Mindfulness and Coping With Stress

When stress overwhelms your nervous system your body is flooded with chemicals that prepare you for "fight or flight." While the stress response can be lifesaving in emergency situations where you need to act quickly, it wears your body down when constantly activated by the stresses of everyday life.

No one can avoid all stress, but you can counteract it by learning how to produce the relaxation response, a state of deep rest that is the polar opposite of the stress response. The relaxation response puts the brakes on stress and brings your body and mind back into a state of equilibrium.

When the relaxation response is activated:

Your heart rate decreases

Breathing becomes slower and deeper

Blood pressure drops or stabilizes

Your muscles relax

Your body begins to heal

Producing the relaxation response

A variety of different relaxation techniques can help you bring your nervous system back into balance by producing the relaxation response. The relaxation response is not lying on the couch or sleeping but a mentally active process that leaves the body relaxed, calm, and focused.

Learning the basics of relaxation techniques isnt difficult, but it does take practice. Most stress experts recommend setting aside at least 10 to 20 minutes a day for your relaxation practice. If youd like to get even more stress relief, aim for 30 minutes to an hour. If that sounds like a daunting commitment, remember that many of these techniques can be incorporated into your existing daily schedule—practiced at your desk over lunch or on the bus during your morning commute.

How you react to stress may influence the relaxation technique that works best for you:

The fight response. If you tend to become angry, agitated, or keyed up under stress, you will respond best to stress relief activities that quiet you down, such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, or guided imagery.

The flight response. If you tend to become depressed, withdrawn, or spaced out under stress, you will respond best to stress relief activities that are stimulating and energize your nervous system, such as rhythmic exercise, massage, mindfulness, or power yoga.

The immobilization response. If youve experienced some type of trauma and tend to freeze or become stuck under stress, your challenge is to first rouse your nervous system to a fight or flight response (above) so you can employ the applicable stress relief techniques. To do this, choose physical activity that engages both your arms and legs, such as running, dancing, or tai chi, and perform it mindfully, focusing on the sensations in your limbs as you move.

Other tips for making relaxation techniques part of your life

If possible, schedule a set time to practice each day. Set aside one or two periods each day. You may find that its easier to stick with your practice if you do it first thing in the morning, before other tasks and responsibilities get in the way.

If you exercise, improve the relaxation benefits by adopting mindfulness. Instead of zoning out or staring at a TV as you exercise, try focusing your attention on your body. If youre resistance training, for example, focus on coordinating your breathing with your movements and pay attention to how your body feels as you raise and lower the weights.

Avoid practicing when youre sleepy. These techniques can relax you so much that they can make you very sleepy, especially if its close to bedtime. You will get the most benefit if you practice when youre fully awake and alert. Do not practice after eating a heavy meal or while using drugs, tobacco, or alcohol.

Expect ups and downs. Dont be discouraged if you skip a few days or even a few weeks. It happens. Just get started again and slowly build up to your old momentum.