The Bullet Points 

• Most people experience some level of stress through their lives 
• The body responds to stress by releasing specific hormones and activating the sympathetic nervous system 
• The above responses are fine in the short run but when ongoing can result in significant health issues including diseases of the heart, brain, gut and immune system 
• Stress management strategies discussed include breathwork, meditation, Tai Chi and QiGong  
• The Tools section offers additional tools to help you manage stress 

The Details 

Acute vs Chronic Stress 
Acute stress is your body’s natural response to challenging or demanding situations.  This ability to respond in a highly focused manner has obvious benefits in life threatening situations.  If a large dog becomes unleashed and rushes toward you then your “flight or flight response” kicks in which unleashes a host of specific body responses for this acutely stressful situation.   This is considered a “good stress” in these critical situations when you need to respond with maximum focus and effort.   But today’s modern world creates work a different type of stress.    Work issues, relationship problems, and other daily life challenges can create a chronic “flight or fight” stress response which we call chronic stress.  Chronic stress can also result from physical as well as emotional traumatic events from the past (some of these can be more obvious such as abuse while others are often more subtle and less in your conscious mind such as a child’s parental divorce) that continue to impact your current well-being.

Physiology of Chronic Stress 
Your body’s adaptive response to stress includes activating the adrenal glands which then secrete the hormone cortisol.   Excessive cortisol can excessively elevate your blood sugar and reduce the effectiveness of your immune system.  Your body also places the autonomic nervous system into high gear.  The autonomic nervous system is a two-part system that operates quietly in the background without your conscious thought and controls your breathing, heart rate and all digestive processes.  The two parts are known as the sympathetic system and the parasympathetic system.  The ongoing constant interplay between these two parts of the autonomic nervous system has a significant impact on your body’s function and well-being.  On an ongoing daily basis think Parasympathetic nervous system ON=GOOD HEALTH while Sympathetic Nervous System ON=BAD HEALTH. 

Chronic Stress = Disease and Shortened Life Span 
So as you can surmise from the above discussion, these hormonal and nervous system changes that occur from ongoing, chronic stress have negative effects on your health adversely affecting your gastrointestinal (gut) health, your immune system, your heart and your brain health.   Studies have shown that stress can shorten the length of telomeres, the protective caps at the end of your DNA chromosomes.   Shortened telomeres unfortunately mean shortened life.   Chronic stress also directly affects your genes by turning off protective genes and turning on genes that are related to illness and disease.  These direct and indirect effects upon your DNA are associated with a higher risk of age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Stress can also affect the brain’s hippocampus, leading to memory problems and cognitive decline, which are common features of aging.   Let’s not forget about the gut.   The gut microbiome is the collection of microorganisms that live in your intestines.   The microbiome plays a crucial role in your health.  Stress affects the microbiome by altering the composition and function of the gut bacteria leading to a weakening of the gut barrier, leading to increased inflammation and the release of toxins into the bloodstream creating multiple health challenges. 

As you can see, chronic stress has negative effects throughout your body in multiple ways.   There are, of course, no prescriptions or magic methods that will completely eliminate stress from your life.   The good news is that there are many ways to manage stress which we will discuss below. 

Stress Management Strategies 
There are several mind-body practices that have been shown to effectively reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance overall health and longevity. 

Breathwork

Breathwork has become very popular in recent years as a method for relaxation and stress reduction.   Breathwork is not new as it is based on Hindu Yogic breathing practices.  Breathing exercises have been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve heart rate variability. They can be practiced anywhere, at any time, and can be particularly effective in reducing stress during challenging situations. There are many different methods of breathwork.   I will share with you one. 

The form of breathwork that I use is called Belly Breathing.   This breathing fully engages your abdominal muscles, your diaphragm and your lungs.  Normal breaths tend to be shallow chest breaths whereas belly breathing is initiated by your abdomen and fills your lungs more deeply. 

You can practice belly breathing lying down or sitting in a comfortable position.

1. Place one hand over your chest and the other hand over your belly
2. Inhale slowly through your nose to about a count of four filling up your belly with air.
3. Purse your lips and exhale slowly through your mouth feeling your belly push out the air until almost all is expelled
4. Repeat up to 10 breath cycles.

Meditation

I do not consider myself an expert in meditation.   But I do meditate on an intermittent basis. Here is the basic method that I use.

1. Sit upright in a comfortable chair with relaxed shoulders and chest wide.
2. Feel your spine “long and extended” and head tall then place your hands on your knees.
3. Breath in through your nose into the belly, exhale through the mouth
4. Keep your focus on your breathing
5. When other thoughts enter your mind( as they will naturally do ) it is ok to let yourself be momentarily distracted by them then return your thoughts to your inhalation and exhalation.
6. You can also add another focal point by silently saithe word “One” or “Ohm” during exhalation keeping your focus on this word as you exhale

The above is one method for meditation.   As stated, as I am not an expert in this area, I have included an online article called “How to Meditate” that provides excellent guided meditations to further assist you.  www.nytimes.com/guides/well/how-to-meditate  

I would suggest beginning your mediation practice with 5 to 10 minutes per day working your way up to 20 to 30 minutes daily or 10 to 15 minutes twice daily.    

Lastly, there are Chinese based Mind-Body practices noted below that have extensive health benefits that you might consider.   I recommend that you look for a local class with a knowledgeable instructor to guide you through these practices

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a gentle form of exercise that involves slow, flowing movements and deep breathing. It has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, improve sleep quality, and enhance balance and flexibility. Additionally, research has shown that regular Tai Chi practice can reduce chronic pain, improve immune function, and enhance overall quality of life. 

Qigong

Qigong is a traditional Chinese mind-body practice that has been around for thousands of years. Its roots can be traced back to ancient Chinese shamanic practices, as well as Taoist and Buddhist philosophy. In traditional Chinese medicine, Qigong is considered a form of energy medicine, as it is believed to help balance the flow of “chi,” or life force energy, in the body. The practice includes meditation, breathing techniques, and physical movements, all of which are designed to promote relaxation, inner peace, and overall health. The benefits of Qigong are numerous and well-documented. Scientific studies have shown that regular practice can improve health by reducing inflammation, boosting immune function, improving cardiovascular health, and reducing chronic pain. Qigong has also been shown to improve mental and emotional health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and enhancing cognitive function.