Stress
By working with your nervous system, meditation can help you combat stress by enabling your mind and body to enter a resting state far deeper than in your deepest point of sleep - giving the systems which are unbalanced in your body a chance to realign.
- The problem
Our ancestors survived life and death scenarios by going into flight or fight mode at the first sign of danger. The trouble is that throughout the day our bodies are being triggered to react in the same way by anything from an alarm going off, to getting on the tube, or reading an angry email.
When a threat is detected an alarm goes off in your nervous system, sending a signal to the area of the brain called the amygdala
A flood of hormones and steroids, such as cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline, are released preparing your body for short sharp burst of survival.
Under this stress response, breath quickens, your heart-rate increases, and veins, arteries and capillaries constrict to divert oxygen and nutrients into your legs so you are able to run. (This is great when fleeing a tiger. Not so good when giving an important presentation, and have nowhere to hide).
All too often this ‘chronic background stress’ builds up and creates a whole host of psychological and physical health issues.
Extreme stress is linked to heart disease, diabetes and depression; not to mention problems with every aspect of our lives from sleep, to relationships and work.
Our poor old nervous systems are permanently on high alert without ever getting the chance they need to rest and repair.
- How it affects you
- How can Beeja meditation help?
- Upcoming courses
- Reviews
Not sure about a course yet? Attend a free Intro Talk
“It is not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.”
Hans Selye, Austrian-Canadian Endocrinologist