Finding Meaningful Relaxation This Summer
As we emerge from what we hope was the worst of this pandemic, and see the month of July bringing vacation and travel plans for many of our members, we hope that each of you finds meaningful relaxation this summer. We encourage you to remember that self-care is not a luxury; it is a necessity for health and well-being.
The burden of chronic stress has specific impacts on our physiology; it can adversely affect the function of our brain, our metabolism, and our microbiome. When we take even a brief moment for relaxation, such as a few deep breaths, we have the power to activate our “relaxation response” and to counteract the stress response. The parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” nervous system is the counterbalance to the sympathetic “fight-or-flight” system. The more times we engage the parasympathetic, the more we can break through what can otherwise be a constant stream of stress-associated adverse physiological responses.
We often lead lives that are full of activities that may contribute to a stress burden of which we’re both aware and unaware. While most people cannot avoid the causes of their stress, we can all take steps to mitigate the impact of that stress and to enhance our resilience. Being able to identify what you do for meaningful relaxation is a great first step. At Synergy we ask our patients about their “allostatic load” – their cumulative burden of chronic stress and life events - because we understand how this impacts all aspects of health. We also ask about their stress management tools and what they do to relax, but sometimes, people can’t identify what that might be; sometimes their answer might be a clear “nothing.” We are here to help! We encourage you to start by thinking about something very simple that brings you a sense of peace or joy. Maybe it’s spending time at the beach, or reading a good book, yoga, meditation, breathing, listening to a favorite song in the car, or simply playing with a child or grandchild. Whatever it is, start by simply “savoring the moment” – take a breath or two during which your belly expands as you breathe in and contracts as you breathe out, and focus your attention on the feeling of joy that you are experiencing right at that moment. When you do this, not only it will you help to build and support positive neural pathways and neurochemicals in brain and body, you will also engage your parasympathetic nervous system to lower your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, promote healthy blood flow, and even promote healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. Remember, our team is here to guide you. In fact, we encourage you to check out this month’s Mindful Monday which will feature a mindfulness practice to facilitate meaningful relaxation.
We hope you’ll all find at least one summer moment to savor this July.