How to Relieve Stress: The Mindfulness Way
Ranked #33,364 in Healthy Living, #441,609 overall
Current Lifestyle is Inherently Stressful
Learning how to relieve stress is an essential skill for all. In acute situations stress relief becomes a survival skill. Mindfulness training offers stress management from a unique angle; it is also a prescription for healthy living.
No one can afford to ignore stress in today's fast paced lifestyle. Waves of globalization, information and technology have radically transformed businesses and societies across the world. Job insecurity and lifestyle instability have become more common than they should have, adding up to significantly increased level of discomfort and stress. The concepts of telecommuting as opposed to fixed time day office job, downsizing, and outsourcing may be good for the overall economy but for the common man it translates to occupational and personal stress. This is severely undermining the emotional health of people and is reflected in the form of degrading interpersonal relationships and loss of physical and mental wellbeing.
There are many approaches to managing stress, but here we shall discuss a stress relief technique that is based on mindfulness approach. Unlike majority of stress relief techniques that teach you how to relax physically (and hope for the best mentally!) mindfulness based stress relief approach attacks the problem where it actually originates - in the mind. It might or might not be the most pleasant approach in the short term but its efficacy is beyond doubt in the long run.
To a lot of people who have learned it, mindfulness training appeals because it attacks the roots of stress and discomforts - irrational thinking, faulty attitudes and personal belief system - and brings about corrections naturally. Many others are attracted towards mindfulness due to its ideal of living with the reality in the present moment.
The simple truth is - you can't live anywhere other than in the present moment. So any time spent ruminating about the past or dreaming of some would-be event is a mere waste of time (and life as well). Just Think About It!
Contents at a Glance
Why Mindfulness
Physiology of Stress
Increasing Stress Level in Society
Stress Management and Mindfulness
What is Mindfulness
How to Cultivate Mindfulness
No one can afford to ignore stress in today's fast paced lifestyle. Waves of globalization, information and technology have radically transformed businesses and societies across the world. Job insecurity and lifestyle instability have become more common than they should have, adding up to significantly increased level of discomfort and stress. The concepts of telecommuting as opposed to fixed time day office job, downsizing, and outsourcing may be good for the overall economy but for the common man it translates to occupational and personal stress. This is severely undermining the emotional health of people and is reflected in the form of degrading interpersonal relationships and loss of physical and mental wellbeing.
There are many approaches to managing stress, but here we shall discuss a stress relief technique that is based on mindfulness approach. Unlike majority of stress relief techniques that teach you how to relax physically (and hope for the best mentally!) mindfulness based stress relief approach attacks the problem where it actually originates - in the mind. It might or might not be the most pleasant approach in the short term but its efficacy is beyond doubt in the long run.
To a lot of people who have learned it, mindfulness training appeals because it attacks the roots of stress and discomforts - irrational thinking, faulty attitudes and personal belief system - and brings about corrections naturally. Many others are attracted towards mindfulness due to its ideal of living with the reality in the present moment.
The simple truth is - you can't live anywhere other than in the present moment. So any time spent ruminating about the past or dreaming of some would-be event is a mere waste of time (and life as well). Just Think About It!
Contents at a Glance
Why Mindfulness
Physiology of Stress
Increasing Stress Level in Society
Stress Management and Mindfulness
What is Mindfulness
How to Cultivate Mindfulness
Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone. - Louis L'Amour
Why Mindfulness
Practically all stress relief programs offer tips and tricks that are certainly helpful in managing stress related problems such as smoking, drinking, drugs, eating disorders, etc. However, more emphasis is required on learning and tackling the genesis of stress and anxieties that is in the mind - how our thoughts, expectations and attitudes, etc contribute to stress and discomfort.
Mindfulness training does exactly that because it involves paying conscious attention to what is going on in the mind. It directly puts you in contact with your habits, attitudes and beliefs that promote stress and unease. It allows you to make necessary changes to reduce or eliminate the impact of stress. This is truly a technique for people who want to be their own masters and take charge of their lives. But it also helps most of us, the so called majority of ordinary creatures, who are by nature fearful and resort to evasive tricks to manage stress. Mindfulness helps you hit the nail right at the head.
