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Taking it easy
The bottom line: Relaxation techniques may help with blood glucose control very little or a lot, depending on your psychological makeup and your body’s sensitivity to stress. Whatever the case, however, they probably won’t hurt, and they may leave you feeling less tense and more at peace. While you can certainly take a class in meditation or go to a therapist who teaches imagery exercises, you also can try such techniques on your own at home. McGrady offers this caveat, however: “If you have frequent, long-lasting feelings of anxiety or depression, you should seek professional help.” Based on her study, you may not be able to focus on your relaxation practice until you get these problems under better control. What’s more, while deep relaxation usually leads to feelings of enhanced well-being and calmness, occasionally it can bring up disturbing emotions, such as fears, sadness, or despair.
Following are some simple techniques for getting the best of stress. You may find that one method is more effective or feels more natural than another. The best technique for you is the one that works.
Take a deep breath
Deep, abdominal breathing plays a role in many relaxation techniques.
Here’s a simple breathing exercise to help you get started:
1. Sit or lie in a comfortable position, and close your eyes.
2. Place one hand on your belly just below your navel, and notice your breathing.
3. Feel your hand rise slightly with each breath in. Feel it fall with each breath out.
4. Focus on this rising and falling motion for several breaths.
Have you ever been told to count to 10 to calm down? It really works, at least if you combine the counting with deep breathing:
1. Follow the steps above until you get a comfortable breathing rhythm going.
2. Now, say “ten” to yourself as you breathe in. Then breathe out.
3. With the next breath, say “nine” as you breathe in. Then breathe out.
4. Repeat until you reach “zero.”
Meditate on it
Perhaps the best-known means of calling up the relaxation response is by meditation. This practice has its roots in religious rituals, and many people still use it as a path to spiritual enlightenment. However, you don’t need to have any religious or spiritual intentions to reap the benefits of the technique. All forms of meditation have two key components. One is a mental focusing device, such as a repeated word, sound, phrase, or prayer or a repetitive movement. The other is a passive disregard for other thoughts that may come up. If you temporarily lose your focus, don’t worry about it, but simply return your mind to the repeated word or motion. To get started meditating, try following these basic steps:
1. Pick a focus word or phrase. Keep it short enough to easily coordinate with your breathing. Some examples: “peace,” “shalom,” “let go,” “hail, Mary.”
2. Find a quiet place where you aren’t likely to be disturbed.
3. Sit or lie in a comfortable position, and close your eyes.
4. Try to relax your muscles, and start noticing your breathing.
5. Repeat your focus word or phrase to yourself as you breathe out.
6. Passively disregard any distracting thoughts that come up.
7. Continue for 10–20 minutes. Meditate once or twice every day, if possible.
Mind your mindfulness
One popular variation on the meditation theme is mindfulness. In this technique, you’re asked to focus on moment-to-moment awareness without judging or reacting to the things you notice. You can use mindfulness to become more aware of your breathing, much as you might do in traditional meditation. However, you also can use it to become more fully aware of your experiences in everyday life. The goal is to slow down, focus on one thing, and give it your full attention.
Here’s a quick exercise in eating mindfully:
1. Have an apple (or your favorite kind of fresh fruit) on hand.
2. Sit in a comfortable position. Relax with some deep, abdominal breathing.
3. Focus on what is happening in the here and now, and let go of other thoughts.
4. Now, focus your attention on the apple. Notice its appearance, feel, and smell.
5. Then, take a bite, and notice the flavor as if you had never tasted an apple before.
6. Note without judging any other thoughts that may come up. Then passively return your mind to focus on the apple.
7. Enjoy the feelings that arise as you savor the experience of eating an apple.
Imagine stresslessness
With mindfulness, you focus intently on the actual sensations you’re experiencing. Imagery exercises are similar, except that you focus on imagined sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. This lets you harness the incredible power of imagination to help reduce stress and deepen relaxation. Often, the most potent images are ones you create for yourself. However, there are also a number of books and audiotapes on the market that guide you through the process of conjuring up soothing or healing images.
Here is an example of the kind of script you might invent or follow:
1. Sit in a comfortable position. Relax with some deep, abdominal breathing.
2. Focus on the imaginary scenario: Imagine that your body is made of very strong, clear crystal. Notice how beautifully the facets shine in the light. Now, with each breath in, see your body fill with colored mist in a soothing shade. Watch as the mist flows slowly from your head, to your chest and abdomen, to your arms and legs, and finally to your hands and feet. As the mist gradually fills your body, you are imbued with peace and well-being. With each breath out, watch as the mist flows in the reverse order, from your hands and feet to your head. As the mist leaves your body, it carries away any stress and fatigue, leaving you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
Learning to cope
Stress can give you the intensity and energy to finish a project by a deadline, but chronic stress can affect your blood glucose control and your overall health. Even though life’s problems can blindside you every once in a while, using relaxation techniques can help you to roll with the punches and adjust rather than letting stress knock you for a loop.
