In this post we’re continuing
with our Mind-Body Medicine to defeat depression. In the last post, I covered Biofeedback,
Guided Imagery, Meditation and Muscle Relaxation.
Today we’ll delve into Music
Therapy, Pilates, Relaxed Breathing and Tai Chi.
MUSIC THERAPY
Music therapy was first recognized as a bonafide
treatment when musicians treated injured United States military personnel. It’s
used in a variety of ways to improve mental and physical health. Patients may listen
to a particular piece of music and then discuss how it affects them. It can
also be used to achieve a state of relaxation. Studies have shown that music
therapy improves students’ sleep quality and reduces pre-exam anxiety.
(My choice of music can relax my overactive mind
and helps me concentrate on the subject at hand, or energize me. I select the
genre and tempo based on my mood or activity. Music has always been an integral
part of my life. Without it, I feel a potent void and stagnant.)
Music therapy
can revive your spirit, get you up and moving, and, for some people, actually
reduce pain and suffering.
So don’t forget
about music as an important part of your healing process. It can be combined
with other treatments, like visualization, to optimize and enhance results.
It can improve
mood, reduce heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety. And some anti-depressant
medications actually work better with music therapy!
PILATES
Pilates is a low-impact exercise program
developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920’s. Its aim is to strengthen the body’s
core muscle groups. And research does show that people who practice it do
increase their strength.
The goal of
Pilates is quality rather then quantity, so you may perform only several,
repeated exercises during a session.
Pilates studio
membership, which give you a personal, trained Pilates instructor, can be
expensive, so I’d recommend first getting a DVD of Pilates floor exercises you
can follow at home and then decide if it’s something you can and want to
pursue.
Although little
research has been conducted on Pilates to determine how it affects mental
health, I give it a thumbs up for several reasons:
1) It promotes
and improves strength and balance;
2) It can give
you a sense of body control and awareness (always a positive to the brain);
and,
3) You use your
body weight for resistance. (That usually results in fewer injuries, if your
movements are smooth and controlled.)
RELAXED BREATHING
Before you read
any further, stop to notice how you’re breathing. Is it shallow or deep and
full? When you inhale does your tummy expand, or are you a “chest breather?”
(Hint:
Your tummy should expand. J )
Short, shallow,
rapid breathing—which is usually caused by tension, stress or anxiety— doesn’t
allow you to fill your lungs with oxygen. Without adequate oxygen intake, your
blood gets very little of the life-giving and sustaining oxygen to transport to
your body tissues or brain. So everything ends up running on a deficit. That
translates to sluggish metabolism, dull thinking, possible headaches and depressed
mood.
So shallow
breathing means stagnant air breathing. You always have a residual volume of
stale air sitting in your lungs that you’re unable to push out. When you
breathe deeply, you leave only a small amount of that stale air in your lungs;
when your breath is shallow, you leave a large amount of it in there. That
means fresh, oxygenated air can’t get in!
And when you’re
breathing in a rapid, shallow manner, as you do under stress, that actually sustains an elevated heart rate,
perspiration and blood pressure.
How it’s
done
First, inhale. With mouth closed, relax your shoulders
and inhale slowly and deeply to the count of six to ten. Your abdomen should
expand. (Don’t be surprised if the first few times you do this you have some
discomfort as your tissues expand. They’ll get used to it after several
attempts.)
Second, hold. Hold the air in your lungs and count to
four.
Next, exhale. Count to six as you slowly release the
air through your nose. (We used to have patients exhales through their mouths,
but research shows it’s best to exhale through your nose to keep the
respiratory tissues moist and to cool the brain.)
Finally, repeat the process five times. Try to perform these exercises twice a
day.
Relaxed
breathing is a must-do activity if you want to optimize your health along with
receiving a host of additional benefits. It’s easy, free and can be performed
anywhere. It bathes the tissues in oxygenated, healing blood, which means good
stuff gets in and bad stuff can be transported out!
TAI CHI (TAI-chee)
Sometimes
described as “meditation in motion” this Chinese-origin activity was originally
developed as a form of self-defense 2000 years ago.
I like it
because no matter what your age, you can see benefits of decreased depression,
increased balance, (especially helpful for older adults), high blood pressure
management, anxiety reduction, increased aerobic capacity and improved sleep.
It’s slow and gentle, with little to no negative side effects. (The only
negative ones may come in the beginning if you overdue a stretch or twist.)
The smooth,
continuous, flowing movements will take a little time to learn, but it’s low impact,
safe, and can be performed almost anywhere. One of the best locations is
outside! (I had my first Tai chi lesson on a beach in Mexico. It was
delightful!)
If you don’t
want to join a class, get a DVD to watch and learn. I do recommend that you initially
practice your movements in front of a mirror so you can check your form and
body positions. For some internal, unbalanced reason, I always had my right arm
lifted higher than my right, and I couldn’t “feel” that mistake.
For an activity
that reduces stress, increases flexibility, improves muscle strength and
definition, increases energy, stamina and agility, and takes your mind off your
problems, it’s hard to beat.
Have fun trying
out these activities and adding them to your depression fighting toolbox! And
let me know how it goes.
For my United States readers, have a blessed, THANKFUL, Thanksgiving! And Happy Hanukkah to those lighting the first menorah light! We won’t see this combination of Thanksgiving and first day of Hanukkah again until the year 79, 811! Blessings to all, as we remember God’s goodness to all of us!
If you'd like to learn more about the Thanksgiving-Hanukkah connection (as well as the connection to Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles) go to http://www.jewsforjesus.org/ and read the following articles: "The Hanukkah—Thanksgiving Connection: Who Knew" on their front page, and "A Three-in-One Festival" found in their November newsletter. Click on their "Publications" tab then "Newsletter."
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NEXT WEEK: More Mind-Body Medicine: Yoga, playtime, down time, connecting
time, and focus time.
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Until next week,
Thanks for
joining me!
Blessings,
Andrea
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