Mindfulness training does exactly that because it involves paying conscious attention to what is going on in the mind. It directly puts you in contact with your habits, attitudes and beliefs that promote stress and unease. It allows you to make necessary changes to reduce or eliminate the impact of stress. This is truly a technique for people who want to be their own masters and take charge of their lives. But it also helps most of us, the so called majority of ordinary creatures, who are by nature fearful and resort to evasive tricks to manage stress. Mindfulness helps you hit the nail right at the head.
The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 06/01/2012)
Truth #1
The only moment you can actually live in is the PRESENT moment.
Physiology of Stress
Stress researchers define stress as "the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it". This physiological response is also labeled "biological stress syndrome" (BSS) or "general adaptation syndrome" (GAS). Let us look at the body's response to stress more closely. Whenever stress, in whatever form, is perceived the survival mechanism of the body is triggered.
The pituitary gland of the brain releases the adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) into circulation. When it reaches the adrenal cortex of the kidneys, it stimulates endocrine cells to secrete another hormone, cortisol. This is really a helpful chemical that prepares the body to face the real danger, but when it is released chronically because of stress and discomforts, it begins to tell on the physical and mental health. Its immediate victim is the cardiovascular system and shows up in the form of increased blood pressure and heart beat rate. Prolonged stress and can ultimately lead to heart attack or stroke. Additionally, the persistently increased cortisol level suppresses the immune system making you prone to chronic illness, fatigue and depression.
Speaking from another viewpoint, this is nothing but an abuse of the fight-or-flight defense mechanism of the body. What the nature (or god almighty) has created as a protection against threat to life, has become a nuisance in this so-called age of technology.
The pituitary gland of the brain releases the adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) into circulation. When it reaches the adrenal cortex of the kidneys, it stimulates endocrine cells to secrete another hormone, cortisol. This is really a helpful chemical that prepares the body to face the real danger, but when it is released chronically because of stress and discomforts, it begins to tell on the physical and mental health. Its immediate victim is the cardiovascular system and shows up in the form of increased blood pressure and heart beat rate. Prolonged stress and can ultimately lead to heart attack or stroke. Additionally, the persistently increased cortisol level suppresses the immune system making you prone to chronic illness, fatigue and depression.
Speaking from another viewpoint, this is nothing but an abuse of the fight-or-flight defense mechanism of the body. What the nature (or god almighty) has created as a protection against threat to life, has become a nuisance in this so-called age of technology.
In the current high-tech lifestyle break up from a girlfriend, getting trapped in the traffic, not getting a promotion after slaving like a donkey, or being fired from job are as threatening as a king cobra three feet away as someone would have felt centuries ago! At least that's what the body and its chemistry says!!
Increasing Stress Level in Society
The Distress of Stress is on the Rise
A recent survey by American Psychological Association gave quantification to what you and I feel everyday. Some of the prominent statistics of the survey on stress include the following observation:
4 out of 5 people accept stress as a fact of life.
50% people feel that their stress level has increased during the past five years and that it has lowered their emotional well being and adversely affected their physical health.
Over one-third indicated that their work interfered with their family and personal time.
Top five general symptoms of stress included:
Fatigue
Headache
Upset digestion
Muscular tension
Change in appetite
Top five psychological symptoms were found to be:
Irritability or anger
Feeling nervous
Feeling fearful
Sleep disorders
Eating disorders (over or under eating)
Job related stress is also a dominating factor affecting career related decisions as well as productivity.
The World Health Organization has predicted that in ten years, clinical depression will occupy second spot in the list of global health problems; it currently stands at about 40 million cases only in the affluent West. In United kingdom, over 2 million people suffer from ill health that is believed to be caused or aggravated by work. About one-third mental health cases are connected to depression or anxiety. In 2008, the BBC estimated the annual cost of loss of working days due to mental health problems at £100 billion - almost the same as the cost of running the NHS!
4 out of 5 people accept stress as a fact of life.
50% people feel that their stress level has increased during the past five years and that it has lowered their emotional well being and adversely affected their physical health.
Over one-third indicated that their work interfered with their family and personal time.
Top five general symptoms of stress included:
Fatigue
Headache
Upset digestion
Muscular tension
Change in appetite
Top five psychological symptoms were found to be:
Irritability or anger
Feeling nervous
Feeling fearful
Sleep disorders
Eating disorders (over or under eating)
Job related stress is also a dominating factor affecting career related decisions as well as productivity.
