it difficult for
it to move (a lot of this tension is created, of course, by the
over stimulation of our sympathetic nervous system--our "flight or
fight or freeze" response). Over time, this diminished movement of
the diaphragm becomes the norm for many people and the diaphragm
in fact weakens and loses its ability to move through its entire
potential range of motion (some five to six inches in the vertical
direction), which means it often becomes incapable of moving fully
downward or fully upward during the in-breath and the out-breath.
When the diaphragm is unable to move freely and easily through its
entire potential range of vertical motion, both our inhalation and
our exhalation suffer and so does our voice, and eventually our
health and well-being suffer as well. (Of course, it is not just
the movements up and down that become restricted, it is also the
horizontal and other movements and the shape and size of the
diaphragm that is adversely affected.) If one knows how to "listen," one can hear this diminished
functioning in ourselves and others while speaking, singing,
chanting, and so on. For the quality and power of the sounds we
make depend in large part on the quality and power of our breath.
It is an interesting experiment to sense your breathing when you
are very emotional and simultaneously listen to the quality,
pitch, and so on of the words you speak. Also, notice the tensions
in your throat. We often tense our throat muscles to speak when
our breathing has become inefficient or disharmonized and we have
insufficient breath. We end up with excessive tension in our vocal
cords as we try to express ourselves. Of course, there are many other factors that influence our
breathing as well, some of which I have discussed on other pages
of this website, and many of which I discuss in my books. The
important point here is that the diaphragm is not passive; keeping
it strong, in good shape, and well-harmonized with the other
breathing muscles is paramount to all aspects of your life,
including your ability to fully express yourself speaking or
singing, and there are some simple, practical ways to do this as I
discuss in my books, audio program, and on this website.
By: Dr. R. Reid Wilson, reprinted with permission
Since the awful events of September 11, many people have been
left with a fear of flying where they perhaps had no qualms about
this mode of transportation before. Although this excellent
article from Dr. Reid's website was written before that tragedy,
and the possibility of similar situations occurring in the future
has since entered our everyday consciousness, it contains much
that can help those for whom air travel is an unpleasant
necessity. Even though one out of every six adult Americans is
afraid of flying, a very small percentage seek out help for their
fears. For those who do confront their worries and symptoms, the
task of getting more comfortable often takes significant
encouragement and an extra dose of effort. Here are some of the
reasons why. Obstacles to Achieving Comfortable Flight 1. You may
be confronting several fears at once. 2. Your perception of risk
may work against you. 3. The media present a lopsided view of
airline accidents. 4. It is harder to gradually face your fears of
flying. 5. Repetition of practice is crucial, but it's costly. 1.
You may be confronting several fears at once. When a person is
phobic of elevators, she typically has only one fear, whether it
is closed-in spaces, crowds or heights. This simple phobia means
that the task of getting better is not so complicated. Few people
have only one fear regarding flying. There are two broad areas of
concern. Some people have trouble believing that commercial air
travel is safe. And, understandably, people dislike the anxious
symptoms they feel when they fly. Within those two are over two
dozen fears. It's no wonder that many people don't even try to
overcome so many obstacles to their comfortable flying. 2. Your
perception of risk may work against you. Before we engage in a new
or difficult activity, our minds automatically begin to assess the
risk factors involved. Three criteria are common as we consider
whether to move forward with action: Am I in control of the risk?
Is it a big risk or many little ones? Is it familiar or
unfamiliar? Commercial flight doesn't score very well on this
psychological assessment of risk. Let's contrast flying with
traveling by automobile. First is, am I in control? People
perceive that they have very little control of an airplane. They
can't get off the plane and they aren't permitted in the cockpit.
It seems much safer in a car because we can typically drive
whenever we want and pull over whenever we feel like it. (By the
way, that's why some people have trouble driving over bridges or
in the left hand turn lane at a stoplight—they feel trapped by not
being able to quickly pull off the road.)The second question is,
will this be a big risk? In an automobile accident only a few
people are injured or killed at the most. The mind perceives this
as a small risk compared to the possibility of over 100 people
being killed in one airline accident. In addition, being on the
ground while traveling seems less risky than traveling 35,000 feet
in the air. Third, is this risk familiar? People think they have a
general sense of how cars work. They know there is this engine
that has pistons that produce energy that turn the wheels. We have
been exposed to cars so frequently over so many years that we
travel by car with little sense of risk. Flying, on the other
hand, is an inherently unnatural event for humans and can seem
quite mysterious. How do they put some many tons of plane, people
and cargo into the air? How do they prevent collisions? What if we
run out of fuel, get a flat tire, run into a storm? The complexity
of commercial flight leads us to feel insecure, since we are
naturally more afraid of the unknown than the known. None of these
perceptions is reflective of reality! As you will read in the next
few pages, flying is, indisputably, the safest form of modern
transportation. To reduce your anxieties about commercial flight,
you must challenge your perceptions of reality far more than you
need to address the actual risks of flying. As you realize this,
you will be well on your way to comfortable flight. 3. The media
present a lopsided view of airline accidents. The media coverage
of an airline accident can contribute to this problem, too. We see
or read about the same airline accident repeatedly on the radio
and TV and in newspaper articles. If there has been a plane crash
recently, it might be shown on the evening news ten or fifteen
times over the next three or four weeks. It could come across our
breakfast tables every morning for days through the newspaper
headlines. Seeing that traumatic event so many times, we have
ample opportunity to imagine ourselves on that plane. Dr. Arnold
Barnett, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, compared
the number of front-page stories in The New York Times that
addressed six major sources of death: AIDS, automobiles, cancer,
homicide, suicide, and commercial jets. Over a period of a year,
stories about airline accidents far outnumbered stories about any
of the other five sources of death. In fact, when considering
coverage on a per-death basis, the number of airline stories was
sixty times the number of stories on AIDS, and over eight thousand
times the number of stories about cancer, the nation's number two
killer. Airline accidents are certainly dramatic and newsworthy,
and the media serves an important function of keeping the public
eye on the industry's safety concerns. However, this kind of
frequent reporting skews our sense of relative danger. We tend to
associate greater exposure to a problem with our sense of how
serious the problem is. It is not so much the number of people
killed by a particular source that can produce our vicarious
trauma. If that were true, few of us would feel safe enough to
travel by car. But the greater the number of times we draw our
attention to the graphic image of those deaths, and the greater
the number of times we imagine ourselves involved in that event,
then the stronger our chances of becoming uncomfortable. 4. It is
harder to gradually face your fears of flying. We know from over
twenty-five years of behavioral research that gradual exposure to
fearful situations is a highly successful treatment. You can
design a program for yourself that takes you through stages of
exposure to components of flying: studying about the industry,
visiting airports, talking with pilots, boarding stationary
planes, practicing visualizations of comfortable flight. But the
step between these practices and boarding a regular commercial
flight is a large one. For those who have become phobic of flying
and no longer travel by plane, this step requires significant
courage. 5. Repetition of practice is crucial, but it's costly. We
also know that you continue to increase your comfort by continuing
to practice facing your fears. If too much time passes between
practices, the mind has a tendency to wander back to the fearful
experiences and forget the successes. I recommend that my clients
take at least one flight every three months to practice their
skills during their first year after treatment. But with ticket
prices for even short trips costing close to $200, this can be so
expensive that people fail to reinforce their gains through
practice. —© Copyright 2003, reprinted with permission. Dr. R.
