In this excerpt from our recently released book Stress Management, we will discuss mind-body approaches that can help you achieve optimal wellness, which is highly linked with lowered stress.

Think back to the last time you engaged in physical activity, and chances are high you didn’t think about stress because physical activity does a lot for your mental health. Those who engage in physical activity tend to have lower levels of stress and better overall health. There are physical activities and relaxation techniques that can help you cope with stress.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness are techniques that allow you to clear your mind and focus on the present moment. Practicing meditation involves spending time in contemplation in order to achieve mental clarity. Mindfulness is the act of giving full attention to something so that we can appreciate it with all of our senses. Meditation is an exercise you can do to enhance your state of mind. Mindfulness is a state or quality of life that you can work toward.

Meditation

A meditation practice can also help you clarify your thoughts, in addition to emptying your mind (1). In today’s world, information is bombarded at all times. It may be difficult to concentrate when there is so much information coming at you. Meditation can help you create a mental barrier and stay in the moment. It is also a good way to build awareness of feelings and thought processes.

Meditation has been shown to have benefits in many studies. The results of one study have shown that those who meditate regularly have higher functioning antibodies and can fight off infections better than those who do not meditate. It has also been shown that meditation reduces psychological disorders, including stress-related ones (2). There are different types of meditation; they all have stress-reducing benefits. Yoga, breath work, om meditation, present moment meditation and focused meditation are only a few of these.

Breath Work

Meaningful and purposeful breathing has been shown to help manage stress and improve mental and physical wellness (3, 4). When we breathe short, we fill the base of our lungs, but when we breathe deeply, we fill the entire lungs, activate the parasympathetic nervous system, and reduce stress and anxiety.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing is a slow and deep breathing exercise that uses the diaphragm, the large muscle located at the base of the lungs, to control air movement. The diaphragm is involved in all of our breathing, but we can control the way we use the diaphragm to breathe more efficiently. This is important because the diaphragm is a key element in our body’s functioning (6).

Diaphragmatic breathing involves the stomach, abdominal muscles, and diaphragm. Try practicing for 5 to 10 minutes at a time, three or four times a day by following these steps (7).

1. Start by lying down. It is better to start practicing this breathing technique while lying down so you can better focus on the movement of your chest and abdomen. 
2. Make yourself comfortable. You can place a pillow under your head and knees. Place one hand in the middle of your chest and your other hand just beneath your rib cage.
3. Inhale. Slowly breathe in through the nose, concentrate on bringing the air toward your stomach. You should feel your hand on your stomach rise up and your hand on your chest should remain still.
4. Exhale. When you exhale, tighten your abdominal muscles and let your stomach fall downward while exhaling through lips. Your hand on your chest should remain still.

(Figure 1: Diaphragm moving upward during exhalation (left) and down during inhalation (right))

There are many different techniques for mindful breathing such as Pranayama, Nadi Shodhana, Bhramari and Ujjayi. Consider trying out a couple on your own. Start small and spend five minutes per day on mindful breathing.

Yoga

Integrating the mind, body, and spirit is the basis of yoga. Like other mind body approaches, yoga is also a very efficient way to manage stress while being physically active. It is a tool for reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and increasing the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. This helps reduce the levels of stress hormones in the body and improve general sense of well-being (8). Research has shown that students who regularly practice yoga tend to rate themselves as happier, healthier, more energetic, and more focused compared to those who do not practice yoga. 

There are different branches of yoga, each representing a different focus and characteristics which helps relieving stress (9). Engaging in yoga practices can help reduce cortisol levels for both chronic and acute stress responses and may even reduce the severity of the stress response.

Stress is an inevitable component of our lives. There are many methods to help us manage our stress. While meditation and mindfulness can help us build up awareness by helping to focus on our thoughts, yoga can help us concentrate on our mind and emotions that also can be combined with a variety of breathing exercises to enhance feelings of relaxation. 

References

1. Reddy, J.S., & Roy, S. (2019). Understanding meditation based on the subjective experience and traditional goal: Implications for current meditation research. Frontiers in Psychology, 10.
2. Thibodeaux, N., & Rossano, M.J. (2018). Meditation and immune function: The impact of stress management on the immune system. OMB Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 3(4).
3. Goldstein, M.R., Lewin, R.K., & Allen, J.J. (2019). Improvements in well-being and cardiac metrics of stress following a yogic breathing workshop: Randomized controlled trial with active comparison. Journal of American College Health, 70(3), 918-928
4. Ma, X., Yue, Z.-Q., Zhang, H., Gong, Z.-Q., Shi, Y.-T., Wei, G.-X., & Li, Y.-F. (2017). The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 8.
5. Naik, G.S., Gaur, G.S., & Pal, G.K. (2018). Effect of modified slow breathing exercise on perceived stress and basal cardiovascular parameters. International Journal of Yoga, 11(1), 53-58.
6. Kocjan, J., Adamek, M., Gzik-Zroska, B., Czyzewski, D., & Rydel, M. (2017). Network of breathing. Multifunctional role of the diaphragm: A review. Advance Respiratory Medicine, 224-232.
7. Liu, H., Wiedman, C.M., Lovelace-Chandler, V., Gong, S., & Salem, Y. (2023). Deep diaphragmatic breathing: Anatomical and biomechanical consideration. Journal of Holistic Nursing
8. Tripathi, M.N., Kumari, S., & Ganpat, T.S. (2018). Psychophysiological effects of yoga on stress in college students. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 7(1), 43.
9. Pankhania, J. (2005). Yoga and its practice in psychological healing. In R. Moodley & W. West (Eds.), Integrating traditional healing practices into counseling and psychotherapy. Sage Publications.

Header photo by Kike Vega