The Science of Destressing and Being in the Zone

Do you feel continually stressed during the day because of the demands of work, kids, or just keeping up with the juggling it takes running a home? Does life overwhelm you causing health issues?

Do you smoke or need to lose weight but fear if you quit or go on a diet it will add even more stress to your life?

Are you exhausted by the end of day yet take ages to fall off to sleep because of a “noisy mind” and then awake in the morning tired and anything but refreshed?

If any of these symptoms describe how you feel most days then I’ve got some good news for you in one word… Mindfulness. Keep reading.

Now if you’ve heard the term before and think it is a substitute for meditation and not something that appeals to your analytical or scientific brain then please think again and hear me out. First, mindfulness is rooted in Eastern philosophy, but differs in two distinct ways: there isn’t any talk of spirituality and the exercises are aimed at rewiring the brain, which science is learning just now about our brains’ ability to adapt.

It is because of this scientific element that Mindfulness is gaining traction among people who would normally dismiss mind-body philosophies. Silicon Valley – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and of course Google - is a “hotbed” of classes and conferences on the topic – it brings new meaning to the term “being in the zone.”

Stressed people are finding this form of meditation is a way to deal with a 24/7 always connected job or outside life.

The February 3, 2014 issue of Time magazine showcased a story called “The Mindful Revolution.” An inquisitive reporter went on a retreat and discovered the science behind Mindfulness. It’s worth a read if you can still get a copy or search online for it.

The term Mindfulness can be traced back to Jon Kabat-Zinn, considered the father of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). With three physicians he opened a stress-reduction clinic at UMass Medical Center in Worcester, MA. The clinic was based on meditation and mindfulness, and originally engineered to help patients with chronic pain refocus their attention to change their response to pain and reduce their overall suffering.

Today, scientists have proven mindfulness training can lower cortisol levels and blood pressure among other benefits. Scientific studies have been conducted to see if mindfulness can make Marines more resilient in stressful combat situations, and based on this work the Department of Defense has award million dollar contracts for further studies.

Even educators are turning to mindfulness as our kids attention span becomes less each year, and teachers look how to equip children to concentrate in classrooms and deal with their own stress.

It was always Kabat-Zinn intention mindfulness would go mainstream and based on its global reach and community today it is helping people deal with everyday stress in a fun and healthy way.

We have put together an introductory 4-part series of articles on Mindfulness, and you can read them by clicking any of the links below.

Finally, here at Free At Last Hypnosis we practice what we preach. Along with hypnosis and NLP techniques we also leverage concepts of mindfulness as a resource during our stress and anxiety hypnosis management program which you can learn more about here >>>.

OTHER RESOURCES IN OUR INTRODUCTORY TO MINDFULNESS SERIES:

Introduction to Mindfulness – Part I

Working on Getting Into a State of Mindfulness– Part II

What Would Being Mindful Mean? – Part III

Creating a Permanent and Mindful Change – Part IV

Erika Slater, CH
Director,
Free At Last Hypnosis