Over 50% people reported making decisions about looking for a new job, declining a promotion, or leaving a job based on stress. They also disclosed that they were less productive as a result of stress and did not use all their allotted vacation time.
The World Health Organization has predicted that in ten years, clinical depression will occupy second spot in the list of global health problems; it currently stands at about 40 million cases only in the affluent West. In United kingdom, over 2 million people suffer from ill health that is believed to be caused or aggravated by work. About one-third mental health cases are connected to depression or anxiety. In 2008, the BBC estimated the annual cost of loss of working days due to mental health problems at £100 billion - almost the same as the cost of running the NHS!
Think About It
Do you work in order to be happy and healthy or to become unhappy and unhealthy?
Stress Management and Mindfulness
Mindfulness Approach to Stress Relief has Unique Advantage
Stress can be reduced either by altering the external situation or altering one's own perception and reaction to it (ie, the internal situation). While one can only have a limited control on the external situations (and that can change anytime), the most common way to manage stress has been learning to relax and change the internal situation. Thus people have various ways to relax - such as long baths, music, massage, yoga, meditation, etc.
All these are wonderful for relaxation and fun, but only partially effective when it comes to stress management. Getting relaxed, through whatever means, does not solve the basic problem causing stress. You certainly feel good for some time and then go back to being stressed again. In reality, this is where most stress management programs leave you.
So, what is the best way out?
Mindfulness can show you the path. It not only makes you more resilient but also gives you a very fresh approach to look at your relationship with stress and discomfort. With mindfulness you will be more concerned with your internal situation where you have enormous untapped potential for control. Mindfulness allows you to investigate and understand how you think, feel and react when something unpleasant happens.
All these are wonderful for relaxation and fun, but only partially effective when it comes to stress management. Getting relaxed, through whatever means, does not solve the basic problem causing stress. You certainly feel good for some time and then go back to being stressed again. In reality, this is where most stress management programs leave you.
So, what is the best way out?
Mindfulness can show you the path. It not only makes you more resilient but also gives you a very fresh approach to look at your relationship with stress and discomfort. With mindfulness you will be more concerned with your internal situation where you have enormous untapped potential for control. Mindfulness allows you to investigate and understand how you think, feel and react when something unpleasant happens.
Stress Management Vs Relaxation
Often people think that managing stress is the same as relaxing yourself. This is also how most stress relief programs are advertised. I think there is a subtle but important difference between relaxing and managing stress. What do you think?
Do you think that stress management and relaxation techniques are one and the same thing.
No, they are different because
Yes, they are just the same
What is Mindfulness
It is an Art of living
Mindfulness as a way of living is based on the truth "Life can only be lived in the current moment". It demands you to be alive in the current moment no matter what the circumstances are. Without steadfastly anchoring the mind to the present moment you are easily lost in the wonderings of the mind - and become a puppet of your mental vagaries.
The concept of mindfulness has conventionally been associated with meditation. In fact, all meditation techniques following Buddha's meditation or its altered versions have mindfulness at their core. However, you don't have to meditate in order to derive benefits of mindfulness and enhance the quality of life. The practice is very simple; it involves
You pay full attention to what you are thinking, how you are feeling, and what you are experiencing. But try not to get carried away in it. You do not avoid unpleasant thoughts or feelings nor do you chase them because they are pleasant. You try staying neutral and detached with the understanding that they don't last forever - they arise, stay in the mind for some time, and then pass away.
Normally when you feel or experience something you habitually react to it. With mindful awareness you will still feel and experience but will check your tendency to react automatically. This "checking" or "controlling" the urge to "react" is the heart of mindfulness and its cultivation.
The concept of mindfulness has conventionally been associated with meditation. In fact, all meditation techniques following Buddha's meditation or its altered versions have mindfulness at their core. However, you don't have to meditate in order to derive benefits of mindfulness and enhance the quality of life. The practice is very simple; it involves
"Being attentive to the present moment and observing everything with a non-judgmental attitude."
You pay full attention to what you are thinking, how you are feeling, and what you are experiencing. But try not to get carried away in it. You do not avoid unpleasant thoughts or feelings nor do you chase them because they are pleasant. You try staying neutral and detached with the understanding that they don't last forever - they arise, stay in the mind for some time, and then pass away.
