your stress...what can you do

Stress is like starting a car engine and pushing the accelerator pedal to speed up … entering life’s “fast lane”.

By Debra Mundt, RYT500, CPT

FYB (Feel Your Best)^® Teacher Certification Training School

Chronic stress drains and wears down your body and mind.  Stress is like starting a car engine and pushing the accelerator pedal to speed up … entering life’s “fast lane”.  If you continuously start and rev up the car, you'll burn out the starter and wear out both the brakes and the engine. 

Burnout occurs when repeated stress is not balanced by healthy “time-outs” for genuine relaxation.  Stress need not be a problem if you manage it by smoothly and calmly entering and leaving life's “fast lane”. 

Stress Management involves responding to major life events and everyday hassles with a calm focus.  Relaxation is a normal part of the body’s stress response.  When faced with life's challenges, people not only tense up to react rapidly and forcefully, but they also become calm in order to focus and act with control.  This is an example of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems working synergistically. 

Some interesting research findings:

Your Body and Stress 

·        Stress affects how our bodies heal.  Research shows that it takes 24% longer for wounds to heal on high stress individuals (1).  (Note: What are our bodies trying to tell us?  Are we so stressed-out that we are not listening?)

·        Some conditions associated with stress include:  High blood pressure, gastrointestinal disorders, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, viral infections and autoimmune disorders. (2)

The following research shows the benefits of a simple to learn Relaxation Technique (Meditation)

Reducing Anxiety 

·        A stress reduction program that includes meditation shows effectiveness in the treatment of anxiety disorders.  A significant reduction in symptoms was identified during the program and maintained for at least 3 months after treatment.  A 3-year follow up showed that 82% of the subjects maintained these beneficial effects. (3)

Reducing Chronic Pain 

·        With the use of mindfulness meditation, researchers found statistically significant reductions in pain symptoms, mood disturbance, and psychological symptoms.  Pain-related drug utilization also decreased and self-esteem increased. (4)

Reducing Blood Pressure 

·        Among meditation subjects, there is a drop in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. (5)

·        Research suggests that for the standard care of hypertensive individuals that “Relaxation-Based Treatments should also be given early consideration in light of evidence of their efficacy”. (6)

Heart Disease and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors 

·        A meditation program for patients with coronary artery disease proved to be very useful.  The meditation group had a 14.7% increase in exercise duration and an 18.1% delay of onset of depression. (7)

·        A meditation program provided positive effects relating to serum cortisol and total blood protein levels, blood pressure, pulse rate, lung volume and reaction time. (8)  

For more information about Horizons Stress Management, or any other programs offered by FYB (Feel Your Best)^® Teacher Certification Training School, please visit www.FeelYourBest.com, or call 262-241-8796 (toll-free, 866-375-3975).  Debra Mundt, RYT500, CPT, is the founder of FYB (Feel Your Best)^® Yoga, Pilates, & Horizons (Stress Management).  She is also Director of the FYB Teacher Certification Training School.  Debra has personally experienced the benefits of stress management in her life, and it has greatly improved the management of her own chronic pain from a debilitating illness. 

Note:  Relaxation Techniques are meant to complement the care that you are receiving from your physician.  Always involve your physician, and receive their input, in matters relating to your health.

Footnotes (1) – (8) references may be found on the web site:  www.FeelYourBest.com in the Horizons section.