Reid Wilson is a licensed psychologist specializing in the
treatment of all anxiety disorders. He directs the Anxiety
Disorders Treatment Program in North Carolina.
Coping Skills for Managing
Stress and Overcoming Anxiety
By: Rochelle Melander, Personal Coach, reprinted with
permission
First things First - No matter how great you are at coping with
panic and stress, no matter how helpful my list of strategies
might be to you, the first steps you need to take toward healing
are setting up appointments with both a physician and a therapist.
See your doctor! Panic attacks can be caused by health
problems and by medication as well as by emotional stress. Your
doctor can help you to discern this and guide you toward taking
the appropriate actions. See a therapist! If your panic
stems from past emotional wounds, a therapist can work with you to
heal these. In addition, a therapist can provide you with coping
skills that are appropriate to your specific situation and
personality. bCoping Strategies The following strategies have
helped me cope with stress and alleviate panic attacks. I hope
that they will be helpful to you in your own journey of healing.
Soy's health benefits may not
extend to reduced anxiety
By: D. Smith Bailey
While health experts tout the cardiovascular benefits of a
soy-rich diet, recent research suggests the effects may be
limited when it comes to mental health. In a study of male and
female rats, researchers at the Yerkes National Primate
Research Center in Atlanta found that soy supplements
decreased anxious behavior in female rats about to go into
heat but had no effect on female rats who had just finished
cycling. What's more, the soy supplements appeared to increase
anxious behavior in male rats. The findings suggest that
researchers need to more closely examine the claims of some
marketers that soy supplements can improve mood and sexual
function, say the study authors, who were lead by
neuroscientist Heather B. Patisaul, PhD, now a researcher at
CIIT Centers for Health Research in North Carolina's Research
Triangle. "There are a lot of clinical trials under way
looking at soy's effects on osteoporosis and cardiovascular
functioning, but there aren't any that look at mood or
depression or sexual desire in women," says Patisaul. "[This
study] drives us to ask the question: Is soy effecting anxiety
and depression?" In the study, the researchers compared the
behavior of male and female rats on two different soy-rich
diets with control groups on a normal diet. Both soy-rich
diets contained soy isoflavones--compounds commonly found in
over-the-counter soy supplements that are molecularly and
structurally similar to estrogen. But the second soy-rich diet
also included the carbohydrates, proteins and other nutrients
found in whole soybeans and soy milk. The researchers placed
each rat in the center of an elevated plus-shaped maze. Two of
the maze arms were walled and two were open with a drop of
more than 1.5 feet to the floor. The researchers then recorded
how often and for how long the rats entered the open arms--a
bold act that indicates low anxiety--compared with the closed
arms. Males on the soy-rich diets spent less time in the open
arms and entered the arms less often than the control
males--at levels indicating they were significantly more
anxious. Meanwhile, about-to-heat, or proestrous, females on
both diets were the least anxious: They entered and spent more
time in the open arms than either the finished-cycling or
control females. That finding makes sense, says Patisaul,
considering that most animals have the highest levels of
estrogen during proestrus, and previous research has found
that estrogen lowers anxiety. However, the researchers found
that the soy-rich diets didn't increase estrogen levels in the
proestrus rats. The researchers conjecture that instead the
isoflavones enhanced the anxiety-reducing effects of estrogen
already in the proestrus rats--a benefit that didn't extend to
other females in the study.
Deep Breathing - Simple But
Effective
By: Beverly Beuermann-King, www.WorkSmartLiveSmart.com
Preventing illness, slowing down the aging process and
living life to the fullest - these are a few of the reasons
Canadians are reaching out towards a healthier lifestyle. One
of the simplest and most effective strategies is deep
breathing. Though it comes naturally it doesn't meant that we
do it correctly. If you have watched babies and children when
sitting or resting you will see that they breathe with their
whole lungs. Most adults use around 1/3 of their lung capacity
when breathing. Poor posture and chronic tension override our
natural, deep rhythm. Our bodies strain for every ounce of
oxygen that is taken in. Air is the primary 'food' or our body
and without it we would die in as little as 10 minutes. Not
breathing correctly adds stress and strain to our bodies. Our
natural stress response promotes breathing rapidly as the body
gets excited and ready for action. Deep breathing can
interrupt this stress response and promote relaxation. Deep
breathing improves the distribution of oxygen to the body's
tissues and brain. It can lower blood pressure, reduce muscle
tension, bring your mind into focus and quiet the racing
thoughts we tend to have and calm your mood by releasing
endorphins which are the body's natural painkillers. Deep
breathing is a powerful means of recharging yourself. It can
convert fatigue into energy and restlessness into calmness.
