The term "fight or flight" is also known as the stress response. It's what the body does as it prepares to confront or avoid danger. When appropriately invoked, the stress response helps us rise to many challenges. But trouble starts when this response is constantly provoked by less momentous, day-to-day events, such as family problems, traffic jams, or job worries.
The stress response also suppresses the immune system, increasing susceptibility illness. Moreover, the buildup of stress can contribute to anxiety and depression. We can't avoid all sources of stress in our lives, nor would we want to. But we can develop healthier ways of responding to them. One way is to invoke the relaxation response with deep breathing. Here are three exercises you can try just about anywhere or time.
The stress response also suppresses the immune system, increasing susceptibility illness. Moreover, the buildup of stress can contribute to anxiety and depression. We can't avoid all sources of stress in our lives, nor would we want to. But we can develop healthier ways of responding to them. One way is to invoke the relaxation response with deep breathing. Here are three exercises you can try just about anywhere or time.
- Stuck in traffic? Turn off the radio. Keep the eyes open and hands on the wheel. Inhale through the nose deeply and continuously for 6 seconds. Exhale through the mouth not for any extended amount of time but letting all the air quickly gently escape in one big sigh. At same time focus on relaxing the jaw and allowing the shoulders to slide down away from the ears. Bring your awareness to the release of this unnecessary muscular tension with every exhale. As you feel the tension leaving the jaw, neck, and shoulders try to create the same release in the arms, wrist, and hands. True we want the arms and hands engaged while behind the wheel but we don't need to tighten our grip due to the stress of not moving in traffic. Stress will not get you there any faster. This breathing exercise will not get you there any faster. But you will have a calmer attitude about you when you get there. Repeat this breathing pattern 5 to 10 times.
- At the Office? Here we are going for the same idea as in the 1st exercise but since your not behind the wheel of a vehicle it ok to sink into a deeper state of relaxation. This time you can close the eyes and place your hands in your lap with palms facing up, fingers pointing inward, just below the navel. Inhale through the nose deeply and continuously for 6 seconds. Exhale the same exact way. In this exercise during the inhale focus on straightening your posture. As you inhale gently lift the rib cage away from the hips. Lengthen the neck by extend the crown of the head upward. Maintain this upright position, bring your focus to your exhale, and with every exhale relax the jaw, neck, and shoulders. In may take a few breathes to let go of all the tension. Don't stop there. With every exhale find another place you can let go of tension and yet still maintaining your upright position. Relax the fingers, toes, hips, lower back, etc. Repeat this breathing pattern for 5 to 10 breaths. Then allow the breath to return to normal, maintain the same position, and breath normally for one minute not allowing your mind to become attached to any distracting or trivial thoughts. Attempt to do this for 1 to 2 minutes. Mentally let go of work, judgement, need, and urgency. It sucks having to work sometimes and it sucks even more to spend to whole time thinking about how much it sucks. If work is where you are gonna be then let go of the negative though and don't let the negative thoughts damage your nervous system while you are there. You may need to do this 3 or 4 times throughout the work day.
- On the move? While walking inhale through the nose slowly and rhythmically, mentally counting to ten, then slowly and evenly exhaling the same way. One step for each count. As you inhale gently lift the rib cage away from the hips. Lengthen the neck by extend the crown of the head upward. Maintain this upright position, bring your focus to your exhale, and with every exhale relax the jaw, neck, shoulders, and hips. Keep hips underneath the shoulders. Don't the shoulders to far forward with the hips to far back, and don't press the hips to far forward with the shoulders too far back. And keep the chin level. Repeat for 5 to 10 breaths.