Relaxation is like learning a sport or a musical instrument. At first, relaxation will be difficult. It may feel unnatural or uncomfortable as you learn how to relax, just like it may feel unnatural as you learn how to hold a bat or play a song. However, practicing is the only way we can improve our skills, whether we're playing baseball or learning to relax. As we practice, we become better at relaxation and it comes more naturally to us. There will be times when we still struggle to relax, but if we see those times as cues to practice relaxation, we can improve our skills in relaxation. The Stress Management and Biofeedback Services allows you to be coached by someone familiar with relaxation, but practicing on your own is essential to becoming a professional. Practice leads to better, more fulfilling relaxation.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Practicing Relaxation
Relaxation is like learning a sport or a musical instrument. At first, relaxation will be difficult. It may feel unnatural or uncomfortable as you learn how to relax, just like it may feel unnatural as you learn how to hold a bat or play a song. However, practicing is the only way we can improve our skills, whether we're playing baseball or learning to relax. As we practice, we become better at relaxation and it comes more naturally to us. There will be times when we still struggle to relax, but if we see those times as cues to practice relaxation, we can improve our skills in relaxation. The Stress Management and Biofeedback Services allows you to be coached by someone familiar with relaxation, but practicing on your own is essential to becoming a professional. Practice leads to better, more fulfilling relaxation.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Breathing, part 2
There are many helpful resources to assist you in finding a comfortable breathing rate for you. There are apps you can download for the iPhone or the Droid. You can use a clock to time your breathing, or you can pay attention to your heartbeat as you breathe, and count the number of heartbeats it takes you to breathe in and out comfortably. Another resource is called the EZ-Air breath pacer. The EZ-Air is a breath pacer that can help you time your breathing for deeper relaxation. It is free for 30 days, and if you like it, you can purchase it. If you do not want to purchase it, you can just delete it from your computer. (Click here to find the EZ-Air breath pacer.) Practicing daily with a breath pacer can help your body find autonomic balance between your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and can help you feel more relaxed.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Breathing
Stress can cause us to breathe more shallowly and can lead to anxiety attacks, muscular tension, headache, and fatigue. Most people are not aware they are breathing shallowly or that they are breathing from their chest instead of deeply from their diaphragms. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing is the easiest way to produce the relaxation response.
Try lying on the floor, placing one hand on your chest and the other hand on your stomach. When you breathe in, notice whether your abdomen expands. If your belly doesn't move, or moves less than your chest, you are breathing from your chest. To learn how to change from chest to stomach breathing, exhale fully one or two times. This will create a vacuum that will pull in a deep, diaphragmatic breath. Also, you can push your stomach out as you are breathing in. Breathing deeply is a skill that you can use to help you relax wherever you are.
One last thing you can do is use a clock with a second hand to help you time your breaths. On the odd numbers, breathe out, and on the even numbers, breathe in. This will have you breathing 6 breaths per minute, which is a comfortable pace for many (but not all) people. Experiment with this to find your most comfortable breaths per minute.
Try lying on the floor, placing one hand on your chest and the other hand on your stomach. When you breathe in, notice whether your abdomen expands. If your belly doesn't move, or moves less than your chest, you are breathing from your chest. To learn how to change from chest to stomach breathing, exhale fully one or two times. This will create a vacuum that will pull in a deep, diaphragmatic breath. Also, you can push your stomach out as you are breathing in. Breathing deeply is a skill that you can use to help you relax wherever you are.
One last thing you can do is use a clock with a second hand to help you time your breaths. On the odd numbers, breathe out, and on the even numbers, breathe in. This will have you breathing 6 breaths per minute, which is a comfortable pace for many (but not all) people. Experiment with this to find your most comfortable breaths per minute.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Meditation
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin. - Mother Teresa
When we are under stress, our focus is usually not in the present. We think about mistakes we have made in the past or what is going to happen in the future. Time spent in the past or future robs us of experiences we can have in the moment. Mindfulness or meditation is a skill that we can use to focus our attention on the present moment. Meditation can also help us notice what is happening both inside our minds and our bodies without judging or fixating on it. Meditation can slow down our breathing or heart rates and can be helpful for anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, or migraine headaches. For more information, check out the biofeedback lab website or schedule an appointment to come into the lab to practice meditation.
When we are under stress, our focus is usually not in the present. We think about mistakes we have made in the past or what is going to happen in the future. Time spent in the past or future robs us of experiences we can have in the moment. Mindfulness or meditation is a skill that we can use to focus our attention on the present moment. Meditation can also help us notice what is happening both inside our minds and our bodies without judging or fixating on it. Meditation can slow down our breathing or heart rates and can be helpful for anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, or migraine headaches. For more information, check out the biofeedback lab website or schedule an appointment to come into the lab to practice meditation.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Stress & Thoughts
The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. -William James
When we have worry, we focus our energy and attention on one thought or a series of thoughts. With that laser-like focus, we exclude all other thoughts or solutions to what we are worried about. It is impossible for us to think of more than one thing at a time. Try it. Think about the Statue of Liberty. Picture her in your mind for a minute. Now, while thinking of the Statue of Liberty, think about what is stressful to you. Could you do it? It is not possible for us to think about two things at the same time.