The 'Complete Breath' can be used to become emotionally calm
yet physically energized. You can take in approximately ten
times more air than in normal unconscious breathing. The
following are steps for the 'Complete Breath': · Lie or sit in
a comfortable position · Place your hands, one above and one
below your belly button, to help experience the filling and
releasing of your entire lung capacity · Breathe in through
your nose · Breathe in three parts by filling the bottom of
your lungs (expand your lower stomach), then the middle, and
then the top of your lungs · Hold for a count of three ·
Breathe out in three parts by releasing the top, then the
middle and finally the bottom · Your shoulders should roll
slightly forward as you force all of the air from your lungs ·
Repeat this process several times a day for 5-10 breaths ·
Should you start to feel light-headed from the increase in
oxygen to your system, shake your arms and hands vigourously
to use up the extra oxygen Deep breathing several times a day
helps to expand your lungs and increase your unconscious
natural capacity during the rest of the day. It can provide
energy when we experience the afternoon lull or during those
sometimes dreaded meetings. It can serve as a break from the
increase of stress during our day and help us to get refocused
when faced with a difficult situation or project. It can also
be used during an emergency to increase our capacity for
problem solving and decrease the effects of the stress
response such as muscle tension, headaches and increased heart
rate. Though deep breathing seems to be an incredibly simple
suggestion, it an have very powerful effects. It can be done
by anyone, anywhere and in any circumstance. Try it today and
notice the effect it has on you. Once started, it will soon
become one of the best stress busters in your arsenal.
Health Tip: Recognizing
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
By: Angela Meadows, reprinted with permission of the author
Know when to worry about your
worrying (HealthDay News) -- Are you constantly
worrying about your health, finances, family or career? If
you've spent at least six months fretting excessively about a
number of everyday problems, you may be experiencing
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), says the National
Institute of Mental Health. It's a condition that affects
about 4 million American adults. People with GAD are consumed
with worry, even when there's no apparent trigger. It's much
more than the normal anxiety associated with daily life.
People with GAD find it hard to dismiss their worry, even when
they know it's more than the situation warrants. GAD is often
accompanied by physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue,
muscle tension and muscle aches. You may also find you have
difficultly relaxing, concentrating or sleeping, and you may
startle more easily than others. But constant worry needn't be
a way of life. GAD is often treated with medication. The
condition typically occurs in conjunction with another anxiety
disorder, depression or substance abuse, which will need
treatment, as well. Copyright © 2005 ScoutNews, LLC. All
rights reserved.
By: Beverly Beuermann-King, www.WorkSmartLiveSmart.com
By: Leslie Owen Wilson, reprinted with permission of the
author
The Importance of Breath Warning! Please check with your medical or health
practitioner before you try these. If you have a medical
condition or are prone to hyperventilating or dizziness, these
exercises may not be for you! If you become dizzy while trying
these exercises -- STOP immediately and sit down and rest.
These techniques have been collected from a number of
different sources. Please see the resources list at the end of
this page for more information. Although, I practice the
following techniques, I am not a medical doctor and disclaim
any liability for the use of these ideas. Comments: We are a nation of shallow breathers! Yes,
we are! We sit and don't breathe and then wonder why we are
pooped, or stressed, or can't think, or why we are cranky.
Many of us hold tension in our shoulders and when we are
working intensely we breath at more shallow levels. This is
not good. The great philosopher Emmanuel Kant seemed to
instinctively know that breathing aided mental activity and
that life had to be balanced. He was known to go on daily
vigorous walks, waving his walking stick about in the air, and
taking deep breaths. While waving your arms about may look
silly, moving raised arms while briskly walking or dancing
lifts the diaphragm and forces you to breath deeply. Try it.
It is invigorating. Of course watch and make sure you have
enough space so you don't pop someone in the nose. There are
many different types of breathing techniques. These are
illustrated both on videotapes and in self-help books.
Generally the differences between the extremes of calming
breathing exercises and invigorating breathing are the
movements of the abdomen, the diaphragm and the exhaling
processes. In calming breathing the abdomen moves outward as
the lungs and diaphragm expand. The exhaling breaths are slow,
trying to exhale more than you have taken in. In its most
extreme for invigorating breathing the lungs expand and the
abdomen is sucked inward creating a type of vacuum as the long
breaths are held and then exhaled quickly. This is supposed to
raise your metabolism and create higher energy levels. Calming breaths: 1. Serious breaths -- The cosmic breath, or hey, I am
out of control and need help type of breathing: Minimum -- 6-8
times. Close your eyes and try to relax your facial, neck and
shoulder muscles by tensing them and then relaxing them.
Breathe deeply through your nose and out through your mouth
with long, slow exhalations. As you breathe out, count
backwards in your mind from ten to one. Feel the breath deep
in your abdomen. Create a mental note to go into this form of
breathing in times of crisis, stress, or during the times you
are hurried or feel very agitated. If possible, go and sit
somewhere and say to yourself "breathe," or write yourself a
cue on your hand, or leave post-its and notes around the
house, the office in the car. (And, "NO!” of course you can't
close your eyes in the car, but you can at a stop light or if
you are stuck in traffic, or you can pull over to the side of
the road.) Create a new habit. If you cannot go to sleep at
night, try doing this 16 times. Remember to quite you mind;
think of becoming like limp rubber, or of melting into a
puddle of blue-green calm as you do the breathing exercises.
2. Belly breaths -- or I need to relax a little
breathing: Minimum: 3-5 times in rapid succession. To center
down before a meal or when your feeling mildly stressed, place
your hands on your abdomen and fill your lungs full of air
with a deep belly breath -- exhale in a succession of short
soft puffs -- rather like keeping a balloon in the air. 3.
