The body’s inherent ability to heal and self-stabilize erodes with age; the older we get the more we tend to lose energy, memory, and resilience to stress. It becomes harder to mend from injuries or illness and can take days to recover from workouts or overindulgence. We also are more likely to develop diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and other afflictions as we age.
Extending our lifespan does no good if it means poorer health and higher healthcare costs. The goal is to live healthier and stronger, which ultimately means you will also live longer.
The comedian George Burns once said, “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old,” and we tend to agree! You can’t do anything about your chronological age, but you can definitely change your biological age.
Studies show biological age is a better measure for determining health status and risk than chronological age. The Kaplan Center’s Anti-Aging treatments aim to provide the maintenance needed to return the body to a more youthful state.
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a biomarker of the balance in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) and an objective measure of biological age. Because the ANS regulates our vital organs it’s extremely important that the system is operating in optimum balance.
HRV biofeedback is a simple, noninvasive, and accurate measure of stress in our nervous system and of our overall health.
Emotions, even more than thoughts, activate and drive the physiological changes in the stress response. Feelings of anxiety, irritation, frustration, impatience, and hopelessness are what people mean when they say they are “stressed out.”
For optimal health and resilience, it is important to regulate emotional reactions because they are what push the imbalance in the nervous system. The heart is a key component of the emotional system and negative emotions sap our energy and rob us of the ability to think clearly. You can either deplete or renew your physical, mental, and emotional energy reserves.
“Fight or Flight” versus “Rest and Digest”
Heart Rate Variable (HRV) is a biomarker of the balance in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). The ANS is tied to every automatic process in the body and is comprised of two main branches that work together to control the body’s stress and recovery processes.
Under stress, one branch of your nervous system, the “fight or flight” branch, becomes very active. When this happens, HRV goes down and there is an imbalance between the two branches.
In an ideal situation, the stress is only temporary, the “rest, digest, and recover” branch of the nervous system kicks in causing the HRV to go up again, and the nervous system returns to equilibrium. However, a busy, frenetic, and stressful lifestyle can cause the imbalance to persist throwing the system into a chronic state of fight or flight.
Because this shift happens at such a gradual pace, we might not even notice there is a problem. In fact, a chronic state of fight or flight can become so familiar that any other way of being can just feel wrong and unfamiliar.
Since the insidious effect of long-term stress may be the single most harmful assault against our body’s health, getting an objective measure of it is important.
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
– Viktor Frankl
At this moment we’ve been asked to pause our lives and isolate from most of our family, friends, and colleagues. We are powerless to stop the contagion of disease or the conflict of politics but we are free to choose how we respond in this moment. And we can definitely control what sort of changes we want to see in our future selves when this time of turmoil comes to an end, as indeed it will. Though the world may seem too full of threats and too overwhelming to make any change right now, keep in mind that the biggest transformations are often the result of tiny, almost imperceptible steps we take along the way. And as every gardener knows, fallow ground is actually the most fertile because it has had time to rest and regenerate. This Spring may be just the right time to plant and nurture small seeds that will germinate and grow into the healthy changes we want to see in our lives. And the best news is that the same steps that will result in a healthier future self, will also stabilize our mood and calm our nerves leading to more equanimity in the home, as well as giving a vital boost to the immune system. Small choices that help nurture inner calm can also help bring peace to a not so peaceful world.
Be gentle with yourself
During this time of fear and uncertainty we all yearn to feel loved, nurtured, and safe. Yet the voice we often choose when speaking to ourselves — which is, after all, the person we talk to more than anyone else in the world — is neither kind nor helpful, or even truthful! Pay attention to the voice in your head and choose kind and respectful communication. In a world full of threat and danger it is important to have a sanctuary where you feel safe and calm, especially in your own mind. A small increase in self-awareness and self-compassion will lead to better self-regulation and management of emotions, which in turn will lead to more harmony and peace within. In this time of global stress, inner peace is our greatest gift and most valuable asset. Choose to nurture inner peace. Be gentle with yourself.
Technology: Immune System Boost or Bust
That little phone in our pocket (which is a million times more powerful than the computer that landed man on the moon 50 years ago) has the power to fill us with global and local news that can so overwhelm our nervous system we no longer sleep at night or even think straight. When we are so absorbed in feelings of distress that it robs us of energy and the ability to think clearly, it destroys the immune system’s ability to function at full capacity. Use technology to get absorbed in a more comfortable way of being and reconnect to the great potential that lies within.
Technology for immune system boosts:
Establish a schedule that includes lots of self-care: This profound disruption to everyday life makes it vital that we re-establish a sense of continuity. Set a firm schedule that includes appointments with yourself to get exercise, go outside, meditate, and connect with people you love even if it’s only on-line. Right now taking care of yourself is taking care of others.
Connect with people: We grow in connection with others. Reach out and let others know you’re thinking of them, they are important and you are grateful for their presence in your life. This is no time to regret things left unspoken.
Laughter: A good laugh will increase oxygen to the heart, lungs, and muscles, release endorphins in the brain to improve mood and decrease stress and elevate the immune system. That is good medicine! Contact a fun friend or watch a movie that makes you laugh.
Stories of triumph over adversity: Whether through movies, books, or chats, seek out stories where we overcome hard times. Can we get enough of these right now?
Music: Music is medicine – use it. There’s something especially touching about some of the videos musicians are putting online right now. Stripped of flashy makeup and distracting backups they feel vulnerable and powerful at the same time.
Engage the healing power of creativity: The creative process can tap into incredible inner strength and art doesn’t have to be perfect, beautiful, or significant to be powerful. One family has a nightly photography contest where the person with the most creative picture on a chosen subject gets bragging rights for a full 24 hours. That’s a great way to ease feelings of isolation!
Heart Rate Variability BioFeedback: A simple and effective way to interrupt the stress response and shift your heart, mind, and emotions into healthy coherence, you can use Inner Balance technology to replenish your energy, balance your emotions, and increase resilience. Buy the Inner Balance device here at The Kaplan Center or go to HeartMath.com for this fun and efficient bio-hack to your meditation practice.
Gratitude journal: Relishing good experiences can improve health, outlook, and relationships. A definite boost to the immune system!
Expressive writing: A form of therapy that can be good for your sleep, your state of mind, and your emotional well-being, all of which bolster your immune system and improve your health. Click here for instructions on this powerful technique.
Benefit finding: Finding the silver lining in a dark cloud can be a potent boost to the immune system. Then taking the time to write these thoughts is like doubling down on a good bet.
Random acts of kindness: Nothing makes us happier than to know we’ve touched someone’s life in a positive way. There are many lonely people out there. Reach out and do something kind. It will boost your health and make them feel better.
Pit stop reminders: Fear, uncertainty, and helplessness can rev the nervous system like a race car so schedule regular pit stops to refuel and make mechanical adjustments so you can stay in it for the long haul. Set a timer that goes off every two hours and stop, stretch, do a minute of deep breathing, and drink water to hydrate. Small steps are giant leaps when it comes to countering fear and balancing the nervous system.
Guided Imagery and Self-Hypnosis: Tap into the tremendous power of your own mind to relieve stress, relax your body, improve sleep, and elevate immune system functions. The health benefits are numerous and there are no risks or side effects. You can explore different imageries on-line or call for an in-person or video conference appointment at The Kaplan Center.
Or… turn off all technology
Use this opportunity to find the beauty in small things and contemplate what is really important in life. Better days are ahead. In the meantime, be gentle with yourself, use technology wisely and find ways to control what you can in order to ease the feelings of helplessness and reconnect with the potential that exists within you.
We are here for you at The Kaplan Center. Call to schedule an appointment in person or on-line with the doctors and therapists that can help you get through this change with as much health and resilience as possible. We very much look forward to seeing you.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
Stress is an inevitable part of life and will always be there, but the overwhelming amount of bad news is causing anxiety levels to skyrocket. How we respond to it is a key factor in maintaining good health.
In this article, I plan to explore healthy ways to live with stress, by focusing on breathing techniques called Pranayama that can help to change our negative response to stress.
What is Allostatic Load?
We have physiological responses to stress that are important for survival. It is only when these responses become chronic that we suffer what is termed allostatic load, leading to an increase in diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. Consider the following process:
When crises or urgent situations occur, the amygdala, a structure in the brain with an influential role in fear and aggression at the sense of danger, fires to alert the brain to do something;
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is activated; breathing picks up, the heart beats faster, blood rushes away from organs like the digestive tract into the muscles, and we “fight or take flight;”
If the sense of danger persists then structures in the middle part of the brain (called the Limbic System) such as the hypothalamus & pituitary stimulate the adrenals to pour out cortisol and adrenaline (HPA Axis).
If this system is fired up repeatedly, over time this allostatic load will take a toll on the body.
Today’s stressors are far different than those of the past, even the very recent past. We are living in confusion about what we can and cannot do, the fear of losing our jobs, our health, and the health of a loved one – this on top of the more subtle stressors of everyday life. The result is a heightened and prolonged state of anxiety that needs to be addressed in some way other than constant worry and sleeplessness. We need to explore ways to mitigate the effects of the amygdala and HPA axis, which is involved in the neurobiology of mood disorders and functional illnesses.
