STANISLAS LAJUGIE is a diplomat and a Heartfulness practitioner and trainer. He specializes in offering corporate programs on “Science and Meditation,” and shares with us here how meditation can help beat stress.
I am sure everyone knows what stress is, yet I would like to propose the following definition: stress is a state of mental and/or emotional strain due to external or internal circumstances. It doesn’t mean that stress is negative. Actually, we need stress. But we only need positive stress, the good stress.
We call this positive stress “eustress.” Responding to positive stress helps to increase our focus and concentration, our capacity to engage and perform well, and even create a feeling of satisfaction and happiness, since we are performing well.
The problem starts when we are exposed to very high levels of stress or for very long periods of time. Then, eustress becomes distress, and it is harmful. Before understanding how distress is harmful, let’s look at the different types of stress.
Types of Stress
The first type of stress is the “to do list.” It is when we feel the pressure to complete a certain number of tasks in a limited timeframe. Remember post-it notes?
The second type of stress is caused by a sudden accident or fearful event. It may be dropping a cup of coffee, bumping into someone, or a car accident.
The third type of stress is due to deep fear or trauma – perhaps a serious sporting accident, a war, the loss of a loved one, abuse, etc.
The cause of the trauma does not even have to be a real physical event. Many are symbolic, like meeting your boss, seeing your dentist, the fear of speaking in public, the fear of being abandoned, the fear of not being loved, or the fear of being judged by others.
The fourth type of stress is the fear of not being able to cope with the increasing speed or bombardment of life. We are exposed to more demands, more responsibilities, more noise, fewer resources, less time, and less money. And we are expected to have a smile on our face all the time!
We are often continuously exposed to multiple types of stress, resulting in a chronic stress condition, which is very harmful to our well-being.
Stress, Health, and Well-being
Research shows that people who are stressed are less likely to have healthy eating habits and to exercise, and are more likely to smoke. According to the American Institute of Health, 75-90% of all visits to the doctor are for stress-related problems. The American Institute of Stress estimates that work stress accounts for 52% of stress, 28% is from personal problems, and the remaining 20% is from juggling between personal and professional lives.
No wonder the WHO has declared stress as the epidemic of the 21st century! The European agency ESENER has reported that 79% of managers are concerned about stress in their workplaces, but fewer than 30% have procedures in place to deal with the psychosocial risks. The most common causes of work-related stress are job insecurity (72% of respondents), long working hours or excessive workload (66%), and being bullied or harassed at work (59%).
43% of the costs due to stress are direct: sick leave and accidents. 57% are indirect, such as brain drain – all the intelligent people leaving the company. Another interesting phenomenon is “presenteesm.” The employee is there, sitting behind his desk, but they are not performing!
The Problem
There is no magic pill you can take to remove stress, but I believe that there is a simple solution for this big problem.It is in understanding the biology of stress, and then using simple techniques to reverse the process.
When our senses capture and identify a significant threat, we adopt the fight-or-flight response, which is triggered by the amygdala in our midbrain. Then there is a chemical reaction, which has three consequences:
First, the blood of the viscera is pushed to the periphery – to the limbs – to boost the energy in the arms and the legs, to “fight or fly.” It also means that the inner organs are now living on their own energy reserves, which are also limited.
Second, the immune system is on hold. Therefore, we have a higher propensity to fall sick, especially in stressful moments.
Third, the blood in the brain moves to the more primitive parts, especially the amygdala, rather than the prefrontal cortex, which is dedicated to rational thinking, analysis, and decision making.
To put it in one sentence: My brain CEO goes AWOL! I am simply unable to think. Not because I don’t have the intelligence, the knowledge, the expertise, and the experience, but because my brain is not in a position to think! Research from Yale reports that continuous exposure to high levels of stress also affects our memory.
The Solution
The simple technique of Heartfulness Relaxation can help. By relaxing all the limbs of the body, we return to a neutral and natural state of functioning. We focus on the heart, which brings a state of psychophysiological coherence – coherence between the mind and body of the person – which is optimal for functioning.
By connecting with the heart, we also establish heart–brain coherence, which is very conducive to higher cognitive activities, according to research.
By connecting with the heart,
we also establish heart–brain coherence,
which is very conducive to higher cognitive activities,
according to research.
But the benefits of meditation are much greater. The research of Dr. Richard Davidson also shows that people who are stressed develop brain circuitries similar to people who are depressed. They are related to the right prefrontal cortex. These people tend to always focus on the negative, ruminating on the same types of thoughts. In contrast, happy people and meditators develop brain circuitries related to the left prefrontal cortex, which plays a critical role in emotional intelligence. They are able to disregard negative information and keep their attention on the activities they choose.
To sum up, stress is very much a part of our daily life, affecting our physical health, our brain functioning, and the way we think. How healthy are our choices in how we use it and respond to it?
Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM
Stanislas Lajugie