Don't go negative! -- Intervention breathing -- Minimum: 3
breaths -- As Gay Hendricks points out, it is important to
catch yourself when you are experiencing negative thoughts or
when something negative has happened to trigger a fight or
flight response. You must create relaxing intervention
breathing as soon as you feel yourself flooded with
negativity, self-doubt, anxiety, or fear. Take three big, deep
breaths and change your body position and give yourself a big
all over shake. Let whatever has happened go. Envision it
leaving your area as you shake your shoulders and arms. Invigorating breaths: 4. Wake me up, I'm in a slump breathing: Minimum -- 3-4
short breaths plus one long. If one set doesn't work, try
three sets. If you feel like you are losing energy, take in
3-4 short but deep in and out breaths. Follow these with a
long cosmic breath. This works well with stimulating
acupressure points or with a cross-crawl or hemisphere
switching exercise. 5. Hey, I really, really need to wake up breathing -
Minimum --1-5 minutes. Warning - if you feel yourself
getting dizzy STOP and rest and breath slowly. This type
of breathing needs to be done while you are walking or
standing. You will need some room to roam and may wish to warn
those near you as to what you are going to do -- in the event
that they might think that you have lost it. Lung capacity is
increased by arm movements. Walk about brandishing your arms
or one or more objects of equal weight - a cane, wooden spoon,
baton, paper towel tubes, pencils, etc. Create expressive arm
movements like you are attacking an imaginary foe or dueling
with Basil Rathbone. Or if you wish to be more sedate, simply
stand and do horizontal figure eights in the air, first with
one hand, then the other, and then with both together. 6. Raise your metabolism breathing - Inhale deeply
through your nose pulling your diaphragm up and sucking in
your abdomen at the same time. Hold it and count slowly to
3-5. This should create a type of vacuum. Exhale quickly
through your mouth. If this makes you feel lightheaded,
STOP immediately. ©Leslie Owen Wilson 1997, 2005
www.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson
The Power of Breathing and
Breathing Techniques
By: Dr. Laura De Giorgio
Breathing and Neurology Breathing is one of the most profound and direct ways we
have of changing or tuning our chemical and biological state
to affect our neurology. Within breath is contained life-force
(energy, ki. chi, prana, etc.). The assimilation and direction
of life-force can be further increased through awareness. Rapport and Bonding Through breathing we interact with our surroundings. The
air you breathe in now was the exhalation of someone else.
Matching the breathing of another, breathing in unison with
another, is one of the fastest ways to create a rapport. You
can change the state of another by passing his or her
breathing and then leading by slowly changing the pattern,
depending on what you desire to accomplish - e.g. stimulate
more excitement or calm down another. Tantric lovers consciously use techniques of circular
breathing to build a strong bond of union. The simplest is
that one lover inhales while the other exhales. Partners can
circle and increase energy when the active partner inhales
through the nose and exhales through the genitals, while the
receptive, or other partner inhales through the genitals and
exhales through the nose. Making smaller circles, for instance
between the sex chakra and the heart chakra, to promote
intense and passionate love. Breathing and Trance States Deep, relaxed breathing promotes calmness and helps to
induce a trance state. When breathing in, breathe deeply into
your stomach, hold the breath for a few moments, and exhale
very slowly. Repeat the process several times. You will notice
an instant sense of increased calmness. This kind of breathing also helps when you find yourself
emotionally overwhelmed. Deep breathing will help you to let
go of stress and restore mental and emotional equilibrium,
enabling you to handle the situation more effectively. One breathing technique that promotes overall relaxation is
by focusing on different parts of your body and breathing
through that part of the body until it feels totally loose and
relaxed, beginning with your feet, and continuing with your
calves, knees, thighs, buttocks, stomach, back, chest
(breast), arms, shoulders, neck and completing the process
with your head. Maintaining your awareness on breathing,
simply watching it without consciously attempting to change it
(it will change of its own accord) promotes an awareness of
the present moment. When you are immersed in reading a book or when you are
solving a mathematical problem, your mind is very much
absorbed in the object of your focus. If you closely watch
your breath on these occasions, you will find that the breath
has become very very slow. Mind and Breathing and closely
connected. Breathing and Healing You can use the breath to send your attention and energy to
certain parts of your body. In this way you can increase the
awareness of your body, as well as stimulate the healing
energy. To accelerate the healing process, all you need to do
is imagine that you are breathing through the part of your
body that needs healing. Health problems are a result of
"congested energy" and breathing helps both to release these
blockages and allow the unobstructed flow of energy through
the body, as well as to increase the life-force in that part
of the body. Breathing and Pain Management Directing breathing to a painful area of the body relaxes
the muscles and helps to eliminate pain. For example, if you
feel tightness in your stomach, you may notice instant
improvement after just a few focused breaths. In this case,
simply imagine that you are breathing through your stomach.
Breathing and Child Delivery There are four kinds of breathing that immensely help to
ease, and control child delivery process. During the first
stage of delivery, when contractions are few minutes apart,
simply breathing through to stomach with the rise of each
contraction, will release the tension, relax the muscles and
dissolve all discomfort. As the interval between contractions
shortens and they become more intense, a more intense, panting
type of breathing helps to dissolve the discomfort. As the delivery moment is approaching and you begin to feel
the pressure and an urge to push, yet still need to wait for
the doctor to check that the baby is properly positioned, the
breathing that relieves the pressure is taking several breaths
rapidly through your teeth, as if you're making a hissing
sound and then very slowly and deeply exhaling. The long
exhalation helps to relax and lift off the pressure. The purpose of the fourth kind of breathing in delivery is
to help you speed up the delivery and to prevent the push and
pull of the baby. This last kind of breathing takes a little
bit of practice. You are to slowly take in the breath, hold it
for one minute, while focusing all your strength on pushing
with your stomach muscles. Then you need to maintain this push
and in order to do so, you exhale very slowly, immediately
taking another deep breath and holding it for another minute.
You need to be able to maintain the push for 3-5 minutes, all
along taking in the breath and holding it for one minute. You
are likely to deliver the baby in only three minutes. Removing Emotional Blocks Deep intense breathing brings you in touch with deep-seated
emotions, the fears, pains and anger, and releases them. A
very effective breathing technique that releases deep-seated
emotions and released energy blocks that prevent the free flow
of energy is conscious-connected breathing. In this type of
breathing there is no pause between the inhalation and
exhalation, just one continuous flow. You naturally breath in this way after, what represents for
you, an intense physical exertion - e.g. running a long
distance. This is just about the only kind of breathing in
which you may breathe (inhale and exhale) through your mouth.
Even if you breathe only for several minutes in this way -
e.g. 20 conscious connected breaths, you'll release some
emotional and energetic blocks. To experience the whole
process, which may last even 45 minutes, it is best to contact
a "certified rebirther" in your area. A "rebirther" is simply a guide - a person who has
undergone this process and is experienced in guiding you
through it. The above process was initiated by Leonard Orr.
