PHYSICAL RESILIENCE
Stress is not just a “feeling” but affects the whole body from head to toe.
When feeling stressed, take note of how your body is affected. Are your muscles tensing up? Is your breathing more shallow? Perhaps your stomach feels tight and uncomfortable. Stress simply means pressure or tension. Some stress in life is normal, and can even be beneficial to get work done. But too much stress or stress for long periods of time is detrimental to our health and performance.
Imagine pressing the gas pedal on your brand new Ferrari - there is an increase in power and your car accelerates forward. However, if you don't let go of the accelerator - the engine will overheat, the tires will burn, and you will run out of petrol. No matter how expensive and amazing the car may be, it needs to stop. It needs to refuel and recalibrate in order for it to continue running at an optimal level. Likewise, you can't run continuously at full speed every day without burning out. You need to rest, recover and recalibrate to play the long game and make it to the finish line.
Rest and Recovery
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)
This exercise was first developed in the 1930s by Edmund Jacobson at Harvard University. PMR has been shown to be helpful for reducing anxiety, insomnia, tension headaches and even in pain management.
There are two parts to PMR. The first is to build tension in a muscle group and then to notice what it feels like. The second is to relax a muscle group and then notice what it feels like. This helps you to become more aware about what tension vs. relaxation feels like in your body. It will get easier to relax your muscles with practice.
- Find a comfortable chair to sit on in a quiet and comfortable place.
- Start and systematically work through your body. Hold the tension for 5 - 7 seconds and release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Remember to keep breathing! An easy way to remember this is to breath in while tensing and to breath out when relaxing. Slow down your breath as you breath in and out. Breath in through your nose to fill your lungs and stretch your abdominal muscles.
- End the exercise by taking several slow breaths in and out. With each exhale, feel yourself becoming more relaxed and your body getting more limp. You can say yourself the word “RELAX”.
- Fists – Clench both fists tightly and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Biceps – Bend elbows, tense bicep muscles and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Triceps – Straighten arms, tense muscles in back of arms and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Forehead – Wrinkle forehead in a frown by raising your eyebrows and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Eyes – Close eyes tightly and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Jaw – Gently clench jaw and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Tongue – Press against roof of mouth and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Lips – Press together and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Neck – Gently press neck back and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.. Then bring head forward to chest and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Shoulders – Shrug shoulders as high as you can and hold stomach out as much as possible and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Shoulder blades – Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Buttocks – Tighten muscles in buttocks and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Thighs – Tense by lifting legs off floor and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Calves – Press toes downward, as if burying them in sand and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
- Shins and ankles – Bend feet toward head and hold for 5-7 seconds. Release and relax for 10-15 seconds.
Be careful not to overstrain your muscle or to hold the tension for too long (especially your feet!). Be mindful of any area of your body that is injured.
A useful program to learn how to cope with stress is the Stress Management & Resiliency Training (SMART) program by the Benson Henry Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital
Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist Zen practices but has been developed into a Western psychological practice by a number of medical professionals including Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and Dr. Herbert Benson. It’s been shown to have a number of psychological and physical benefits such as reducing psychological distress, and improving sleep quality and concentration.
Mindfulness allows you to slow down your thoughts, focus on the present, and not be overwhelmed by feelings or thoughts.
In mindful breathing, you will pay attention to your breathing, while allowing thoughts to pass without focusing on them.
In body scan meditation, you will focus on different parts of your body, noticing how each part feels and then relaxing each part.
MENTAL RESILIENCE
