Picture Perfect Breathing for Fast Stress Relief

If you've experienced one or more traumatic events or you are prone to chronic stress, it’s important to engage in self-care activities including monitoring stress levels and taking steps to neutralize stress before it becomes overwhelming.

In this blogpost and companion podcast episode, you’ll discover a simple, effective breath technique you can use anytime to lower stress and create a sense of relaxation and calm.
Picture Perfect Breathing

Applying Picture Perfect Breathing (PPB) for 60 seconds or more allows mind and body to let go of tension and disempowering thoughts as your brain and body are refreshed and renewed.

With only one to two minutes of Picture Perfect Breathing, you'll be ready to engage in whatever activities are at hand feeling great. Engaging in PPB periodically throughout the day is a great way to maintain a sense of calm and control.

One important item: If you have asthma, COPD, or other breathing or lung problem, please talk with your doctor before doing Picture Perfect Breathing.
Here Are the Steps for Picture Perfect Breathing

• Begin with a yawn, sigh, and stretch. Really give it a good stretch, sigh, and yawn even if you don't feel like yawning.

• Choose a framed picture (preferably a picture of a calming scene), a doorway, or even your computer monitor or laptop screen. You'll be using the corners of your focus object and moving from corner to corner as you breathe.

• Allow your gaze to focus on the lower left corner of your focus object. Allow a gentle, unstrained focus. As you gaze at the lower left corner, inhale for the count of 5, which represents about 5 seconds.

• Gently hold your breath as you shift your gaze to the upper left corner of your focus object and count to 5.

• Shift your gaze to the upper right corner of your focus object and exhale gently through pursed lips for the count of 5.

• Shift your gaze to the lower right corner of your focus object as you relax into the empty breath sensation for the count of 5. If you feel an urge to breathe before reaching 5, go ahead and do so. With just a few times through the process, you will likely feel comfortable mindfully allowing the empty breath sensation to simply be for the count of 5.

Take one or more normal breaths. and then repeat the process for a total of 3 to 5 cycles. Each cycle will take about 20 seconds (5 seconds at each of the 4 corners), so 3 cycles will take about a minute.

Finish with another good yawn, sigh, and stretch and then return to your activities refreshed and rejuvenated.
Guided Picture Perfect Breathing Experience

PPB was the featured technique in the episode linked below of the, "Easy Stress Cures" podcast. Simply click the white triangle on the podcast player below, listen to the episode, and experience the positive mind and body benefits waiting for you.

For more "Easy Stress Cures" podcast episodes visit the, “Mind Over Stress Show” website at http://MindOverStress.us. 

To learn about Stress Solutions, LLC and how to apply Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to dissolve stress and create empowering beliefs and a happier, more successful life, visit, https://www.EFT-MD.com.

Why Stress Matters & a Guided Meditation for Stress Release

Click Player at End of Post to Listen to, "Why Stress Matters & Guided Meditation for Stress Release", episode 1 of the "Mind Over Stress Show" podcast.

This show is born out of my desire to help everyone live a healthier, happier, low stress life. As a former trainer for the Maryland Police Training Commission, I was tasked with developing the first stress management training program for police supervises way back in the 1970s. 

In developing that early stress management program, I learned and experienced many stress reduction methods including hypnosis, meditation, and somatic or body-based relaxation methods. For more than 40-years, I’ve been an evangelist for encouraging people to take control of their own wellbeing.

Why Chronic Stress Matters?

If you enter the search term, “stress and health” into the Google Scholar search service, you’ll see nearly 4.6 million results. The science is clear: chronic stress robs us of a zest for life, health, and happiness. 

A chronically stressed body can be a seedbed for physical and emotional disease. One key reason for increased disease risk relates to the immune system. Under chronic stress, the immune system can be degraded and in some cases virtually shut down entirely.

Study after study link chronic stress to increased risk for heart disease, cancer, and other serious conditions. One study found toxic workplace stress could take 33 years off of your life expectancy.

Stress creates a mental and emotional environment of anxiety and depression. There is a direct connection between our level of stress and our sense of happiness and emotional wellbeing. 

