Everyday Neuro 017: The Art of Relaxation - Learn Effective Ways to Reduce Tension and Anxiety

Introduction to Relaxation

0:00Hello and welcome to the Everyday Neuro podcast series. I'm your host Dr. Janine Cooper and I'm aiming to provide you with the knowledge and inspiration to understand the fascinating world of the human brain. This is the first podcast of 2020 and so I'd like to wish you all a very happy new year. Now I'm not sure how 2019 was for you but for me it brought surprises

0:36and challenges but overall a sense that having a balance in life is hugely important to not only my own health and mental and physical well-being but also those I share my life with such as my family and friends. One of the most popular topics I've talked about with people is how to achieve balance or equilibrium between the have-to-do activities of life with also implementing a time to relax. So I thought it was a great idea to start this first episode of the new year

1:09with a focus on relaxation.

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Defining Relaxation

2:14So I'd like to start by asking you the question, what is relaxing to you? I'd like to have a think about this and consider what really makes you breathe a little deeper, brings you pleasure or enables you to brush off the stresses of modern day life. For some of us it might be reading a good book or listening to a favorite podcast. For others it's cooking, gardening or spending time with family and friends. And for many exercise, mindful movement and meditation can really help to restore equilibrium.

2:45Relaxation can be defined as the state of being free from tension and anxiety. Many of us now use the term anxiety to describe how we feel after a busy day, but often what we're really talking about is stress. When a heightened reaction occurs to a stressor over a prolonged period of time and then continues after the initial stressor is no longer present, then this can lead to anxiety. For those of you who are already regular listeners to the Everyday Neuro podcast series, then you may have awareness of what

3:20can cause anxiety from episode seven. For those of you who are new to the podcast, welcome. And you can learn more about the biological and social aspects of anxiety as well as ways to manage them in this earlier podcast. But what I really want to bring forward from that episode into this one is that anxiety has a genetic component and is created by hormones and chemical messages in the brain called neurotransmitters that can affect our physiology and our thinking. Ultimately, when we feel anxious, it is due in part to an

3:56imbalance in our neurotransmitters and hormones. And so knowing about this process from our brain to our behavior can then be hugely beneficial for coping and managing anxiety as it can really help to restore balance. So how can we create equilibrium in our lives? Well, it differs between individuals and for some extreme sports or activities that thrill can actually bring a release from tension and anxiety. Whereas for others, soothing massage or indulging in a calming activity can do the trick.

4:30So later in this podcast, I will discuss meditation as well as mindfulness. And one thing that is common to these practices, as well as many activities and pursuits that can bring relaxation is breathwork.

Breathwork and Relaxation

4:43But what exactly am I referring to with this term? Well, breathwork can be described as an activity where we control our breathing. And as a reaction to this deeper inhalation and exhalation of air, the body releases hormones and neurotransmitters that regulate our heart rate and reduce the stress or fight or flight response that we may feel. So let's have a look at breathwork in a bit more detail. And for those of you who consider this only relevant for people who meditate or practice

5:15mindful movements such as yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi, then please do listen further. As you may be surprised how beneficial controlling your breath can be in any setting, including the workplace and daily commute. If I told you that breathing deeply and engaging your diaphragm could improve how you express your emotional state, improve your attention and reduce stress levels without the need to take medication or seek additional support, would you be willing to give it a try? Well, this question was

5:48investigated by Zaumar and colleagues and published in a 2017 article called The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on a Tension, Negative Effect and Stress in Healthy Adults. In this research study, the effect of diaphragmatic breathing on cognition, effect and cortisol responses to stress was investigated in 40 participants who were randomly assigned to either a breathing intervention group or big for short, or a control group. The big received intensive training for 20 sessions

6:23implemented over eight weeks and employed a real-time feedback device and an average respiratory rate of four breaths per minute. And this engaged the diaphragm, unlike the control group who did not receive this treatment. All participants completed tests before the intervention, also known as baseline tests, as well as tests after the intervention to measure effect, which we can define as how you express your emotional state, as well as a cognitive skill called sustained attention. Now, sustained attention

6:58can be defined as our ability to focus on an activity or a stimulus over a long period of time. And sustained attention is what makes it possible to concentrate on an activity for as long as it takes to finish, even if there are other distracting stimuli present. So, as well as effect and sustained attention, baseline and post-test salivary cortisol concentrations were determined in both groups. And as I mentioned in episode seven, cortisol is a steroid hormone that regulates a wide range of processes throughout the body.

