Mental disorders such as stress and anxiety are becoming increasingly common. Stress and anxiety are silent killers that can wreak havoc on one’s physical and mental health, increasing your risk for serious health conditions.
How Stress and Anxiety Affect You
Stress and anxiety can affect our personal and professional relationships. If you already have a health problem, stress and anxiety can worsen your symptoms. Many people grappling with stress or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) lose motivation to work out and stay socially connected. Studies link physical inactivity and social isolation to a number of health problems.
People struggling with GAD and stress experience chronic concentration problems and have trouble focusing. As a result, their performance at work or school takes a hit. They may also miss workdays.
Meditation For Stress and Anxiety Management
Meditation involves sitting in a relaxed position and focusing your mind on one thought. The best primary care doctors near you may sometimes recommend meditation in as an additional tool to help manage stress and anxiety. Studies show that meditation can help ease stress and anxiety by calming the mind and body to induce relaxation. From decreased heart rate to enhanced immunity, there are several health benefits of meditation.
Meditation helps you cope with negative emotions, gain new perspectives, and focus on the present. It allows you to be more patient and tolerant. Meditation triggers the body’s relaxation response and helps the body repair the damage caused by stress or anxiety. It enables you to connect to your true self and improves your self-awareness. When you become more self-aware, you can identify and better manage your stress & anxiety stressors.
It is a common misconception that smoking and drinking can help a person struggling with stress or anxiety relax. In reality, both smoking and drinking can worsen the symptoms of stress and anxiety. Meditation has been scientifically proven to help smokers quit smoking and drinkers cut back.
Studies show that sleep deprivation can worsen the symptoms of stress and anxiety. Meditation can help you sleep better at night by relaxing your mind and body. When you meditate, your brain produces alpha and theta brain waves that promote deep relaxation.
When the body goes into a state of deep rest, the brain secretes feel-good hormones such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. These hormones help naturally reduce stress and anxiety by promoting mental and emotional well-being.
The Best Types of Meditation For Stress and Anxiety
Meditation is an umbrella term for a wide variety of relaxation techniques. Though different meditation techniques may use different methods, they share a common goal – to induce a deep state of relaxation.
Some popular types of meditation people grappling with stress and anxiety use to manage their condition include:
- Guided meditation
- Mindfulness meditation
- Transcendental meditation
Dr. Guy is committed to helping his patients take steps to improve their physical and mental health. He makes time to patiently listen to his patients so they don’t feel rushed at their appointments. To learn more, call (707) 938-1255.
