Message: A simple exercise based on the ideas of the Alexander Technique helps to reduce stress, look confident and relaxed, and feel better about yourself. Read about the technique first, then try the exercise below.*
Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955), an actor, the founder of the Alexander system, investigated human unconscious habits and how they interfere with learning, performance, and physical functioning. The total system has been established in 1880’s and has been very popular ever since. Among it’s early proponents were celebrities albert Einshtein and Gorge Bernard Shaw.
Two Nobel Prize-winnerss for Medicine and Physiology, Sir Charles Sherrington and Sir Nikolaas Tinbergen, mentioned the technique in their Nobel Prize acceptance speeches. Here is what they said: “Mr. Alexander has done a service to the subject by insistently treating each act as involving the whole integrated individual, the whole psychophysical man.” (Dr. Sherrington). “I noticed with growing amazement, very striking improvements in such diverse things as high blood pressure, breathing, depth of sleep, overall cheerfulness, mental alertness, resilience against outside pressures and also in such refined skills as the playing of a stringed musical instrument.” (Dr. Tinbergen)
Recently, studies showed that Alexander Technique’s efficiency in reducing pain and stress was higher than massage therapy’s efficiency (1). Alexander Technique lessons also helped individuals with Parkinson’s disease (2)
Sources
- Br J Sports Med 2008;42:965-968
- Int J Clin Pract, January 2012, 66, 1, 98–112
Exercise
- Standing in front of a mirror, lift up your shoulders, rotate them back and press them down
- Keep your shoulders as far back and down as you can for the count of 16.
- Relax your arms. Make your neck long and straight, do not tilt your head.
- Flatten the lower part of your back and contract your abdominal muscles to flatten your stomach.
- Take a minute or two to ‘memorize’ how your body feels while in this position.
Remember this feeling every time you are under stress
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* This exercise is a part of the Therapeutic Movement classes taught by T. Zilberter at the MetroSport Athletic club, Durham NC in 1992-1995
Try the bed of nail to reduce stress
The bed of nails is rooted in ancient Indian mysticism. In Russia in 1980s, a wellness tool was created by Ivan Kuznetsov, consisting of fabric with several thousands plastic nails glued to it. Although this technique was investigated in 5 Moscow clinics (1), it’s been only in 1999 this devise has been researched in USA and pain relief, relaxation, improved sleep, and subjectively increased energy level has been reported (1). In 2011 in Sweden (2), in the Institute of Psychophysiological Behavioral Medicine, Department of Public Health, and School of Innovation, Design and Engineering, the researchers focused on stress response, and its regulation by the sympathetic parasympathetic nervous systems. The bed of nails treatment was compared with instructed relaxation. Pain perception and heart rate were fond to be lower while the anti-stress parasympathetic activity were higher in the treatment group than in control (instructed relaxation with music) group.
References
- Reflexo-therapy From Kuznetsov’s Applicator to Shakti Mat: Forty year-long success story
- Zilberter T, Roman J. Reflexo-Therapy with Mechanical Skin Stimulation: Pilot Study. International Symposium on Integrative Medicine. New York: Omega Institute, 1999.
- Olsson E.M.G. and von Scheele B. Relaxing on a Bed of Nails: An Exploratory Study of the Effects on the Autonomic, Cardiovascular, and Respiratory Systems, and Saliva Cortisol. THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE. Volume 17, Number 1, 2011, pp. 5–12
Message: Add this exercise to your daily routine
Breathing awareness exercise can be done during the body-centered meditation. However, as an independent exercise, it is usually recommended to perform in the upright position, sitting straight in a comfortable chair, the legs uncrossed.
After mastering the breathing awareness, it can be included into many rhythmic and cyclic exercises, like walking, jogging, swimming (this one is especially suitable because of the forced breathing rhythm, for example, during the breast stroke). Breathing meditation can be the important part of psychological and spiritual impacts of repetitive movements. Because of that, it is probably not a good idea to read, watch a TV or to talk while, say, working out on a stationary bicycle or walking.
This exercise can be performed while sitting on the exercise mat, possible moved to a wall for the better support of the back. It is also possible to use exercise steps. However, the classic posture is while using the chair.