7:34And these include metabolism and the body's immune response, but it also has a very important role in helping the body respond to stress. So, let's just recap. This study wanted to see whether implementing diaphragmatic breath work would show an associated change in stress levels by measuring cortisol in saliva, in sustained attention using cognitive assessments, as well as in effect using a questionnaire. So, let's have a look at what the results suggested. The big showed a significant decrease in negative

8:09affect. So, after the intervention, compared to the baseline, those that had performed the diaphragmatic breathing express their emotional state in a more positive way. Also, in the diaphragmatic breathing condition, there was a significant interaction effect of group by time on sustained attention, whereby the big showed significantly increased sustained attention after training compared to baseline. There was also a significant interaction effect of group and time in the diaphragmatic

8:42breathing condition on cortisol levels, whereby the big had a significantly lower cortisol level after training, while the control group showed no significant change in cortisol levels at all. So, in conclusion, the authors suggest that diaphragmatic breathing could actually improve sustained attention effect as well as stress as measured by cortisol levels. So, perhaps you may be more tempted to have a go at implementing some

9:15breath work. Even at work, just find five minutes and change your breathing and allow yourself to enable this deep inhalation and exhalation of air. I found this really beneficial when I can feel my stress levels starting to rise, which can then have a negative impact on my ability to focus on the task at hand. Now, I love a technique called box breath, among other names, that goes as follows. So, you inhale deeply for three to four seconds, you hold your breath for three to four seconds, you then exhale deeply for three to four seconds, and then

9:52hold for a further three to four seconds. And then you repeat this several times. And what you may find is that your heart rate most likely will drop and reduce your physiological reaction. Now, my friend and yoga practitioner, Ariane Foster, who runs Habitual Yoga Space, introduced me to this lovely technique. And she also offers great online guidance. And I thought it'd be lovely to provide you with her details, so that you can go to her site and look at what she does on Instagram, and maybe find some techniques for yourself. I'll provide

10:29those details in the show notes of this episode. And you can locate all show notes for every episode of the Everyday Neuro podcast series on the website. So go to everydayneuro.com.au.

10:44Finding ways to be financially savvy is a smart move. And knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want, like that dream home or new ride, is a great feeling. That's why the State Farm Personal Price Plan can help you save when you choose to bundle home and auto. Bundling, just another way to save with the Personal Price Plan. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings, and eligibility vary by state. 102 miles ago, the oil light came on. 100 miles ago, you noticed. Now, it's time to head to take

11:18five. This oil change, fall in love with your car all over again. In just 10 minutes, your dream technician will check your tire pressure, top off fluids, change your oil, and verify with Carfax exactly what your car really needs. All while keeping you in the driver's seat. Take five to stay in your car 10 minute oil change. Save up to 30% on your next oil change to take five. $15 value. Valid to participating locations. Terms and conditions apply. So perhaps for those of you that can sometimes feel overwhelmed with the day or the week ahead, maybe try a little bit of breath work to potentially ease

11:53your stresses and bring about a potential feeling of calm. Relaxation can also lead to clarity of thought as reflected by the results of Zaumar's study. This is because it frees up part of your active thinking, also known as working memory. And I've discussed this in detail in episode five. This allows more capacity to focus and sustain attention on the task at hand. Focusing your attention on an object or body part is often a technique used by people who meditate. The neural benefits of

12:28meditation are impressive. And due to a lack of information about this topic, along with breath work and movement on the brain and our behavior, I've actually created a short course called the neural benefits of mindful movement. It's based on the latest neuroscience and neuropsychological evidence. And should you decide to take the course, you will be able to name, identify and locate the areas of the human brain that benefit from mindful movement and link these structures to important functional changes in attention, planning and decision making, emotions, including stress

13:03and anxiety, learning new information and skills, and self-awareness and identity. You will also obtain the latest information about neuroplasticity. So how the brain structures change and reorganize by forming new neural connections through mindful movement. Also, this course contains a wonderful guided deep muscle relaxation meditation with Tessa Hughes, an experienced mindfulness practitioner.

