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OPTIMUMS IN CALMING
Dr. Herbert Benson, a Harvard cardiologist, has made a study of the counterbalancing mechanisms of the body's stress reaction.
He discovered that while the fight-or-flight response is part of the hard wired response to stress, there is an opposite
response, he called the relaxation response. The relaxation response causes the body to calm itself. Metabolism decreases,
heart rate decreases, blood pressure decreases, breathing rate decreases and muscle tension decreases. Dr.
Benson has discovered that the relaxation response can be elicited by a number of techniques including: - Diaphragmatic breathing
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Body scan exercise
- Mindfulness meditation
- Repetitive exercise
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Imagery
- Repetitive prayer
Those who elicit the relaxation response regularly, such as on a daily basis,
report these kinds of changes:
- Improved sleep
- Decrease in stress-related symptoms
- Decrease in anxiety
- Increase in concentration and awareness
- Greater self-acceptance
- Enhanced performance and efficiency.
- Freedom from compulsive worrying, self- criticism, negative thoughts
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