Let’s talk about the impact of stress on the body. And then, I’ll guide you through a practice to counteract these harmful effects…and there are many reasons to feel stressed right now!
Every time you experience a stressor – – it leads to a cascade of physiological effects in your body
Your chest tightens. Your stomach knots up. Your heart pounds. Your muscles tense. Your thoughts race. Cortisol floods the body
When that happens frequently over an extended period of time, it can take a serious toll on your body and mind. You become depleted and susceptible to illness. It also putslong term building and repair projects on hold, such as digestion and immunity.
Much as we would like, we cannot teach you to stop getting stressed in response to challenging events, because then you would no longer be human.
However, we can teach you tools that will change the intensity of the response – and how long it lasts. These practices create a buffer zone – between that minefield of stressors and the impact it has on your body.
There are dozens of scientific studies supporting that people who engage in regular mindfulness practice have been shown to get triggered less often, and when they do get triggered, the physiological impact is lessened, and the body recovers faster.
So now let’s spend a few minutes practicing a tool for buffering the impact of stress on the body. This is a powerful breathing exercise that brings you out of the stress response, and interrupts the cascade of negative physiological effects on the body.
Take 10 minutes to do this exercise every day. Think of it as a time dedicated to nurturing your mind and body and build up resilience. Make the most of this extraordinary time of lockdown so it is transformed from a time of upheaval, to a period of emotional growth.
Ciara Byrne, PhD 