Science of wellbeing

Race to Slow the Pace

At a recent conference and wellbeing break United Airlines staff were introduced to life on the West coast of Ireland, in my home town of Sligo. The pace tends to be significantly slower here than in the cities but I like to keep myself busy finding ways to share the benefits of a slower pace and provide tools that can be used by anyone in any situation or location.  

At this year’s conference three primary concepts were touched on.

• The Effect of a Calming Breath – The Extended Exhalation
• The Internal Massage
• The Buzz with Exercise

The benefits of each of these was explained through the science of the human nervous system, specifically the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which is the part of the nervous system that regulates mood and can be pictured as the information highway of the body.

The Nervous System

The ANS typically exists in one of two possible states.  You may have heard of them, ‘rest & digest’ or ‘fight or flight’. 

Fight or Flight is often described as a ‘state’ the nervous system gets into when responding to stress.  In this state the body is primed for action, ready to fight off an attacker or run for cover. The mind is blinkered in the direction of completion, quickly assessing the best actions that will end this situation as soon as possible. It is also, however the Activation mode and is very functional. In fact, most of us function very well for a very long time in activation mode; organisers, managers, facilitators, we all bruise through the daily deadlines by harnessing the drive and energy generated while in the activated state.

Rest and Digest on the other hand is described as a ‘state’ the nervous system finds itself in when there are no threats, when all is good and there is time to switch off.  But it’s not a complete off-switch, in this state the body takes time to repair and rejuvenate and the mind expands.  In this state problems are solved, creative thinking is enhanced and tasks are completed in relation to outcomes and best practice.

The Modern State

In a normal work environment we tend to favour the activation state. And because the effect of operating with high functionality and intellect results in many positive outcomes the toll this constant activation takes on your body gets overlooked in favour of the next successfully achieved deadline.

While in the activation state the body decides it does not need certain functions, it shuts down the mechanisms responsible for absorption of nutrients and it conserves blood flow and oxygen to only the vital organs, reducing blood flow and oxygen to the limbs of the body. The result of course overtime may be mild, poor skin or hair quality. But as nutrients are depleted from the body and blood flow is restricted, the cells of the body lose their ability to repair and rejuvenate. Many modern diseases are rooted in degeneration or mutation of what should be healthy cells.

A State of Balance

In a busy working world where problem solving and hitting deadlines are equally important what is required, of course, is balance. The problem is, that after years of being in activation mode the switch between activation and relaxation can get stuck and people find that when it’s time to relax they simply can’t.  This is where breath work, yoga, mindfulness and meditation come in.  These practices act like lubrication on the switch and when practiced regularly give you back control over when you choose to be active and when you choose to relax.  One simple breath technique that can be shared easily is called ‘The Extended Exhalation’. 

The Extended Exhalation

Try this simple breathing exercise every day and let me know how you feel. For example rather than staring blankly at a screen ‘stuck’ for 20 mins, take 5 mins to loosen the switch and get back into your work flow.

Inhale slowly for a count of 4.  Exhale at the same pace for a count of 4

Repeat Inhale for 4, Exhale for 4.  And again Inhale for 4, exhale for 4.

Now inhale for 4 as before, exhale more slowly so your exhale lasts for a count of 6

Repeat, inhale for 4, exhale for 6. And again, inhale for 4, exhale for 6.

Finally inhale for 4 as a before. This time exhale for 8, slowing the exhale so it lasts for the count of 8 

Repeat, inhale for 4, exhale for 8. And again, inhale for 4, exhale for 8.

Finish by taking a few breaths without counting but as best you can lengthen the exhale so it lasts longer than the inhale. Extending the exhalation is a basic breath technique that has the effect of calming the nervous system.  In this race to first place, try slowing the pace.

I will be sharing more insights into the science of wellbeing on my website as I unravel them, included also will be more on the Internal Massage and The Buzz with Exercise. Wellbeing and adventure are my passion and I will always be on the search for new ways to provide uplifting activities that you can boost your vitality with.

Below is a short video clip (no sound) to help you focus while doing the breath exercise at your desk.

You may also like …

[display-posts id=”403,66,370,4954,547,402″]