Breathing awareness exercise
1. Sit upright with the legs crossed, if on the floor, and uncrossed if on the chair
2. Uncross the hands in any case
3. Straighten your back. Look straight forward
4. Catch the balance and relax the stomach
5. Close your eyes
6. Do not force or control your breathing
7. Do not try to breathe deeply
8. Do not try to hold the breathing
9. Breathe comfortably and simply watch the breathing
10. Brush away any thoughts and sensation but those of breathing in and out
Homework: repeat this exercise every day at least three times, 5 times every time. Use this technique every time you are under stressor experiencing health problems, like elevated blood pressure, pain, headache, etc.
There are quite a few axes where the brain is involved. The most studied is hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis dealing mostly with stress and the sleep/wake cycle and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis reproduction, life cycle, and sexual dimorphism & behavior. Recently, emerging evidence supports the existence of communication axes between other organs as well, with the central role of the brain remaining. The gut-brain-skin axis is thought to be responsible also for the stress challenge that, if not managed, can cause skin inflammation and the hair growth inhibition. The good news is, there are ways to deal with the challenge by improving of the microflora of the guts by probiotics (Exp Dermatol. 2010 Jan 25).
For example, myocardial infarction (heart attack) causes the release of pro-inflammatory substances that may affect the function of other organs including various structures brain where they result in an increase in cell death (J Psychopharmacol 2009, 23, 451–459; Biol Psychiatry 2006, 59, 430–433) while the friendly probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum taken in combination reduced these adverse effects (British Journal of Nutrition (2009), 102:1420-1425).
A spectacular result proving the gut-brain axis influence on the quality of life has been presented in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007, 61, 355–361). Those participants of the double blind controlled trial who reported themselves to be constipated infrequently were more clearheaded, confident and elated. When the participants prone to be depressed at the onset of the trial where treated with probiotics, they responded by reporting themselves as happy rather than depressed while these changes were not observed in the control group taking milk drinks containing no probiotics.T
Message: For healthier brain, take care of your guts
There are quite a few axes where the brain is involved. The most studied is hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis dealing mostly with stress and the sleep/wake cycle and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis reproduction, life cycle, and sexual dimorphism & behavior. Recently, emerging evidence supports the existence of communication axes between other organs as well, with the central role of the brain remaining. The gut-brain-skin axis is thought to be responsible also for the stress challenge that, if not managed, can cause skin inflammation and the hair growth inhibition.
The good news is, there are ways to deal with the challenge by improving of the microflora of the guts by probiotics (1).For example, myocardial infarction (heart attack) causes the release of pro-inflammatory substances that may affect the function of other organs including various structures brain where they result in an increase in cell death (2,3) while the friendly probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum taken in combination reduced these adverse effects (4).A spectacular result proving the gut-brain axis influence on the quality of life has been presented in the (5). Those participants of the double blind controlled trial who reported themselves to be constipated infrequently were more clearheaded, confident and elated. When the participants prone to be depressed at the onset of the trial where treated with probiotics, they responded by reporting themselves as happy rather than depressed while these changes were not observed in the control group taking milk drinks containing no probiotics.
There are quite a few so called “axes” where the brain is involved. The most studied is hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis dealing mostly with stress and the sleep/wake cycle and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis reproduction, life cycle, and sexual dimorphism & behavior. Recently, emerging evidence supports the existence of communication axes between other organs as well, with the central role of the brain remaining. The gut-brain-skin axis is thought to be responsible also for the stress challenge that, if not managed, can cause skin inflammation and the hair growth inhibition. The good news is, there are ways to deal with the challenge by improving of the microflora of the guts by probiotics (6).
For example, myocardial infarction (heart attack) causes the release of pro-inflammatory substances that may affect the function of other organs including various structures brain where they result in an increase in cell death (7,8) while the friendly probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum taken in combination reduced these adverse effects (9).
A spectacular result proving the gut-brain axis influence on the quality of life has been presented in (9). Those participants of the double blind controlled trial who reported themselves to be constipated infrequently were more clearheaded, confident and elated. When the participants prone to be depressed at the onset of the trial where treated with probiotics, they responded by reporting themselves as happy rather than depressed while these changes were not observed in the control group taking milk drinks containing no probiotics.
References
- Exp Dermatol. 2010 Jan 25
- J Psychopharmacol 2009, 23, 451–459
- Biol Psychiatry 2006, 59, 430–433
- British Journal of Nutrition 2009, 102:1420-1425
- European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007, 61, 355–361
- Exp Dermatol. 2010 Jan 25
- J Psychopharmacol 2009, 23, 451–459
- Biol Psychiatry 2006, 59, 430–433
- British Journal of Nutrition 2009, 102:1420-1425
- British Journal of Nutrition (2009), 102:1420-1425