Mindfulness and Relaxation

13:30And we'll hear from Tessa in a moment about the benefits she believes mindfulness practice can provide. As with all Everyday Neuro online courses, you will have access to guided video presentations, information sheets and quizzes, as well as the ability to contact me to answer any questions you may have. As a thank you to Everyday Neuro podcast listeners, I'm providing a pre-launch offer where you receive 50% off this new course, if purchased before the 15th of February 2020. And on purchase of the new course,

14:03you will also get 50% off the introduction to the human brain foundation course. The Neuro Benefits of Mindful Movement workshop is ideal for practitioners and instructors of mindful movement, especially yoga. It has a potential to enhance your practice or teaching by furthering your understanding of the holistic benefits of mindful movement on the brain and behavior. As I mentioned earlier, one of the key components of this short course is a beautiful guided deep

14:34muscle relaxation meditation by Tessa Hughes. During our time together, I asked Tessa if she would give the reasons why this practice offers so many benefits and aids in our ability to relax and reduce stress and tension. So Janine, I think we've talked before about the benefits of mindfulness practice. And I suppose there's so many, it's difficult to list all of them in one sitting. But I think the biggest benefit of the mindfulness practice is learning to live in the present moment.

15:07And I think the work from John Kabat-Zinn from the very early 60s is very powerful and has had such stuck with us for so many years, highlighting how important it is to just live in the present moment, trying not to ruminate and reflect back in the past and trying not to predict or foresee what's going to happen in the future. Because those two places often create enormous tension and anxiety.

15:39And often those things are really out of our hands for lots of different reasons in our lives. But we do have the ability to control what's happening in the present moment for ourselves particularly. And that can be incredibly empowering for both children and for adults. And I think once you learn the practice it can almost become ingrained and probably change many things about how our brain operates.

16:10So for me personally, I would use the mindfulness practice many times throughout the course of my busy daily life at work. I manage a very busy team in a very challenging space of foster care where there's a lot of grief and trauma. So we would often provide advice and information around mindfulness practice for foster carers, but also for the children that they're working with.

16:41And then in my daily life, just being a mother, a busy mother with children ranging from many different ages with very different needs. Also my relationship, and that's probably with my partner. But also that broader sense of community, really just learning to focus on the here and now. And so then you can compartmentalize parts of your life. And it helps you to function with great clarity and focus and probably enjoy life and have a lot of happiness in that process most of the time.

17:18I would like to thank Tessa for her insight and also promote the notion that we really do all need to find that little bit more time for ourselves. Relaxation in any form can reduce tension and anxiety and ultimately restore balance to our hormones and neurotransmitters that can reduce inflammation and illness, promote a healthy immune and digestive system, as well as enhancing thinking and well-being. Relaxation does not have to be a beach holiday or a day spa retreat. Rather,

17:51it can be any activity that allows you to experience positive effect. Next time you feel your stress levels rising, perhaps take a deep breath, think of your diaphragm and know why the simple but highly effective practice can be beneficial to you. So that's all for me for this episode. Once again, Happy New Year. And thanks for listening. And I hope you'll join me for the next Everyday Neuro podcast. Remember to check out the online courses at everydayneuro.com.au. And for free information

18:24and videos, you can subscribe to the most monthly newsletter. You can do this all via the website. And I hope you have a great start to 2020. And as always, please look after that amazing brain of yours. Take care. Finding ways to be financially savvy is a smart move. And knowing you could be saving money for

18:58the things you really want, like that dream home or new ride, is a great feeling. That's why the State Farm Personal Price Plan can help you save when you choose to bundle home and auto. Bundling, just another way to save with the personal price plan. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. 102 miles ago, the oil light came on. 100 miles ago, you noticed. Now it's time to head to take five. This oil change, fall in love with your car all over

19:31again. In just 10 minutes, your dream technician will check your tire pressure, top off fluids, change your oil, and verify with Carfax exactly what your car really needs. All while keeping you in the driver's seat. Take five to stay in your car. 10 minute oil change. Save up to 30% on your next oil change to take five. $15 value. Valid to participating locations. Terms and conditions apply.