6. Physiological: Physiological changes into and out of stress.

6. Physiological: Significant stress almost always causes a physical change. Often, we must do something physical to relieve the stress we feel. Aerobic exercise such as; walking, swimming, and running can help. Slow deep breathing can also help break physical cycles of stress. One way to help young children (and you) learn deep breathing and have fun at the same time is through a large bubble blowing contest. You have to breathe deeply and blow very slowly to create a big bubble. This works best when you use a bubble wand with a one to two inch diameter hole.


Slow, deep, relaxed breathing can even help others, in close proximity to you, to relax . Many years ago, a women who had been attending one of my courses, was attacked by an ex who intended to do her significant harm. He had a tight hold on her and she could barely move. Instead of struggling, she began breathing calmly, slowly, and deeply. He could easily feel her breathing with his body. Before very long, his breathing also changed and he relaxed and let her go. This does not mean that this will work every time, or even most of the time; but it does demonstrate how our breathing CAN affect someone else. Furthermore, our state of relaxation can have an affect on others. One technique for dealing with someone in a crisis is to change out with someone else. Stress and anxiety, can be catching and it is often good to have someone else step in after a while, someone who has not them self, become stressed. The second person can have a calming affect and be more objective in dealing with the situation. That does not mean that the first person was doing anything wrong; but as they also become stressed, loosing blood flow to the brain (a common occurrence when we become stressed) they tend to loose objectivity and creativity in helping/supporting the person in crisis.

Physical health derived from good eating, drinking, and sleeping habits,  (see also D & C 88: 124) also promote peace in times of stress.

Periodic fasting and taking a day of rest every week, on the Sabath if possible, are also important for well being, relaxation, and peace.


The effect of acute aerobic exercise on stress related blood pressure responses: A systematic review and meta-analysis
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301051105000827

State anxiety, psychological stress and positive well-being responses to yoga and aerobic exercise in people with schizophrenia: a pilot study
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09638288.2010.509458
Physical activity, exercise, depression and anxiety disorders
http://www.springerlink.com/content/70ww62p57h007986/

Effect of aerobic exercise on test anxiety http://gradworks.umi.com/32/78/3278538.html

A Pilot Study of the Effects of High-Intensity Aerobic Exercise Versus Passive Interventions on Pain, Disability, Psychological Strain, and Serum Cortisol Concentrations in People With Chronic Low Back Pain http://physther.org/content/87/3/304.short

Improves Cognitive Responses to Psychological Stress through Enhancement of Epigenetic Mechanisms and Gene Expression in the Dentate Gyrus
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0004330

Adaptation to stress and psychobiological mechanisms of resilience
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=jslncD9_GNkC&oi=fnd&pg=PA91&dq=aerobic+exercise+psychological+stress+human&ots=JpSyxn_aNI&sig=aGtQSZbIv4ruD_3-YzS-NZKkQxQ#v=onepage&q=aerobic%20exercise%20psychological%20stress%20human&f=falseExercising your brain: A review of human brain plasticity and training-induced learning.http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/pag/23/4/692/


Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Mild Cognitive Impairment
http://archneur.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/67/1/71

Move More, Stress Less!

"Regular exercise offers our minds and bodies a welcome release from the pressures of everyday life."
read the article: http://lds.org/ensign/2004/08/move-more-stress-less?lang=eng&query=stress+prayer

  As we become more and more stressed the physiology of our bodies change.  There are numerous signs that this change has or is occurring.  Some of the possible signs are: sweaty hands, cold hands, ringing in the ears, dry mouth and sometimes a resulting clicking sound, increasingly rapid movement and speech, less coherent speech, higher pitch in speech, louder speech, anger, withdrawal, muscle tension, and quick short breathing.  When we become stressed, our body reduces the amount of blood it sends to the brain and sends more to the large muscle groups in our extremities.  This is an adaptive change called Fight or Flight  and helps us to run away or fight off an assailant or wild animal if needed.  It is less adaptive in the work setting as less blood in the brain equates to a diminished ability to learn, think. and speak coherently. 

See also: Sleep Hygine