Strong psychological stress is unnatural, so the psyche transfers the accumulated stress to the level of the body
A picture: Shutterstock
– The body and emotions are closely linked. If a person restrains his experiences and does not show them, they accumulate inside and negatively affect the psyche, blocking our energy, – explains Ph.D., psychotherapist, founder of the first clinic for psychosomatic medicine in Russia, from the book “Practical Psychosomatics » Artem Tolokonin. – Strong psychological stress is unnatural, so the psyche transfers the accumulated stress to the level of the body. And so-called physical blocks and clamps appear, manifesting themselves by pain, tension or even starting the disease.
For example, some doctors say that an ulcer is caused by long nervous experiences, when tension and pain are felt as a lump in the area of the solar plexus.
To deal with informational and emotional stress, it is therefore important to start using special exercises, the so-called physical exercises, which help to calm down and restore balance.
METHOD 1: BREATHING SO YOU DON’T GIVE AT AGGRESSION AND WORD
If you are overcome with anger, resentment, irritation, breathe, but do it right. Namely with the stomach, slowly and deeply, to initiate the natural process of relaxation in the body. To do this, take a deep breath and feel how the stomach is filled with air, and then the chest. As you exhale, do the same in reverse.
The fact is that the psyche switches from the source of irritation to the process of breathing, and this helps. And slow inhalations and exhalations activate the work of the vagus nerve, which signals the parasympathetic nervous system to relieve tension. After a few minutes of this exercise you will feel a pleasant relaxation in the whole body and clarity in the head.
METHOD 2: RELAX AND RELEASE THE DAY STRESS
This exercise helps in those situations where the tension that accompanied you all day does not allow you to calm down and fall asleep at night. It helps to relieve mental excitement through physical relaxation.
Sit or lie in a comfortable position, close your eyes and breathe slowly for a count of four. That is, each “calculate” each breathing phase: inhale for 1-2-3-4, pause for 1-2-3-4, exhale for 1-2-3-4, pause for 1-2-3 – 4. Repeat this cycle for 2-5 minutes. And then, without opening your eyes, scan your body from head to toe and record sensations in every muscle and ligament, in every part of the skin. If you feel tension somewhere or do not understand exactly what you feel in a certain area, try to mentally relax and feel this area.
METHOD 3: CONTACT WITH THE BODY
The exercise helps to relax the muscles of the eyes, harmonizing the work of the nervous and immune systems, disabling the “fight or flight” reactions of the sympathetic system and starting the work of the parasympathetic system. This allows you to relax, unwind and feel resilient during a period of change.
Lie on your back, bend your knees, rest your feet on the floor, and clasp your hands comfortably on your stomach. This body position reduces the strain on the lower back and promotes freer breathing. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and measured. Then put your fingers on your forehead and cover your eyes with your palms, or use a sleep mask. Now try slowly moving your eyes (but not your head) left and right, in circles and diagonally, look into the distance and focus as if you were on a nearby object. That is, do exercises for the eye in the dark. After a while you will feel a pleasant fatigue in the body and a decrease in anxiety.