The bottom line: Relaxation techniques may help with blood glucose control very little or a lot, depending on your psychological makeup and your body’s sensitivity to stress. Whatever the case, however, they probably won’t hurt, and they may leave you feeling less tense and more at peace. While you can certainly take a class in meditation or go to a therapist who teaches imagery exercises, you also can try such techniques on your own at home. McGrady offers this caveat, however: “If you have frequent, long-lasting feelings of anxiety or depression, you should seek professional help.” Based on her study, you may not be able to focus on your relaxation practice until you get these problems under better control. What’s more, while deep relaxation usually leads to feelings of enhanced well-being and calmness, occasionally it can bring up disturbing emotions, such as fears, sadness, or despair.
Following are some simple techniques for getting the best of stress. You may find that one method is more effective or feels more natural than another. The best technique for you is the one that works.
Take a deep breath
Deep, abdominal breathing plays a role in many relaxation techniques.
Here’s a simple breathing exercise to help you get started:
1. Sit or lie in a comfortable position, and close your eyes.
2. Place one hand on your belly just below your navel, and notice your breathing.
3. Feel your hand rise slightly with each breath in. Feel it fall with each breath out.
4. Focus on this rising and falling motion for several breaths.
Have you ever been told to count to 10 to calm down? It really works, at least if you combine the counting with deep breathing:
1. Follow the steps above until you get a comfortable breathing rhythm going.
2. Now, say “ten” to yourself as you breathe in. Then breathe out.
3. With the next breath, say “nine” as you breathe in. Then breathe out.
4. Repeat until you reach “zero.”
Meditate on it
Perhaps the best-known means of calling up the relaxation response is by meditation. This practice has its roots in religious rituals, and many people still use it as a path to spiritual enlightenment. However, you don’t need to have any religious or spiritual intentions to reap the benefits of the technique. All forms of meditation have two key components. One is a mental focusing device, such as a repeated word, sound, phrase, or prayer or a repetitive movement. The other is a passive disregard for other thoughts that may come up. If you temporarily lose your focus, don’t worry about it, but simply return your mind to the repeated word or motion. To get started meditating, try following these basic steps:
1. Pick a focus word or phrase. Keep it short enough to easily coordinate with your breathing. Some examples: “peace,” “shalom,” “let go,” “hail, Mary.”
2. Find a quiet place where you aren’t likely to be disturbed.
3. Sit or lie in a comfortable position, and close your eyes.
4. Try to relax your muscles, and start noticing your breathing.
5. Repeat your focus word or phrase to yourself as you breathe out.
6. Passively disregard any distracting thoughts that come up.
7. Continue for 10–20 minutes. Meditate once or twice every day, if possible.
Mind your mindfulness
One popular variation on the meditation theme is mindfulness. In this technique, you’re asked to focus on moment-to-moment awareness without judging or reacting to the things you notice. You can use mindfulness to become more aware of your breathing, much as you might do in traditional meditation. However, you also can use it to become more fully aware of your experiences in everyday life. The goal is to slow down, focus on one thing, and give it your full attention.
Here’s a quick exercise in eating mindfully:
1. Have an apple (or your favorite kind of fresh fruit) on hand.
2. Sit in a comfortable position. Relax with some deep, abdominal breathing.
3. Focus on what is happening in the here and now, and let go of other thoughts.
4. Now, focus your attention on the apple. Notice its appearance, feel, and smell.
5. Then, take a bite, and notice the flavor as if you had never tasted an apple before.
6. Note without judging any other thoughts that may come up. Then passively return your mind to focus on the apple.
7. Enjoy the feelings that arise as you savor the experience of eating an apple.
Imagine stresslessness
With mindfulness, you focus intently on the actual sensations you’re experiencing. Imagery exercises are similar, except that you focus on imagined sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. This lets you harness the incredible power of imagination to help reduce stress and deepen relaxation. Often, the most potent images are ones you create for yourself. However, there are also a number of books and audiotapes on the market that guide you through the process of conjuring up soothing or healing images.
Here is an example of the kind of script you might invent or follow:
1. Sit in a comfortable position. Relax with some deep, abdominal breathing.
2. Focus on the imaginary scenario: Imagine that your body is made of very strong, clear crystal. Notice how beautifully the facets shine in the light. Now, with each breath in, see your body fill with colored mist in a soothing shade. Watch as the mist flows slowly from your head, to your chest and abdomen, to your arms and legs, and finally to your hands and feet. As the mist gradually fills your body, you are imbued with peace and well-being. With each breath out, watch as the mist flows in the reverse order, from your hands and feet to your head. As the mist leaves your body, it carries away any stress and fatigue, leaving you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
Learning to cope
Stress can give you the intensity and energy to finish a project by a deadline, but chronic stress can affect your blood glucose control and your overall health. Even though life’s problems can blindside you every once in a while, using relaxation techniques can help you to roll with the punches and adjust rather than letting stress knock you for a loop.
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