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The Relaxation Response

Overview

Ever had a disagreement with someone, and after they're gone, you keep rehashing the argument in your head?  We've all had this experience. Your brain interacts with the negative experience -- then your imagination runs away with negative thoughts, and feelings that keep irritating you!

The emotional stressful event produces a chain reaction that creates additional mental and emotional stress. Whereas, the original stress event causes brain waves to rise to 25 cycles per second (cps), the emotional cascade that follows results in brain waves soaring to 39 cps (blocking clear thinking and diminishing mental performance), the heart beating rapidly (doubling risk of heart attack) and high cortisol levels sending a rush of fatty triglycerides into the bloodstream (leading to excess belly fat). Without any intentional behavior on your part, stress has got you in its grip – your stomach’s in a knot, you can’t sit still and your mind is stuck on a negative treadmill that you can‘t get off.

Healing Relaxation

At this point, being able to refocus your mind away from stressful thoughts and guide your body out of a dangerous condition would truly be “healing relaxation.” And there are ways to accomplish this. First, the scientific basis for healing relaxation:

Herbert Benson, M.D. and Associate Professor of Harvard Medical School, has done documented clinical research into the physiological effects of using meditation for reducing stress.  Dr. Benson's research found the human body possesses an inborn ability to fall into a deep state of healing relaxation. Dr. Benson called this ability (which originates in the hypothalamus in the brain) the "Relaxation Response." Dr. Benson is the author or co-author of over 170 scientific publications and eight books, and his research has been published by the American Medical Association and other prestigious medical publications. So know that you know his research is entirely legitimate, let’s explore the relaxation response.

The Relaxation Response

By monitoring the heart rate, blood pressure and brain-wave activity of individuals performing 20-minute meditation relaxation, Dr. Benson's research proved that the relaxation response:

1. Lowers heart rate.

2. Lowers breathing rate.

3. Decreases blood pressure.

4. Brain waves shift from fast beta waves (28-40 cps) to slow alpha waves (7-13 cps), protecting the heart and shutting down excess cortisol release into the bloodstream.

The Four Steps to Elicit the Relaxation Response

1. Find a peaceful environment where you will not be disturbed.

2. Sit passively, with eyes closed and relax the body's muscles.

3. Focus mental attention on a word, a thought, or an image -- so that the mind remains free of everyday concerns.

4. Maintain mental focus and passive attitude, and be still.

These steps are standard for traditional meditation process. However only a few percent of the population practice regular meditation and the answer is obvious. For the average American -- with a short attention span and a fast-paced life -- sitting still, in total silence, requires a lot of practice and discipline and doesn't fit our lifestyle. If you’re skeptical of this fact, just try to sit in silence, with no disturbing thoughts entering your mind, for twenty minutes. You’ll lucky if you reach four minutes!

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Source: Stress Makes You Fat, Wrinkled and Dead Lewis Publishing Richard Lewis ISBN 0-9664069-0-7 The Relaxation Response HarperCollins Herbert Benson ISBN 9780380815951

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