How does this apply to stress? When we think about stressful things, we do not have room to think about or practice relaxation. When we think about and practice relaxation, we cannot think about our stress at the same time. Listening to the recordings on our website or coming in to do a relaxation recording can help you focus your thoughts elsewhere and can help you relax.
When we have worry, we focus our energy and attention on one thought or a series of thoughts. With that laser-like focus, we exclude all other thoughts or solutions to what we are worried about. It is impossible for us to think of more than one thing at a time. Try it. Think about the Statue of Liberty. Picture her in your mind for a minute. Now, while thinking of the Statue of Liberty, think about what is stressful to you. Could you do it? It is not possible for us to think about two things at the same time.
How does this apply to stress? When we think about stressful things, we do not have room to think about or practice relaxation. When we think about and practice relaxation, we cannot think about our stress at the same time. Listening to the recordings on our website or coming in to do a relaxation recording can help you focus your thoughts elsewhere and can help you relax.
Monday, January 24, 2011
How Stress Affects Our Bodies
If you can't fight or flee, then flow.
The human body responds to stress in many ways. The main stress reaction in the body is called the "fight or flight" response, commonly referred to as "the stress response". When the body has this response, a number of changes happen without us being aware of it. Our muscles contract, preparing to fight or run away. Our bodies release stress hormones including adrenalin and cortisol. Our heart rate increases and our bodies start to sweat. These reactions are helpful when we have a physically stressful event (like encountering a bear while hiking in the forest).
However, these same reactions happen when we have psychological stressors like school, worries about grades, dating, finances, or upcoming decisions to make. While the stress response is helpful when we face physical threats, it is not at all helpful for psychological threats. Humans are the only animals that carry around stress in their minds, and this psychological stress can cause heart problems and strokes. Although we cannot avoid stress, we can learn how to deal with it. The Stress Management and Biofeedback Lab will help you learn how to relax while you are having stress and hopefully help prevent some possible stress related damage to your body.
The human body responds to stress in many ways. The main stress reaction in the body is called the "fight or flight" response, commonly referred to as "the stress response". When the body has this response, a number of changes happen without us being aware of it. Our muscles contract, preparing to fight or run away. Our bodies release stress hormones including adrenalin and cortisol. Our heart rate increases and our bodies start to sweat. These reactions are helpful when we have a physically stressful event (like encountering a bear while hiking in the forest).
However, these same reactions happen when we have psychological stressors like school, worries about grades, dating, finances, or upcoming decisions to make. While the stress response is helpful when we face physical threats, it is not at all helpful for psychological threats. Humans are the only animals that carry around stress in their minds, and this psychological stress can cause heart problems and strokes. Although we cannot avoid stress, we can learn how to deal with it. The Stress Management and Biofeedback Lab will help you learn how to relax while you are having stress and hopefully help prevent some possible stress related damage to your body.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Making the "Right" Choices
I haven't failed, I've found 10,000 ways that don't work. - Ben Franklin
Most college students are at a wonderful time in their lives that can also be difficult. Pressure to do well in school, date, get married, provide financially for themselves, and plan their futures can be overwhelming at times. This pressure can create anxiety about the future and the choices we have to make in the present. While these decisions have to be made, worrying about making the right decisions will not help us make better decisions. Worry can increase stress and anxiety which in turn decreases our ability to make a rational decision. One helpful tip for reducing anxiety about decision making is to view risk taking and making mistakes as valuable ways to learn. We will all make mistakes, and putting excessive pressure on ourselves to make the right decision does not help us make better decisions, it only makes us have more stress. Give yourself permission to make wrong decisions or to make mistakes during this new year. If you are not sure how to be less anxious about decisions, please contact the Biofeedback Center for help in reducing your stress.
Most college students are at a wonderful time in their lives that can also be difficult. Pressure to do well in school, date, get married, provide financially for themselves, and plan their futures can be overwhelming at times. This pressure can create anxiety about the future and the choices we have to make in the present. While these decisions have to be made, worrying about making the right decisions will not help us make better decisions. Worry can increase stress and anxiety which in turn decreases our ability to make a rational decision. One helpful tip for reducing anxiety about decision making is to view risk taking and making mistakes as valuable ways to learn. We will all make mistakes, and putting excessive pressure on ourselves to make the right decision does not help us make better decisions, it only makes us have more stress. Give yourself permission to make wrong decisions or to make mistakes during this new year. If you are not sure how to be less anxious about decisions, please contact the Biofeedback Center for help in reducing your stress.
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