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) consists of the sympathetic nervous system (sometimes referred to as the “fight or flight system”) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which returns us to a relaxed resting state. The PNS is under the control of the vagus nerve. Nerve fibers from the central nervous system go to the organs in the abdomen, thorax, throat area, and to the heart; and fibers from the organs go back into the central nervous system to convey what is going on internally. Nerve fibers send branches into the limbic system of the brain that stimulate or inhibit the stress response. All these structures control internal perceptions, threats, and affective states.
The most advanced part of the vagus nerve is the myelinated vagus, found only in mammals. The myelinated vagus enhances the calming PNS, which slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and repairs, restores, and promotes feelings of safety. The variability of the heart rate is a reflection of PNS activity and can be measured as an indication that the vagus nerve is firing, leading to a calming, resting, restorative state.
Breathing & Respiration
Breathing involves the movement of air in and out of the lungs, and respiration involves a gas exchange between the lungs and the blood. As the diaphragm and the chest muscles contract on inspiration, the diaphragm moves down, the ribs expand and oxygen moves into the lungs. On expiration, the diaphragm and chest muscles relax and carbon dioxide moves out of the body, into the atmosphere.
For the most part, control of the breath is automatic and involuntary. The respiratory center in the brain stem is responsible for breath rate control, and there are receptors in the aorta that detect changes in the blood to regulate the respiratory rate. For example, with exercise, carbon dioxide levels go up, and the receptors in the aorta stimulate the respiratory center to increase the respiratory rate, decrease carbon dioxide and increase oxygenation. However, if breathing is shallow and fast, as is common in the stress response, hyperventilation occurs, which lowers carbon dioxide too much, leading to dizziness, unease, and anxiety.
There are aspects of breathing that we control in a voluntary and conscious manner via the cortex of the brain. Speaking, singing, and playing wind instruments are good examples. Also, stress and emotional stimuli may induce accommodation of breathing as mentioned previously.
Pranayama
Pranayama (yogic breathing) involves the voluntary control of the breath, and is practiced widely in yoga and meditation, but is something that anyone can do. Slow Pranayama appears to shift the autonomic nervous system from the fight or flight sympathetic to the calming parasympathetic state and has been shown to positively affect immune function, hypertension, asthma, and stress-induced psychological disorders. Examples of Pranayama include:
Ujayi breath – Used during yoga poses, inhaling and exhaling through the nose while creating a slight constriction in the throat;
3 part breath (Dirga) – Inhaling and expanding the belly, then the lower rib cage, then upper rib cage;
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana) – Exhaling then inhaling starting with the left side then exhaling and inhaling on the right;
Bellows Breath (Bhastrika) – Quick thrusts of the belly in on exhalation, which really works the diaphragm. The emphasis on the diaphragmatic breath is important because most people over-utilize chest muscles and don’t get adequate breath, thereby creating shallow breath and inadequate oxygenation.
Medical benefits of Pranayama
There are several studies that show the medical benefits of Pranayama. One study showed improvement in pulmonary function tests in patients with asthma and emphysema after practicing yoga and Pranayama for 45 min a day over the course of two months. Several studies have supported Bhastrika Pranayama in enhancing “parasympathetic tone.” Another study showed the benefits of Alternate Nostril Breathing in increasing parasympathetic tone by measuring heart rate variability and expiration-inhalation ratios. A pilot study with chemotherapy patients showed improvement in mood and sleep after Pranayama, and numerous other studies support the benefits of Pranayama in depression and anxiety.
In sum, Pranayama is accessible to all and can be used with meditation, or on its own, to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. This is something we all could use more of, leading us toward greater health and a sense of well-being.
References
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R. Jerath, J.W. Edry, V.A. Barnes, and V. Jerath, “Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: Neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system,” Medical Hypothesis (2006): 67, 566-571.
G.K. Pal, S. Velkumary, and Madanmohan, “Effect of short-term practice of breathing exercises on autonomic functions in normal human volunteers,” Indian Journal of Medical Research (2004): 120, 115-121.
T. Ritz and W.T. Roth, “Behavioral intervention in asthma,” Behavior Modification (2003): 27 (5), 710-730.
R. Soni, K. Munish, K. Singh, and S. Singh, “Study of the effect of yoga training on diffusion capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: A controlled trial,”International Journal of Yoga (July 2012): 5(2):123-7. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.98230.
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We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2