Stress Buster

One of my bigger triggers for overeating is stress. There's a lot that can be done to cope with stress, like taking a walk, having a soak in the tub, and getting a good night's sleep. But sometimes stress comes at you hard and fast, and there's no time to take a long walk or have a soothing bath. And that's where I try to use my secret weapon.

Today's homework is learning to use this secret weapon against stress.

It's a rather simple breathing exercise that I first read about in one of Dr. Andrew Weil's books, and it has served me well. I use it twice daily to relax for meditation, and I also use it at hearings if I feel myself getting nervous or angry. The more often you practice it, the faster it will relax you when you really need it.

Here's how to do it:

1. Get yourself comfortable. Sit upright in your chair, with your hands resting in your lap; or sit on the floor cross legged with your hands on your knees; or lay flat on your back (you can do this in bed before falling asleep).

2. Close your eyes. (Though I recommend reading through all the directions first!)

3. Place the tip of your tongue on the ridge of the roof of your mouth, right behind your front teeth.

4. Inhale through your nose for the count of 4. Hold your breath softly (no clenching up your neck and shoulders) for the count of 7. Exhale through your mouth (over and around your tongue) for a count of 8. Repeat a total of 8 times.

It doesn't really matter how fast or slow you breath for this, just that the ratio is 4inhale-7hold-8exhale Breath at a rate that is comfortable for you.

Relax and enjoy!

alli

dr weil says that the most important thing you can do for your wellness is to learn to breathe. he is so cool!

When my daughter got off the bus, I asked her if anything interesting happened at school. She said no.

I guess it didn't make that much of an impression.

alli

Ever since I learned this breathing and visualization technique in Lamaze class, I have used it for a variety of stressful situations. It works, but you have to take the time to do it and get consistent with it. Otherwise, I think you go through the motions and don't get the best results.

I have made a list of 25 things I have to do in a stressful moment BEFORE I can eat whatever I think is bothering me. Some are long, some are short tasks....usually I don't get through to 25, because the stress becomes manageable when I take the time to distract myself from it.

I say whatever works for you, other than eating works.

Oh my! Thank goodness no one was injured.
Just what every parent wants to see on the news : (

Yikes, Alli!

I use a similar technique to calm down enough to go to sleep on nights I cannot get my brain to shut off.

Well, I just needed to use this to stop my pounding heart!

This is my daughter's school:
Window walls collapse at Ocean Township Elementary gym

She has gym today, but I don't know what time, so I don't know if this is an event she experienced, or something she'll just have heard about. Thank God no one was hurt. I just drove by to check it out (it's only three blocks away), and oh boy is that more excitement (i.e. stress!) than we really need today.

alli

My friend Millie that I used to work with was a big Dr. Weil fan and used this breathing technique to go to sleep at night. She said it never failed, she always fell right to sleep. I am at my computer working right now so I'll have to try it later. Can't get too relaxed-won't get any work done!

Jill

I have heard a lot of variations on this for relieving stress.
The explaination I got for why it works is that it helps get extra oxygen into your blood.
When we are under stress we tend to breathe rapidly & shallowly and therefore get less oxygen into our blood. This causes our brain to be "oxygen starved" at a time when it needs to function at peak performance. Breathing slow and holding it puts more oxygen in our blood and gives our brain more of what it needs to help keep us calm in times of stress.