Normally when you feel or experience something you habitually react to it. With mindful awareness you will still feel and experience but will check your tendency to react automatically. This "checking" or "controlling" the urge to "react" is the heart of mindfulness and its cultivation.
Truth #2
You can not be anyone other than who you actually are.
How to Cultivate Mindfulness
Two biggest obstacles on the way to mindfulness are the habits of aimless mental wondering and of over-thinking. Here are the simple tools for cultivation of mindfulness.Mindfulness of Breathing
It is a great starting exercise to cultivate the mind. Be very clear that it is not a breathing exercise, nor is your aim to concentrate on it. Your aim is the cultivation of mind - breathing is just a tool.
Take a few deliberate breaths and then let go. Now start paying full attention to the natural acts of breathing - breathing in and breathing out.
Whenever you discover that thoughts have taken you elsewhere, acknowledge and return to breathing.
Observe your breathing very closely. Is it shallow? Deep? Is it rhythmic? Pay attention to the movements in the chest and abdomen area as you breath in and out. Check if you can count 5 full breaths without any intruding thought. If you can't, try again.
Can you feel that the out-breath is somewhat warmer than the in-breath? How do feel while breathing in and breathing out? Are you feeling quieter and calmer now?
Is the mind still wondering away from the breathing? Does it go away for lesser duration now?
Check how are you feeling? Relaxed? Somewhat stressed? Anxious?
Are your thoughts random? Or some specific thought is coming back to you again and again?
If you are becoming restless or impatient, that's OK. Note it and continue.
IMPORTANT TIP: Never get angry or irritated if the mind is thinking or wondering too much. Keep bringing it back to the breathing. Wise people compare mind with a wild animal. You can't tame it through anger, irritation or impatience. You need to be patient and skillful.
Train yourself to pay full attention to whatever you do
Breathing is just a traditional way to cultivate mindfulness. Although it is an integral part of mindfulness meditation but it is not the only tool to cultivate mindfulness. In fact, you can train yourself by focusing your attention on practically any and every thing that is happening and you are feeling or experiencing it.
For example, while driving pay full attention to the act of driving, signals and traffic around you. Catch yourself being lost in thoughts and resume mindfulness of driving. Accidents will be a thing of past if people learn the art of driving mindfully!
Likewise train yourself to be mindful while taking shower, brushing teeth, talking on phone, walking on the street, washing dishes, eating food, and so on.
Learn to listen with complete presence of mind and attentiveness. People will be attracted towards you. But please don't do it as a show off - sincerity is still an admired virtue. By nature, mindfulness demands absolute honesty and sincerity. Else, you are merely fooling yourself.
Ideally, you would like to do all the things mindfully all the time. It will definitely feel funny in the beginning, but if you persist you are bound to see positive things emerging.
You forgot to ask the obvious question: What is the great idea behind paying attention to every silly thing?
The trillion dollar idea of consciously paying attention to even trivial things like walking and talking is that it disrupts the endless and useless thinking. Whenever you are mentally alert towards something, thoughts are discouraged.
This mental chatter is the major source of distraction and plays a vital role in making you stressed. When it is quiet you are relaxed and focused. The practice of mindfulness offers you relaxation without even talking about it and improves your mental focus without mentioning the word "concentration".
Yes, that is the beauty of mindfulness!
A Mindfulness Way Out of Distress
Mindful Solutions for Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
Amazon Price: $13.61 (as of 06/01/2012)
For Reading Mindfully
- How to Learn Mindfulness Effectively
- Inner peace, mental clarity and a profound sense of conscious presence suddenly become so much easier to achieve when you discover how to tap the real potential of mindfulness. Chronic anxiety and low self esteem become a thing of past as you feel highly motivated and energetic enough to be able to
- Mindfulness - Let There be LIFE in Your Life
- The technique of mindfulness is slowly being accepted in the western society not just to treat stress and depression related disorders, but also as an art to lead a happy and peaceful life. The technique is astonishingly simple yet highly effective, provided you take the initial efforts to learn and
- Mindfulness - Did You Really Eat That Apple?
- Mindfulness means clear comprehension of the reality unfolding moment by moment. It is an important tool for personal development and meditation.
- How Mindfulness Works
- Mindfulness is non-judgmental awareness of thoughts and feelings. It lead to distancing that gives you freedom and control on what is happening inside you.
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