The name "rebirthing" stuck because many people who went
through the process would re-live their "birth" experience.
The similar process, initiated by Stan Grof is "holotropic
breathwork". As you keep on breathing in the above manner, your body
will feel energized and you will feel tingles all over your
body. As the energy pushes through the energetic blocks in
your body, initially you may feel a slight discomfort and
attempt to resist the process. Resisting the process actually
intensifies discomfort, so the only way through is to keep on
breathing. As you surrender to the breathing process, at some
point you'll even feel that it's not you who are breathing,
but that the breath is breathing you, purifying every cell and
atom of your body. As energetic and emotional obstacles
dissolve, your breathing will gradually return to normal and
you'll feel super-energized. Accessing Creativity There are several techniques for accessing creativity
through breathing. One of them involves switching the nostril
through which you are breathing. Throughout the day you'll
notice that the nostril through which you are breathing
changes. For a while you breathe through the right nostril,
then the nostril changes, and you breathe through the left
nostril. After a while, nostrils change again. As the left
side of the body controls the right-brain thinking (creative),
and the right side of the body controls the left-brain
thinking (logical), to stimulate creativity and right-brain
thinking, you simply close down your right nostril (with your
thumb) and breathe through the left nostril, thus stimulating
the right-brain activity. Accelerating the Creation Process Like God breathed life into his creation, magicians and
healers breathe raised energy into the desired outcome.
Focused energy, like a laser beam, always hits the target and
brings about the manifestation, yet to create a change, to
shape shift your reality, you need to generate energy. The
more energy you have, the more power you have. Individual with
more energy easily re-arranges the lower-energy patterns. Or,
if you will, in the conflict between the two, the one with
more energy (higher vibration, more power) always wins over
the one with lower energy (lower vibration, less power). More
about this is mentioned elsewhere - throughout my website and
through different reports and lessons that come with the
self-hypnosis programs. Once the energy is raised (generated)
it is directed, through breath and visualization, toward the
manifestation of desired goal. Kundalini Awakening Meditation Kundalini breathing is the yogic process of consciously
creating and sustaining a definite ascending and descending
flow of cosmic energy through the cerebro-spinal channel. While you are breathing in, imagine that together with your
breath, you are breathing in the energy (life-force, ki. chi,
prana) and imagine that this energy (you can imagine it as a
ball of energy) is flowing down your spine. When it gets to
the bottom of your spine, to the sacral energy center
(chakra), imagine it striking the nerve center and awakening
Kundalini. While you are breathing out imagine the energy and
awakening Kundalini, rising up all the way from your sacral
chakra to the top of your head. After a while you may notice a sensation of heat rising up
from the bottom of your spine. You may also become aware of
increased energy manifesting as a tingling sensation, as if an
electric current was running through your body. Alternative Kundalini Awakening Meditation When you practice the following, concentrate on the sacral
energy center (Muladhara chakra) at the base of the spinal
column, which is triangular in form and which is the seat of
the Kundalini Shakti. Close the right nostril with your fight
thumb. Inhale through the left nostril till you count to 3
slowly. Imagine that you are drawing the energy together with
air you are inhaling. Then close the left nostril with your little and ring
fingers of the right hand. Then retain the breath for the
count of 12. Send the current down the spinal column straight
into the triangular lotus, the Muladhara chakra. Imagine that
the nerve-current is striking against the lotus and awakening
the Kundalini. Then slowly exhale through the right nostril counting to 6.
Repeat the process from the right nostril as stated above,
using the same units, and having the same imagination and
feeling. This breathing technique will awaken the Kundalini quickly.
Do it 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening.
Increase the number and time gradually and cautiously
according to your strength and capacity. In this breathing technique, concentration on the sacral
energy center is the important thing. Kundalini will be
awakened quickly if the degree of concentration is intense and
if the breathing technique is practiced regularly. As you inhale, feel that the Kundalini lying dormant in the
sacral chakra is awakened and is going up from chakra to
chakra. The more vivid the visualization of chakra after
chakra, the more rapid will be your progress. Imagine that
your whole being is pervaded by light, love, wisdom and power.
Slowly exhale now. And, as you exhale feel that the
Kundalini Shakti is gradually descending from the top of your
head (Sahasrara chakra), and from chakra to chakra, to the end
of your spine (Muladhara chakra). Now repeat the process. Complete Yoga Breath Sitting up straight or standing, or lying flat when
possible, begin by expanding the abdomen and breathing into
the lower lungs. Continue filling the middle lungs, expanding
your lower ribs, then the middle ribs, then lifting the upper
ribs, expand the upper chest. Finally, to get that air into
the lungs highest areas, contract the abdomen just a bit. Your
shoulders will lift a bit. Hold your breath for just five seconds, no more. Finally,
exhale through your nose, slowly, again contracting your
stomach muscles. Now, relax completely. Breathe normally for a breath or
two, and repeat the complete breath. You can start with a few
breaths, and gradually increase the number of breaths - as
long as it feels comfortable. Alternate Nostril Breathing Sit up straight. Close the right nostril with the right
thumb. Draw in the air very, very slowly through the left
nostril. Then close the left nostril also with little and ring
fingers of the right hand. Retain the air as long as you can
comfortably do. Then exhale very, very slowly through the
nostril after removing the thumb. Then draw air through the right nostril. Retain the air as
before and exhale it very, very slowly through the left
nostril. Repeat the above process 20 times in the morning and
20 times in the evening. Gradually increase the number. While
breathing the above manner, imagine that with every
exhalation, all tensions and negative attitudes (emotions) are
leaving you and with every exhalation imagine that love, joy
and peace are entering into being together with the air you
are inhaling. This kind of breathing cleanses the mind and the body,
improves focus and concentration, and accelerates healing.
