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Hi Friend,
Today I'd like to share with you two highly effective methods to reduce ongoing (chronic) pain and stress.
These are techniques I regularly use with patients in our clinic. You may or may not be familiar with them. If not, try them out! If so, they are great reminders.
First, let's start with WHY I recommend EVERYONE adopts one of these techniques or another similar practice on a regular basis.
It all starts with the brain. If you've experienced a trauma (physical injury or emotional), the effects could stay with you for a long time. Sometimes they remain unresolved in various ways that create painful symptoms or sensations throughout the body.
It's a complex process that is beyond the scope of this email. What you should know is that the brain responds favorably to regular practices like meditation. I've seen several patients significantly reduce pain, blood pressure, and heart rate. Many were able to return to a more active life with enough patience and dedication.
So let's start simple. If you're feeling more stressed or painful than usual, try this meditation.
4:8 Breathing
- Lie down in a comfortable position or sit upright in a supportive chair.
- Draw your attention to your breath. Notice any areas of tension through your body, and attempt to "release" those areas as you breathe out. In through the nose, out through the mouth.
- Any time your mind begins to wander, draw it back to your breath.
- Begin to lengthen your exhalations. I usually aim for 4 seconds in, 8 seconds out. There can be variation, but aim for a longer exhale.
- Continue for 5 minutes.
You can see this technique demonstrated in the video I made by clicking the image below:
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| | | Not everyone likes that technique, which is why I wanted to share one more.
This one is more popular, but always a great reminder:
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| | | Mindfulness Meditation
Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness meditation as: "the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally."
Why is this important? We often lose track of how much stress and tension we've built up in our bodies. Some people "carry" stress in different areas of their bodies. In women, it tends to be the hips and neck. In men, it can vary substantially, in my experience.
If this sounds like you, try this practice. 5-minutes is a good start. Do this for thirty days. See if you can work up to 12 minutes.
- Sit in a comfortable upright position with a supportive chair.
- Begin to draw your attention to your breath.
- Observe the quality of your breath. Is it fast, slow, difficult? How would you describe it in this current moment?
- Your mind will wander many times during this process. Simply acknowledge you've wandered again. Return to the breath.
- Make observations without any judgments as your mind wanders.
- I often describe this as watching your life playing out on a movie screen. You may notice all sorts of things come onto the screen: Back pain, knee pain, all the things you wish you had got done yesterday. Make room for these thoughts, like inviting them in for tea, then return to the breath.
- Continue this for 5-minutes, working up to 12 minutes.
Try one of these for 30 days, and see what you think. If you don't like one, try the other!
If you still need help with ongoing, chronic pain, simply reply to this email.
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| | | Dr. Chris Sovey, DPT, RN, BSN Phone: 616-803-9829 |
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