Stress Makes us Stupid

Stress makes us stupid and reduces our ability to perform in an optimum way. Why? Because under stress, there are physiological changes that include redirection of blood from the brain to large muscle groups in the body in preparation for flight or fight. We simply don’t have the same brain power when we’re stressed.

How You Benefit From Listening to This Show?

You and I just explored the bad news about stress. The good news is there are proven, effective, and easily done methods for dissolving stress and enhancing physical and emotional wellbeing. 

That is what this show is about. In every episode, you’ll learn the tools, techniques, and mindset to create optimum wellbeing. 

Some episodes will include interviews with experts who will share their stories of healing and offer proven methods to achieve a happier, healthier life. 

In other episodes, I will share the latest stress related research and provide easily done ways to dissolve stress and create positive, life-affirming states of mind and body.

First Stress Technique - Yawn, Sight, Stretch

Speaking of dissolving stress, let’s experience our first stress dissolving technique followed by a short guided meditation.

As simple as this is, the fMRI evidence tells us it's a powerful method for energizing the prefrontal cortex (executive function area of the brain) while relaxing the body. You simply yawn, sigh, and stretch. Yawn even if you don't feel a need to do so. Repeat two or three times for instant stress relief.

Guided Meditation - Audio Time Stamp 5:08

Please don’t listen if you’re driving or engaged in other activity requiring your full attention. Listen later when you can give 100% attention to this Relaxation Response experience.

To listen to this guided meditation for stress release, click the player below. If you want to go directly to the meditation section, go to the 5 minutes and 8 seconds position in the audio file.

You can also listen by going to https://bit.ly/2GOIz3P.

How to Share This Episode and Subscribe

Please share this episode with friends and family.  The easiest way is to simply forward this blog post.

To subscribe, go to http://www.mindoverstress.us and select the “Subscribe” page.

Blessings, light and peace,

Steve Carter | Stress Solutions, LLC | www.EFT-MD.com 

Create a Moment of Calm and Peace

In this video you'll be led through a short 2 minute 34 second breath and intention meditation to create a calm and peaceful state of mind and body. You can apply this meditation periodically throughout the day to enhance emotional and physical well-being.

For other Stress Mastery videos, visit us at http://www.EFT-MD.com.

Blessings,

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC | http://www.EFT-MD.com | http://StressMastery.blogspot.com

How to Solve the Big Meditation Problem

There are thousands of scientific research studies validating the benefits meditation can have on physical, emotional, and mental well-being. 

We all know we should be meditating, but life happens. Despite our best intentions, the actual doing gets hijacked by busy mornings, crying children, and hectic schedules. After missing one day and then another, our resolve dissolves and our meditation practice stops entirely.

There's an App for That

To paraphrase a term associated with cell phones and computers, "there's an app for that". In this case, "app" stands for applying Passive Breath Meditation (PBM) during your busy day. 

PBM allows you to solve the "No time for meditation" problem is a simple, elegant way that will have you back on the meditation wagon for good. Your Body - Mind - Spirit will say, "Thank you" in many beautiful, well-being enhancing ways.

Here's the 5-minute micro-training video.

                           Link: https://youtu.be/xmWwI0PunNg


Blessings and light,

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC | www.EFT-MD.com 

P.S. To be notified of other upcoming holistic health, stress mastery, and emotional well-being webinars and videos, visit http://www.eft-md.com/contact-us.html and look on the lower right of the page for the "Join Our Energy and Holistic Healing Family" sign-up.

Sleep Matters - The 1-Minute Method to Help You Fall Asleep Easily

We may understand the idea that people should get a good night's sleep academically, but for many of us that realization doesn't translate to changes in our own behavior.

Typically, we continue "muddling through", working late into the night and even on weekends. Too wound up to relax properly in the evening, we may try to medicate the day's stress by watching late-night TV, having a few drinks, or spending hours surfing Facebook to learn what our "BFF" had for dinner.

Some recent studies may help remind us that choosing to get our optimum number hours of sleep nightly can make a positive difference in our professional and personal lives.

Recent Studies:

In a recently released University of California, Berkeley study, researchers found sleep deprivation negatively affects our ability to accurately read facial expressions. This reduced ability could potentially reduce our awareness of non-verbal cues from family members suggesting they are experiencing pain, illness, or emotional upset.

Likewise, failure to perceive subtle facial clues from our boss or co-workers means we're missing important information in the workplace. Even our physical safety could be affected if we fail to notice subtle facial and physical behaviors by potential criminals as we move about in public.

In an earlier UC Berkely study, researchers found a lack of sleep can play a key role in activating regions of the brain that contribute to excessive worry. This was found to be the case in healthy adults as well as people who regularly experience anxiety.

In yet another UC Berkely study, researchers discovered that during dream phases of sleep - also known as REM or rapid eye movement periods - stress chemistry changes and the brain can process emotional memories in ways that reduce the psychological impact.

Dr. Matthew Walker, associate professor or psychology and neuroscience at UC Berkley, and the senior author of this study, commented,

"The dream stage of sleep, based on its unique neurochemical composition, provides us with a form of overnight therapy, a soothing balm that removes the sharp edge from the prior day's emotional experiences".

Poor Sleep Patterns and Our Genes:

In addition to affecting our emotional and cognitive wellbeing, research suggests poor sleep patterns can have a negative effect on gene expression. Swedish researchers at Uppsala University and the Karolinska Institute discovered that genes controlling our biological clocks in cells throughout the body may be affected with the loss of even one night of sleep.

Jonathan Cedemaes, a researcher at Uppsala University and the study's lead author, comments,

"Previous research has shown that our metabolism is negatively affected by sleep loss, and sleep loss has been linked to an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Since ablation of clock genes in animals can cause these disease states, our current results indicate that changes of our clock genes may be linked to such negative effects caused by sleep loss."

How to Fall Asleep Easily:

So if sleep is so important, how can we get more of it?

1) Make relaxation and sleep a priority. If sleep and energetic renewal aren't important priorities, you will find excuses to stay up "just another few minutes" to watch television, surf the web, read Facebook and other social media, or otherwise give attention to activities that keep you up and awake.

2) Close down the computer at an hour before bed. Staring at a monitor and engaging in emotionally charged brain stimulating activities don't support sleep.

3) Shut off the television at least an hour before bedtime. As with computer activities, much of television content stimulates brain activity in ways that keep us wired. This is particularly true with the "if it bleeds, it leads" stories on the evening news.

4) Stop consuming stimulants such as sodas, coffee, or tea several hours before bedtime. Sensitivity to stimulants can vary. Some people may experience the effects of caffeine many hours after caffeine and other stimulants are consumed. Know your tolerance and act accordingly.

5) Use the "4-7-8" method to help you fall asleep. Follow Dr. Andew Weil in the short video as he leads us through the simple method.

Of course, if you believe there may be a medical condition affecting your ability to fall and stay asleep, consult your doctor.

Blessings

Steve Carter

Stephen Carter Stress Solutions, LLC p:804-677-6772 | e:CarterMethod@gmail.com | w:http://www.EFT-MD.com

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Important Note: This and all other postings to this blog are for informational purposes only. This and all other posts are not intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise recommend any treatment for any medical or psychological condition. Anyone using any of the information contained in this or any other posting on this website does so at his or her own risk. You are urged to seek competent medical consultations with appropriate licensed medical professionals for any and all medical, psychological, or physical conditions.

For more information about the articles mentioned above, click the article links below.

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Sleep Loss Recent Studies:

The sleep-deprived brain can mistake friends for foes: http://tinyurl.com/p7ju3sh

Tired and edgy? Sleep deprivation boosts anticipatory anxiety: http://tinyurl.com/pploze2

One night of sleep loss can alter clock genes in your tissues: http://tinyurl.com/q6jmmbn

Dreaming takes the sting out of painful memories: study: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-painful-memories.html#nRlv

Resources & Guides:

National Sleep Foundation Guide to Sleep
http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need

Center for Disease Control Guidelines on Sleep
http://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.htm

How Much Sleep Do You Need? Health? HelpGuide.org
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/how-much-sleep-do-you-need.htm

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