© 2001 - 2005, Dr. Laura De Giorgio, www.deeptrancenow.com
By: By Vicki R. Pierson, Certified Personal Trainer
There’s not an easy solution to deal with the problem of
stress. Stress is encountered in almost every aspect of our
lives. Like successful weight management, in order to achieve
stress reduction we must weave the solution into the fabric of
our lives. Through regular practice of stress reduction techniques,
symptoms of stress decrease and become more manageable. For
the most part, stress is largely under your control. You may
not be able to control the situation, however, your reaction
in any given situation is entirely under your control. One way to monitor and understand stress in your life is to
record your feelings in a diary. Once you gain better
awareness of the things that cause you stress, you can then
build an action plan to positively manage it by creating some
positive goals to help reduce the amount of stress in your
daily life. Relaxation: Stress Management Techniques For the next few
moments... stop doing... just sit. Become aware of your
breath. Focus on the subtle ebb and flow as you breath in, and
breath out, and breath in, and breath out, and breath in, and
breath out... You have just experienced a relaxing, albeit
brief, time-out. When practiced throughout the day, this
breathing exercise can reduce your stress level significantly!
There are a variety of stress management techniques that
will help decrease the amount of anxiety you experience in
your life. My list is not all-inclusive, but it’s a good
start. I suggest you experiment with a wide variety of
techniques to find the ones that work best for you. Once you
find some effective techniques, practice them regularly to
weave them into the fabric of your daily life. Deep breathing. The exercise like the one explained above
can give you some immediate relief from a stressful situation.
Focus on slowing your heart rate down by breathing in deeply
and slowly, then exhaling slowly and completely. Repeat the
inhale/exhale cycle at least five times and you should notice
a decrease in your heart rate and anxiety level. Quiet time. Taking some quite time for yourself can often
reduce stress. Find a place at home and at work where you can
get away from everyone and take a few minutes for yourself.
You can practice any relaxation technique or simply spend the
time thinking through a problematic situation. Use the time to
do whatever will help you to relax. Relaxation media. There is a variety of relaxation media on
the market in the form of cassettes, CD’s, videos and even
computer software. These products can provide you with
multiple forms of stress management techniques, step-by-step
instruction, soothing music and more. Visualization. Mental visualization is a powerful
technique. While it can be implemented in almost any
situation, visualization has gained notoriety in its
successful practice by competitive athletes. The basic
technique of visualization is to put yourself in a relaxed
position, breathe deeply and rhythmically and close your eyes.
Then, in detail, imagine in your mind’s eye a peaceful place
or any surroundings that are pleasant and claming to you.
While imagining this place, focus on breathing deeply and
releasing tension from your entire body. Visualization can
also be used to play out a situation from the beginning to its
positive end. This is one of the variations used by
competitive athletes. In your mind’s eye, you imagine in
detail, the chain of events and the actions you will perform
to attain a positive end result. During this process, focus on
breathing deeply, releasing tension from your body and
approaching every action in a calm and confident manner. Yoga. The word yoga comes from Sanskrit language meaning
union and is believed to be at least 6000 years old,
originating in India. Yoga combines dynamic physical exercise
with a lifestyle philosophy. There are many forms of yoga but
the goal is always the same, perfect self-knowledge. More
specifically, the ultimate goal of yoga philosophy is complete
detachment from reality, as we understand it, and complete
self-knowledge. By separating our "self" from the environment
we are able to come to terms with our individual personality
and start putting our mind and emotions in order. If you would
like to experiment with yoga as a stress management tool,
check out some books at the library to learn more or rent a
beginner’s yoga videotape. There are alot of good exercise
videos available on yoga that would be worth experimenting
with. Meditation. Meditation is meant to bring about awareness,
nothing else. It’s a time to connect to your inner “source”
and let go of the issues, responsibilities and situations that
bind your life. The benefits of mediation are uniquely
individual, but both physiological and psychological balancing
is common. To get you started, here is an explanation of how
to practice classic and simple meditation: The Mantra: A
mantra is a sound, word, or phrase that is repeated to
yourself out loud or silently. The purpose of the mantra is to
discard your normal thoughts and focus your awareness inward.
You can select anything as your mantra from a single word to
religious scripture, anything that is meditative for you. For
this exercise, we will use a natural mantra “hamsa,” being the
natural sound one makes when breathing... “ham” (h-ah-m) on
inhalation and “sa” (s-ah) on exhalation. The Hamsa Meditation: · Sit comfortably, back straight,
shoulders relaxed with your arms by your side or resting in
your lap. Select a quiet place if possible, but it’s not
required. · Close your eyes and breath naturally. Sit for a
minute before you begin thinking the mantra to allow your
heart and breathing to slow. · Gently focus your attention on
your breath and begin thinking the mantra, slowly and
rhythmically, matching the mantra with your breath... (h-ah-m)
on inhalation and (s-ah) on exhalation. Allow yourself to
become absorbed in it. · Let your thoughts and feelings come
and go without concern. Don't try to control them in any way,
simply note them. When you realize you’re not repeating the
mantra, re-focus your attention on your breath and begin
thinking the mantra again. Don’t try to force yourself to
think the mantra to the exclusion of all other thoughts. ·
Meditate for at least 10 minutes, preferably 20 minutes. When
done, take about a minute to slowly return to normal
awareness. (It’s okay to glance at a clock to time your
meditation, however, I suggest you don't use any kind of alarm
timer.) · Gently open your eyes and slowly move to your feet.
Be careful not to get up too quickly after meditating, you may
experience some dizziness after a deep state of rest. · You
may or may not experience a deep state of relaxation and rest
your first time meditating. As with many relaxation
techniques, meditation takes practice to reap all the
benefits. Don’t get discouraged, just stay with it. Exercise. Exercise is an excellent means of releasing
tension from your body and inducing a relaxation response.
You’ve been practicing this technique for many weeks now.
Among the other benefits physical activity brings, have you
experienced a reduction in stress? Stretching. Stress makes your muscles tense up and can
cause headaches, a stiff neck, sore shoulders and a knotted
back. Full body stretching will help your muscles relax and
help you to breath deeper. Always remember to hold stretches
for a minimum of ten seconds and concentrate on elongating the
muscle slowly and rhythmically. Don’t bounce! When you don’t
have the time to stretch your entire body, try these simple
upper body-stretching exercises to release tension. They can
be easily done in a chair anywhere; at home, at the office,
traveling in a car, bus or on plane: · Neck. Sit comfortably
with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Tilt your
head to the left as though you are trying to touch your left
ear to your shoulder. Feel the stretch on the right side of
your neck. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds. Be sure not to let
your shoulders raise up, keep them down and relaxed. Now,
slowly move your head to the right, repeating the exercise to
stretch the left side of your neck. Last, slowly roll your
head down, bowing your head and try to touch your chin to your
chest. Feel the stretch down the back of your neck. Hold this
position for 10 seconds. A word of caution: Do not tilt your
head back in an attempt to stretch the front of your neck,
this position hyperextends the neck and can cause physical
harm. · Shoulders. Sit comfortably with your back straight,
your shoulders relaxed and your arms at your sides. Slowly
begin rolling your shoulders in a circular, backward motion.
Keep the movement isolated to your shoulders and keep your
arms relaxed and limp. Roll your shoulders back ten times then
begin rolling them forward ten times. Make the largest circles
you can and feel the full range of motion as your shoulders
move. Next, shrug your shoulders up as though you were trying
to touch them to your ears, then bring them down as though
your were pressing them to the ground. Repeat this up and down
shrugging ten times. · Back. Sit comfortably with your back
straight, your shoulders relaxed and your arms at your sides.
Slowly rotate your torso and head as though you were looking
over your left shoulder. Rotate as far around as you
comfortably can and hold the stretch for ten seconds. Slowly
bring your torso and head back to center position and rotate
to your right side. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds. Next, sit
comfortably with your back straight, your shoulders relaxed
and cross your arms in front of your chest. Now bring your
crossed arms up to a 90-degree angle, perpendicular to your
body and hold them there. Slowly begin rounding your back,
making your chest concave. Stretch your arms away from your
back as though a sting was tied around your arms pulling them
forward and another string attached to your back was pulling
it backwards. Hold the stretch for ten seconds. Lastly, sit
comfortably with your back straight, your shoulders relaxed
and your arms at your side. Slowly begin leaning forward until
you are resting your chest in your lap. Allow your arms to
relax and gently fall to the floor and bow your head over your
knees. Feel the stretch across your back as you let your body
go limp. Hold this stretch for ten seconds. Give yourself reminders. Part of the problem with some of
these techniques is simply remembering to practice them. At
home, at work, or in the car you may want to put up little
reminders to practice a technique. For example, purchase some
labels that are small round colored dots. Put them in various
places in your home, car or work area. Whenever you see one of
these colored dots, practice deep breathing. Or, remind
yourself with sticky notes, an on-screen computer message that
pops up at various intervals during the day, schedule it in
your daily appointment book, etc. Just be inventive in finding
things that will remind you to take some time to de-stress.
“Is this worth the stress?” Often we become involved in
situations that simply aren’t worth the stress that they
cause. Ask yourself this question occasionally, and if the
answer is “No,” move on. Be aware of situations you can’t
control. Have the wisdom to realize when you’re in a situation
you can’t control, then accept it. Don’t waste your time
trying to change it. Instead, focus on reacting to the
situation in a stress-free manner. Don’t bottle up your
feelings. Often stress occurs out of frustration and lack of
communication. Learn positive ways to express your feelings
and desires to people who may be causing you stress. If
talking to a person isn’t the answer, then put your feelings
on paper in a journal. Many times the simple act of 'getting
it off your chest' in an appropriate manner will reduce your
stress level. Are chemicals the culprit? Surprisingly, much of the stress
you experience daily could be due to what you are putting into
your body in the form of chemicals. Be sure to eat a balanced,
healthy diet to assure you’re giving your body the nutrients
it needs to operate and maximum efficiency. · Caffeine is a
stimulant. If you drink more than a couple cups a day, try
decaf. You may find that switching to a good decaffeinated
coffee will reduce a significant amount of stress. · Alcohol
in small doses may help you relax. However, in larger amounts
it may increase stress as it disrupts sleep and causes
hangovers. Large amounts over an extended period will start
damaging your body. · Nicotine in the very short-term may
appear to relax your body, but it doesn’t. Nicotine’s toxic
effect raises the heart rate and stresses the body and lungs.
Consider quitting! There are a number of stop-smoking aids
available on the market today. · Sugar can raise energy in the
short term. Unfortunately, your body has to counteract the
high dose of sugar in your blood by raising your insulin
level. Once your blood-sugar level is normalized, the insulin
will continue acting and you will experience a decrease in
energy lower than before you ate the sugar. Try not to overtax
your body by feeding it high dosages of sugar. © 1995-2005 The Fitness Jumpsite ™
By: Vicki Polin, MA, ATR, LCPC
Don't you just hate it when you're upset, and someone
tells you to take a deep breath and exhale? I know for
myself that used to be the last thing I wanted to hear. I
remember thinking yeah right, what is breathing going to do!
When we are sick, hurting, or lonely all we want is to be
soothed. Being an adult means taking care of our selves.
Remembering to breathe is just one of the many things we can
do when we're feeling bad. One thing I've learned about
breathing is that if I don't exhale, I begin to lose control
of my life. By just remembering to breathe (in and OUT) I can
do just about anything! When we are surprised, shocked, panicked, stressed, or have
flashbacks -- we automatically inhale fast and deep, but
usually forget to exhale. When we don't let our breath go out,
our body toxins and the attached feelings to the stressor get
stuck inside. After several years of keeping our breath
inside, our feelings also build up and we begin to feel stuck.
When this happens we begin to feel like we can't do anything.
