New Program Day 10: Somatic Tracking II: Anxiety Strikes Back

I like Alan's reminder that we're not trying to accomplish anything, other than watching the sensations and reminding the brain that there's nothing to fear. During the night, however, while lying in bed and the pain sensations become overwhelming, I'm curious what others do to get through? I'll often take a sleeping pill, but that's not really dealing with it.

 

Hi, Christopher, yeah, that's a really important time! That's when our demons are loose! Stress is a habit, after all. And stress=pain.

I read a book called The Five Resets by Aditi Nerurkar, an MD who specializes in stress response because so many of her patients are trapped in it (from NPR interview). There's a lot of good stuff in there; the most useful piece that I found was on breathing. She encourages diaphragmatic breathing and offers a quick, in-the-moment breathing pattern that intentionally activates the parasympathetic nervous system. She calls it 4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 7, out for 8. She recommends doing it 4 or 5 times. I use it any time I find myself ramping up on stress.

We've had a whole lifetime to ramp up our stress response. For some of us it may take a while to unravel. Don't give up!

 

Thank you Susan. I'm very familiar with the 4-7-8 and have had some success with it. I'll look at that book you mentioned. Thank you.

An audio book that I've found the most helpful is Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief.