Preksha Dhyana: Self-Awareness By Relaxation: [1] Relaxation: Scientific Version

Modus Operandi of Stress

Learning stress-management is one of the most important lessons for remaining healthy. Relaxation is practised to counteract the ill effects of stress. To understand the meaning of relaxation, we must first know what stress is. The word 'stress' comes to us from Physics where it means "pressure exerted upon parts of a body". When stress results in deformation of the body, it is known as strain. Thus, in our case, stress (and strain) would mean deformation of our comforts. It can display itself as a tightness, an anxiety or an irrational fear. Under stress we feel irritable, getting easily upset or angry and as stress increases, we may begin to feel that we simply can't cope any more.

Any condition that needs behavioural adjustment is stressful condition. Dr. Hans Selye, an international authority on stress, defines stress as "the rate of wear and tear of the body". He shows that cold, heat, rage, drugs, excitement, pain, grief, even joy, all elicit the stress mechanism in the same way. If the stress is physical, such as excessive cold, the skin density changes, the blood vessels at the surface contract and the breathing changes. Whenever one encounters a psychological stressful situation, an elaborate innate mechanism is automatically put into action. This mechanism involves (1) hypothalamus—the remarkable portion of the brain which integrates all functions of the body which are not normally controlled by the conscious mind, (2) pituitary gland, which is called master of the endocrine system because its regulates the other glands, (3) adrenal gland, which secretes adrenalin and other hormones to keep the body tense and alert, and (4) sympathetic component of the autonomic nervous system which is responsible to ultimately prepare the body for 'fight or flight'.

Physiological Condition

The physiological conditions which are brought about by the integrated action of the above are:

1. Blood-supply to the digestive system is curtailed; digestion slows down or is halted.
2. The salivary glands dry up.
3. Respiration rate increases; breathing becomes faster or gasping.
4. The liver releases some of the store of blood-sugar and it is carried to the muscles of the arms and legs.
5. The heart beats faster to pump more blood where it is most needed and blood-pressure rises.

All these and many other complex changes occur to generate extra quantities of electrochemical and hormonal energy which enables us to act quickly. The energy goes to the muscles even when there's nothing that needs to be done and gets bound up in the muscles as tension. When the emergency conditions have subsided, we have what is needed to bring us back to a balanced, tensionless state. It is the concern of the other component of the autonomic nervous systems—the parasympathetic—to resume normal activity and restore peaceful conditions. The parasympathetic nervous system is designed to work in close harmony with and balance the sympathetic nervous system. The activating of the parasympathetic is meant to happen naturally after the emergency is over. Its response balances the sympathetic by returning the chemistry to normal and relaxing the tense muscles. The sympathetic is action-oriented and aggressive; the parasympathetic is restoring and passive. When both function normally, there is a see-saw action which reflects in our body as rhythmic cycles of action and rest. When the equilibrium breaks down, we have dangerous tension. Since the modern life styles keep us always on the go, the restoring apparatus - the parasympathetic seldom gets a chance to operate fully. That is, our muscles and nerves hardly ever return to its natural condition.

Disorders of Tension

All animals including human beings possess this innate mechanism and its response which prepares one for fight or flight is involuntary. When stressful situation regularly recurs, the stress-mechanism is repeatedly activated. If the physiological conditions described above persist over a long time or frequently recur, serious disorder would occur. Thus, if blood-pressure remains high and blood-vessels constricted it will result in heart-attacks or strokes; if the impoverished blood-supply to stomach is prolonged, there will be digestive disorders; if the breathing is prolonged at a high rate, it may result in asthma etc., sustained muscle-tensions will bring aches and pains in the head, back, neck and shoulders. Besides these, chronic tension may also bring feelings of panic which is irrational fear and which can be not only frightening but also crippling. Tense, nervous and anxious modern man is driven inexorably into stress, because his constant state of anxiety prevents him from coping up with the relentless demands of modern life. There is plenty of evidence now to show that tension may play a significant part in promoting or triggering off a great many illnesses. If we are to solve successfully the problem of stress, we have to find a way of allowing the parasympathetic to function efficiently, so that it can establish the equilibrium and harmony which has been destroyed.

Causes of Tension

From the above, one must not conclude that tension is entirely evil. A certain amount of tension is essential for achievement. It is the continuity and the high degree of tension that causes the trouble, impairs performance and leads to exhaustion and illness. Amongst the causes of sustained and inappropriate high level of tension are sudden changes in one's life style. Drs. Holmes and R. Rahe have quantified a number of life style changes such as the death of a spouse. Some of the changes and scores listed by them are:

The list is not complete and all points listed are not relevant to every one. If the score was over 300, there was likely to be serious illness, while a score of over 100 indicates that remedial measures should be taken. Obviously, one 'change' at a time would be easier to cope with. However, life is not so simple and if one has to meet several changes simultaneously, adjustment of reaction by remedial measures such as exercise and relaxation is necessary.

Cure is also Inherent

Modern life styles are most unlikely to change for the better. Sure, we have developed pharmaceutical wonder drugs in the form of tranquilizers, which give a temporary relief. In the long term, however, the medicine itself creates more serious problems than the original disease. The question is: Are we then destined to be doomed by our environmental conditions or are we capable of adapting overselves so as to avoid, at least, the more injurious effects of the daily stress?

Fortunately, we possess and can activate the innate mechanism which produces physiological conditions, which are diametrically opposite to the fight or flight response. Nobel Laurreate, Swiss Physiologist Dr. Walter described this res­ponse as a protective mechanism against overstress, promoting restorative processes and called it 'trophotropic response'. Dr. Herbert Bension, M.D., has termed this reaction as 'relaxation response'.

It is possible to train ourselves to activise, by auto­suggestion, the protective mechanism and to influence our reaction to stress. The increased secretion and output of adrenaline can be normalised and the sympathetic dominance counterbalanced by increased parasympathetic activity. Then the muscles relax and the abdominal wall loses its tightness. Regular practice of total relaxation is a potent remedy for the dangerous diseases of the modern times.

What is Relaxation?

Practice of relaxation is the direct and harmless way of relaxing tension. One cannot hope to enjoy peace, health or happiness so long as one is under the insidious influence of tension, inspite of possessing amenities and luxuries of life. Anybody who, after learning the technique, practises systematic relaxation everyday for 30 to 45 minutes, would not only remain relaxed and unperturbed in any situation, but greatly enhance the efficiency and quality of his work.

For proper appraisal of relaxation, we must know the muscular functions. Muscles contract with lightning speed when stimuli are applied to the connecting nerve. Skeletal muscles allow us action of movement at will. To understand the action of movement, the muscle may be compared to an electro-magnet and the nerve which stimulates it to action to an electric wire which connects it to the brain.

During sleep, very little current circulates in the nerves, and the muscles are almost demagnetised. Most of the muscles are relaxed and limp except those which are necessary for reasons of security and survival. When one is resting, a weak current flows through the nerve, barely magnetizing the muscles which are in a quiescent state. Whenever one moves or is engaged in some physical activity, the current increases in response to the order from the brain, activating the electro magnets—the muscles contract, the arm bends or the fist clenches. The number of minute motors set in motion is proportional to the intensity of the effort.

All the three states, described above, normally occur many times a day. The fourth state, abnormal yet frequent, is the state of hypertension. Perpetually tightened jaws, clenched teeth, frowning brows and hardened stomach-muscles are some of the visible signs of this state. In this state, the electro-magnets are over-magnetized by a strong current, leaving muscle-groups in a state of permanent contraction, quite often unnecessarily. This results in a colossal waste of nervous and muscular energy, because there is a constant leakage of current. The amount of energy thus wasted will depend upon the number of motor muscles activated, rather than on their size or strength, because the nervous impulse needed to contract a small facial muscle is practically the same as a large leg muscle. Thus the total loss of energy will be proportional to both the number of motor nerves and the strength of current, flowing in each of the conductor wires. Every day millions of old, useless and dead cells are replaced by young, healthy ones in all our tissues except nerves. Nerve cells are never renewed or replaced. Their number keeps on decreasing as we get older. If we injure them by, for example, overwork in the form of mental stress, they are lost for ever, leaving behind irreparable gaps. Now, by conscious and voluntary action, it is possible to switch off the current to the muscles, more efficiently than in sleep. Actually our sleep is seldom refreshing because the unresolved problems of the daytime intrude at night and we tend to work them out at a deeper level. Thus our sleep hardly serves its function of relaxing us. In total relaxation, on the other hand, the flow of current may be reduced to almost nil and the output of energy to the minimum.

Eradication of Tension by Relaxation

Relaxation, if properly done, can relieve tension and fatigue more effectively in half an hour than many hours of indifferent sleep. It is an exercise of the mastery of conscious will over the body by the technique of auto-suggestion. Will, however, is not the tyrant with dictatorial powers, cracking the whip, but as gentle and patient as a loving mother with an obstinate child. In other words, relaxation can never be acquired by force, constraint or violence. In time, relaxation could become a habit, not a mechanical one, but an effortless conscious way of life. On can remain relaxed under the most exasperating conditions. Whatever one may be, one is relaxed, neither tense nor frowning with worry.

Colossal Healing Power of Auto-suggestion

In ancient times, both man and animal had the instinct to guide them to whatever they needed to keep them healthy. But while the animal retained the faculty, man, with the progress of civilization gradually lost the instinct. Somebody, however, in the community did retain enough ability to consult his instincts and was usually accepted as the healer.^[1] Apart from nature-healing, diet, medicinal herb, bone-setting, minor surgery etc., he also used faith-healing in which he made the patient to relax and gave suggestions.

Thus technique of suggestion (and auto-suggestion) is the most ancient psychotherapy known to mankind. Almost every culture has, in its own way, while exploring the higher state of consciousness, stumbled upon this technique. Each culture, again, has tried to explain these states in accordance with its own beliefs. We are told by researchers that all known primitive cultures had various forms of this process as part of their religious activities. Throughout history, a strong element of similarity kept running through all these forms and the most basic factor had always been relaxation and suggestion which was used to heal the sick. Evidence of such procedures used in Egypt over three thousand years ago are found to be very similar to the modern ones. In the middle ages, faith-healing through touch and prayer became the major role of priests.

In modern age, Franz Mesmer, an Austrian doctor who is considered to be the first to give recognition to the importance of systematic suggestion, developed a technique of mass healing. "Mesmerism", as the technique began to be called, spread all over the world and survives to this day in one form or another. James Braid recognised the technique as psychotherapy and renamed it as hypnosis (Greek word for sleep).

Later on earnest and selfless efforts by Jacque Liebeault of Nancy School in France, developed many applications of the technique that have become some of the foundations of modern psychotherapy. An important theoretical result was that suggestibility was natural, healthy and a normal element of everyday behaviour.

The technique gained great acceptance during world wars and ultimately was given recognition by both British Medical Association as well as the American Medical Association. Today more and more doctors as well as psychologists use hypnosis in their practices.

Auto-suggestion or self-hypnosis may be seen as a special kind of hypnosis in which the patient himself controls the process. Some researchers have established that all hypnosis is actually self-hypnosis in some fundamental way. Actually, during the late 1800's, Berlin Institute's renowned Brain Physiologist, Oscar Vogt found that some of his hypnotic subjects were able to "put themselves into a state which appeared very similar to deep relaxation", and reduced their fatigue, tension and headaches. Thus definite clinical value of self-hypnosis was established long ago, but in the early 1900's Emile Coue' began to popularize conscious auto-suggestion and the phrase "Day by day in every way, I am getting better" became his landmark.

It has been established by experimental data that various types of body-changes which occur during the process, can be measured. Recent studies have shown that beneficial changes occur in blood sugar level, white blood cell count and EEC Medical, psychological and psychic literature is full of results of research studies anecdotal evidence and stories about many cases which seem to employ one fundamental technique: auto-suggestion or self-hypnosis.

The successful application of this psychotherapy invol­ves four basic factors (1) Motivation (2) Relaxation (3) Concentration and (4) Visualization.

Firstly one must be properly motivated. Anybody who is keen to achieve something (health, desirable virtue), by the technique of auto-suggestion is more likely to get the desired result.

Secondly, the success of the exercise of auto-suggestion will greatly depend on totally relaxed (tensionless) and motionless state of the body. It is essential for the practitioner to reach the subconscious portion of his mind and this is possible only when he is under deep relaxation and without any mental tension.

Thirdly the practioner must not be distracted during the exercise. The customary practice of thinking in a rather scattered fashion must be abandoned. Just as the scattered energy" of sun can be focussed into a single point by a lens to give tremendous power, so also can our mental energy be focussed by concentration.

Finally, the practioner must visualize the desired result. Visualization has tremendous importance for achieving the goal. The practitioner, for instance, can visualize his white blood cells (which comprise the immune system) fighting and destroying the infection producing microbes.

Auto-suggestion is the basic principle of the technique of relaxation. Each part of the body is relaxed, in turn by coaxing auto-suggestion.

Postures and Exercises: Aids to Relaxation

Activity, is also essential to healthy life. It aids and improves blood circulation in the muscles which benefit from movement. Almost every set of muscles has an antagonist - one group relaxing as the opposing group contracts.^[2] If a set of muscles is held tight and tense in static contraction (i.e. without movement) for long periods, the circulation is im­peded. There will be an accumulation of fatigue products, mainly, lactic acid, (which is normally cleared away by the flow of blood) and it is this that leads to pain, stiffiness and fatigue. Good circulation is, therefore, necessary to reduce the effect of accumulation of lactic acid in the muscle. Rhythmical exercise, by the alternate contraction and relaxation of muscles, will improve circulation and mitigate pain and fatigue.

Maintenance of correct posture is an important key for keeping the muscles relaxed. Our body is engaged in a constant struggle against gravity, and so habitual wrong postures would produce chronic strain in the muscles. In correct standing position the head is held high and balanced easily on the neck, neither bent on one side nor jutting forward. The abdomen is held in and the chest is allowed to expand freely. The shoulders should not sag forward, and arms hang freely. Good posture is not a stiff military "standing to attention" but a relaxed position. Correct sitting position is similar, with the spine and neck in a straight line, not stiff but relaxed. Do not sit slumped with your back stooping. Do not stoop or hunch your shoulders as you work. Deviation may result in backaches and even deformities. In driving, your back must be adequately supported.

Golden Silence

Would you believe that a public speaker uses a great deal more nervous energy than a labourer, doing a lot of strenuous work with his muscles, does. This is because the total amount of nervous energy required is proportional to the number of motor units ^[3] and not the size of the muscles. Almost equal amount of nervous impulse is necessary to contract a small facial or vocal muscles as a large leg muscles. Thus a stenotypist who puts a large number of small muscles to work expends much more energy than a blacksmith; an orator uses more than a labourer does. That is why silence is so valuable in conserving and preventing the avoidable waste of energy.

What happens when you speak? An idea which forms in your mind, must first be instantly translated into words with accurate grammar and syntax. In order to allow you to speak, precise orders must be sent out to the muscles of the vocal cord to contract, relax and vary the amount of air used. Contractions of the muscles of tongue, lips, and face require thousands of small motor nerves, each expending its own quota of energy, to participate in the act of speaking. In fact, a speech lasting perhaps a couple of hours may completely exhaust an average person. You can prevent this colossal waste of energy only by observing SILENCE.

But it is not enough to stop speaking aloud. Total silence really means that the mental process of speech must also be halted as this can be exhausting as a loud talk in terms of nervous energy. This is because almost every motor unit named above, except the vocal, has to go through the same notions as are necessary for loud speech. Thus internal silence is as essential as the external or vocal silence.