Stress management | #3
Hello Friends,
Welcome to The Health Plunge, where I share the interesting things I come across in my pursuit of bettering myself every day. Here you'll find the discoveries I've made while studying this month's theme, along with other exciting insights I can't wait to share. I hope this provides both entertainment and enlightenment in your own journey to better health.
November Theme
Stress Management: Physiology, Protocols, Supplements & More
As November brings shorter days and less sunlight in the Northwest, many face challenges with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and holiday stress. Come along as we embark on a four-week series on comprehensive stress management:
Week 1: The Science of Stress
Week 2: Physical and Nutritional Stress Management
Week 3: Mental & Cognitive Strategies
Week 5: Holiday Season Survival Guide
Mental & Cognitive Strategies
Understanding how our thoughts affect our stress levels is crucial for effective stress management. Just as our bodies respond physically to stress, our minds play a key role in both creating and managing stress. This week, we'll explore practical mental techniques that can help you reframe stressful situations, develop healthier thought patterns, and build psychological resilience.
Mindfulness:
Mindfulness brings you into the present moment, helping you recognize and handle your thoughts and feelings more effectively. This reminds me of David Foster Wallace's powerful commencement speech "This is Water," which beautifully illustrates how awareness transforms our daily experiences. Here are a few simple practices to help you become more mindful and present.
Meditation
Daily meditation is a powerful way to develop mindfulness. It's helped me notice when my body is tense or when negative thoughts arise. Among the many meditation apps available, I personally recommend Sam Harris's Waking Up app, but try different ones to find what works best for you.
NSDR
Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR), also known as yoga nidra, is a powerful mindfulness practice that guides you through a relaxing body scan. A 30-minute session can leave you feeling calm, rested, and focused - similar to a 90-minute sleep cycle. You can easily find guided sessions on YouTube by searching "NSDR" and choosing your preferred length.
Hypnosis:
Hypnosis is gaining recognition as a legitimate psychological therapy for addiction, anxiety disorders, and chronic pain management. Stanford University researcher David Spiegel has been pioneering this field, developing tools like the Reveri app, which combines breathwork, visualization, and hypnotherapy. I've personally found its sleep-focused sessions to be remarkably effective and I plan to try the stress sessions soon.
Psychotherapy and Emotional Vocabularies:
Research shows that confronting stressors through writing or talking can significantly reduce stress and improve immune function (chronic stress is linked to decreased immune function). Furthermore, studies have found that people with a larger positive emotional vocabulary tend to have better emotional well-being compared to those who use more negative emotional words.
Additional Finds
Positive Affirmation App:
Related to the emotional vocabularies we discussed earlier, the "I Am" app has been particularly helpful in building my positive self-talk through daily affirmations. By regularly practicing these positive statements, it helps expand your emotional vocabulary and strengthen a more constructive inner dialogue.
Quote That Struck Me:
In Hamlet, Shakespeare revealed a timeless insight into the nature of stress: "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
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