 | | | | Medical Health Encyclopedia | |
Relaxation Methods. Since stress is here to stay, everyone needs to develop methods for invoking the relaxation response, the natural unwinding of the stress response. Relaxation lowers blood pressure, respiration, and pulse rates, releases muscle tension, and eases emotional strains. This response is highly individualized, but there are certain approaches that seem to work.
Combinations are probably best. For example, in a study of children and adolescents with adjustment disorder and depression, a combination of yoga, a brief massage, and progressive muscle relaxation effectively reduced both feelings of anxiety and stress hormone levels. A 2005 study of organ transplant recipients showed that training in meditation and gentle yoga led to significant improvements in quality of sleep and lessened anxiety and depression.
No one should expect a total resolution of stress from these approaches, but if done regularly, these programs can be very effective.
Text Continues Below
Acupuncture. Some evidence suggests that acupuncture may also be helpful. It might even improve some physical factors associated with stress and health problems. For example, in a study of heart failure patients acupuncture improved stress-related heart muscle activity, which could be an important benefit in these patients. (Acupuncture had no effect on stress-related blood pressure or heart rate.)
Hypnosis. Hypnosis may also benefit some people with severe stress. In one study of patients with irritable bowel, stress reduction by hypnosis correlated with improvement in many IBD symptoms.
Relaxation Methods
|
Specific Procedure
|
|
Deep Breathing Exercises.
During stress, breathing becomes shallow and rapid. Taking a deep breath is an automatic and effective technique for winding down. Deep breathing exercises consciously intensify this natural physiologic reaction and can be very useful during a stressful situation, or for maintaining a relaxed state during the day.
|
- Inhale through the nose slowly and deeply to the count of ten.
- Make sure that the stomach and abdomen expand but the chest does not raise up.
- Exhale through the nose, slowly and completely, also to the count of ten.
- To help quiet the mind, concentrate fully on breathing and counting through each cycle.
- Repeat five to ten times and make a habit of doing the exercise several times each day, even when not feeling stressed.
|
|
|
|
.gif)