Why is it so important to breathe? When you stop breathing,
your brain stops receiving oxygen. When that happens, you
can't think clearly, and you can't solve problems. I know for
myself when I can't solve problems I start to feel stuck,
helpless, unable to move beyond the point that I'm at. If you stop and think about it there are several types of
breathing. One important type is the kind women learn in
Lamaze classes. They teach mothers-to-be to reduce labor
pains, with two short breaths out, and one long, deep breath
in. Remember the key word to relieving pain -- breathing
OUT!!! This is true for both physical and emotional pain. When we go to the doctor and need to have an X-ray taken,
the technician always reminds us to take a deep breath, right
before they take the picture. But how many of us forget to let
go of the air and exhale? What kinds of feelings do you have
when you are breathing in before an X-ray? I know for myself
when I'm going to have an X-ray taken, it's because I've
fallen, or am sick and are tying to find out if something more
serious is wrong. If I don't remember to exhale, I am once
again breathing in anxiety, panic, stress, etc. When most of
us are on a roller coaster and about to go down hill, we take
a deep breath in. Do we remember to exhale? If the answer is
NO, once again we keep in the stress. The same thing happens when we are about to take a test at
school, for a job, confronting someone about something that
bothers us. We all take a deep breath in, but how many of us
remember to let it go. I wonder how many deep breaths are
stuck inside each and everyone of us? How many of those
feelings attached to those breaths are also stuck inside us? I
also wonder how many of us develop stressed related illnesses
because we forget to let go of our breath? Breathing (in and
OUT) can help us think more clearly, elevate stress and
anxiety. Paying attention to our breath can also help bring us back
to the Here and Now, when we are having flashbacks, or when we
are frightened by a memory and/or thought. I think the two
most important things about breathing is we all know how to do
it, and IT'S FREE! You don't have to go to the doctor to get a
prescription to breathe. It's innate, we are born already
knowing how and when to breathe. I think another important thing to remember is that I've
never heard of anyone overdosing from taking slow, long, deep
breaths and then exhaling slowly. I don't think I've ever
heard of any one dying from it either. So the next time
someone reminds you to breathe, remember they are trying to
help you learn to live! Vicki Polin is the executive director of the Awareness
Center - The international organization dedicated to
addressing childhood sexual abuse in the Jewish Community. For
more information about The Awareness Center, visit their web
page at: http://www.TheAwarenessCenter.org © (1997) Vicki Polin, MA, ATR, LCPC
By: Dennis Lewis
So often I hear from people who have been attempting to
breathe in a Healthier way that their efforts don't seem to
bring them many results. When I talk in depth with them about
how they work with their breath, I not only discover that they
often have little idea what is involved in healthy breathing
(some people wrongly believe that healthy breathing is
equivalent to "deep breathing"), but, just as important, I
discover that many people use too much physical effort in
their attempts at better breathing, however they define it.
For anyone who is interested in allowing "the breath of
life" to animate them more fully, it is important to realize
that excessive effort actually impedes the diaphragm and
secondary breathing muscles and thus undermines the breath. It
is therefore imperative that anyone who is attempting to work
with their breath use the minimum amount of physical effort
necessary when doing any kind of breathing exercises and learn
how to sense what happens not only in their breathing muscles
but also in their entire body when they undertake these
exercises. The key, here, is self-sensing and awareness, which
I go into in depth in my book The Tao of Natural Breathing, as
well as in my forthcoming book from Shambhala (May 2004) Free
Your Breath, Free Your Life. In my book The Tao of Natural Breathing, I discussed
the importance of "The Law of Least Effort." Here is a
quotation from my book that explains the "psychophysical law"
that underlies this discussion: "As we begin to learn how to sense ourselves--especially in
relation to our breathing--we will quickly see that the
sensation of intense effort in the many areas of our lives
often signals a 'wrong' relationship not only to what we are
doing, but, perhaps more importantly, to ourselves. It is not
wrong in any moral or ethical way, but simply because it is
counterproductive--it goes against the laws of harmonious
functioning. Wrong effort constricts our breathing, cuts us
off from our own energy, and produces actions that we did not
intend. ... It is clear to me today that as we learn to sense
ourselves more completely and impartially, we free up the
inner intelligence of our minds and bodies to learn new,
better ways to accomplish our aims and promote health in our
lives. The Law of Least Effort To understand how this is
possible, it is important to understand that the brain learns
and performs best when we use the least possible effort to
accomplish a given task. For thousands of years, Taoist
masters have emphasized this principle through their advice to
use no more than 60 or 70 percent of our capacity in carrying
out physical or spiritual practices. The Weber-Fechner psychophysical law demonstrates one
reason why this is so important, since it states that the
'senses are organized to take notice of differences between
two stimuli rather than the absolute intensity of a stimulus.'
When we try hard 'to do' something, when we use unnecessary
force to accomplish our goals, our whole body generally ends
up becoming tense. This tension makes it more difficult for
our brain and nervous systems to discern the subtle sensory
impressions necessary to help carry out our intention in the
most creative way possible. The 'law of least effort' is not,
however, a license for laziness. Our health, well-being, and inner growth all require a
dynamic balance of tension and relaxation, of yang and yin.
They depend on the ability to know through our inner and outer
senses what is necessary and what is not in our efforts and
actions. To sense ourselves clearly, we need to be able to
experience a part or dimension of ourselves that is quiet,
comfortable, and free of unnecessary tension. It is the
sensation of subtle impressions coming from this more relaxed
place in ourselves that allows us to observe and release the
unnecessary tension in other parts of ourselves. In short,
effective action requires relaxation. But this relaxation should not be a 'collapse' of either
our body or our awareness. It is more like the 'vigilant
relaxation' of a cat. Vigilant relaxation makes it possible to
manifest the appropriate degree of contraction--the
life-giving tension called 'tonus'--in any given situation."
I hope this discussion of "The Law of Least Effort" and the
Weber-Fechner psychophysical law (the law can be found on page
48 of Peter Nathan's book The Nervous System, Oxford
University Press) helps you understand (at least to some
extent) why, if you want real, lasting results, it is so
important to work as gently as possible with your
breathing--especially when you are working on your own. When
you put yourself in the hands of a body worker or breathing
therapist, of course, he or she may work on you in necessary
ways that are not always gentle. But when you do breathing
exercises on your own, it is your inner sensitivity and
awareness, combined with right intention and knowledge, that
will eventually bring about any necessary changes.
Self-inflicted force and manipulation, including
tension-filled efforts to breathe deeply, will not only seldom
help, but in many cases will only cause further problems. This article is copyright 1998-2005 by Dennis Lewis, and
used here with his written permission. Dennis Lewis, a
long–time student of Taoism, Advaita, and the Gurdjieff Work,
teaches authentic breathing, qigong, and self-inquiry. He is
the author of the The Tao of Natural Breathing; Free Your
Breath, Free Your Life; and the three–CD audio program
Natural Breathing. You can read other articles, or
reach him, through his websites: http://www.dennislewis.org or
http://www.authentic-breathing.com
|
