(SJAMS) Stress-Countering Through Yoga Nidra
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Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences (SJAMS) ISSN 2320-6691 (Online) Abbreviated Key Title: Sch. J. App. Med. Sci. ISSN 2347-954X (Print) ©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publisher A Unit of Scholars Academic and Scientific Society, India Physiology www.saspublisher.com Stress-Countering Through Yoga Nidra Dr. Kaushal Kumar Alam MD, MBBS1*, Dr. Y. Udayashankar MD, MBBS2 1Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, (ANIIMS) Port Blair-744101 2Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences (ANIIMS) Port Blair-744101 Abstract: Stress is normal biological reaction to a potentially dangerous situation. It is Original Research Article normal part of life. It produces numerous physical and mental symptoms which vary according to person‟s capability of handling it. It is linked to six of the leading causes *Corresponding author of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of liver, and suicide. Dr. Kaushal Kumar Alam It is also linked to compulsive use of substances or behaviors to try to relieve their stress. These substances or behaviors include food, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gambling, Article History sex, and the internet. The process of stress management is named as one of the keys to Received: 09.12.2018 a happy and successful life in modern society. This paper attempts to discuss the Accepted: 18.12.2018 patho- physiology, measurement, and management of stress with special emphasis on Published: 30.12.2018 yoga nidra. Keywords: Fight or flight Response; Hypothalamus; Psychosomatic diseases; Adrenal DOI: gland; Cortisol; Yoga nidra. 10.21276/sjams.2018.6.12.32 INTRODUCTION Stress is the body‟s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. One can experience stress from environment, body, and thoughts. Even positive life changes such as promotion, a marriage, or birth of a child produces stress. Every one experiences stress from time to time. Anything from everyday responsibilities such as a new diagnosis, enmity, death of a loved one can trigger stress. For immediate short term situations, stress can chronically activated during prolonged periods of stress. be beneficial. It can help to cope with potentially Prolonged activation of stress response causes wear and serious situations. Stress can be positive, keeping us tear of the body- both physical and emotional. Stress alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. that continues without relief can lead to a condition called- distress- a negative stress reaction. Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation. As a The states of anxiety, depression, frustration result, the person becomes overworked and stress and anger are accompanied by a variety of physical related tension builds. responses including palpitations, excessive sweating, diarrhea, indigestion, headache, and weakness. These Stress is the aspect of modern life, modern responses are the outcome of the complex process by civilization. Life has become so complex, hypnotizing which the physiological systems of the body adapt to and confusing for many people today that they find it stress. This process has been termed „the stress very difficult to slow down, relax, and unwind when response‟ by pioneering researchers such as Dr. Hans they get opportunity. Selye [1] of Canada. Autonomic Nervous System and Stress Distress can disturb body‟s internal balance or The body‟s autonomic nervous system has a equilibrium, leading to physical symptoms such as built in stress response that causes physiological headache, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest changes to allow the body to combat stressful pain, sexual dysfunction and problem in sleeping. situations. This response is also known as “Fight or Flight Response”. However this response can become Available online: http://saspublisher.com/sjams/ 4792 Kaushal Kumar Alam & Y. Udayashankar., Sch. J. App. Med. Sci., Dec, 2018; 6(12): 4792-4796 The work of Dr. K.N. Udupa suggests that As a result, frequent or chronic stress will stress related disorders evolve gradually through four make heart work too hard for too long. When blood recognizable stages [2] initially; psychological changes pressure rises, so risk of having a stroke or heart attack such as anxiety, irritability and insomnia arise due to increases. over stimulation of sympathetic nervous system. In the second stage, distinct physical symptoms such as high In recent years, yoga nidra has emerged as an blood pressure, elevated heart rate or increased effective preventive, alleviative and curative technique intestinal motility appear. In the third stage, a more in the management of degenerative and ischemic heart profound physical and/ biochemical imbalance sets in, disease. As an adjunct to conventional medical and evidence of malfunctioning organs manifests therapies, yoga nidra plays an important role at all the clinically. Finally, detectable and often irreversible various levels of cardiac impairment. lesions appear, often with severe symptoms requiring surgical or long term pharmacological management. Yoga nidra seems to operate via the same relaxation response by inhibiting sympathetic nervous Emotional problems can also result from system, by reducing the load of environmental and distress. These problems include depression, anxiety, intrapsychic stress being relayed from the hypothalamus worry, panic attacks. Stress becomes harmful when into the electrical conducting fibers of the heart via people engage in compulsive use of substances or sympathetic nervous system [3]. As a result, heart rate, behaviors in trying to relieve their stress. These blood pressure and workload on the cardiovascular substances or behaviors include food, alcohol, tobacco, muscles are reduced [4]. drugs, gambling, sex, shopping and the internet. According to psychologists, people who Rather than relieving the stress and returning succumb to degenerative heart conditions such as to relaxed state, these substances and compulsive ischemic heart disease, arteriosclerosis, myocardial behaviors tend to keep the body stressed and cause infarction and angina pectoris often fit the same more problems. The distressed person becomes trapped psychological pattern; they are tense, ambitious, in a vicious cycle. assertive, and „successful‟ people. This is the so-called „type A personality‟ which appear to be at a higher risk Central Nervous System and Endocrine Systems of suffering a premature infarction or other cardiac Central nervous system is in-charge of Fight or incident [5]. Flight response. The hypothalamus gets the ball rolling, telling adrenal glands to release stress hormones The coronary –prone person tends to be one adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones raises heart who works compulsively, eats, smokes, and drinks beat and send blood rushing to areas that need it most in excessively and fails to relax or exercise adequately. He an emergency, such as muscles, heart and other often fails to develop a positive outlet for his emotional organs.(Figure 1, 2) tensions, appearing hard hearted and in expressive, when in fact he is highly sensitive. These find When perceived fear is gone, the expressions in bouts of frustration, rage, anger, passion hypothalamus should tell all systems to go back to or violence. This frequent buildup of emotional pressure normal. If the CNS fails to return to normal, or if the imposes an enormous strain on the heart, forcing it to stressor doesn‟t go away, the response will continue. labour excessively and fail prematurely at an early age. Yoga nidra is emerged as an excellent preventive and Chronic stress is also factor in behavior such curative procedure in cardiovascular management. as over eating or not eating, alcohol, drug abuse and social withdrawal. Psychosomatic diseases Yogic relaxation therapy has been effectively Respiratory and cardiovascular systems prescribed in conjunction with other medical and yogic Stress hormones affect the respiratory and procedures in the management of severe psychosomatic cardiovascular systems. During stress response, diseases, including cancer, bronchial asthma, colitis and breathing will be faster in an effort to quickly distribute peptic ulcer. These diseases are conditions in which oxygen rich blood to the body. psychological factors usually play a prominent role. Attacks of asthma, growth of cancers, exacerbation of In a person is already have a breathing ulcer symptoms or colonic irritation frequently arise as problems like asthma or emphysema, stress can make it complex psychological reactions to emotional even harder to breathe. Under stress, heart also pumps insecurity, interpersonal stress, intrapsychic conflict, faster. Stress hormones cause blood vessels to constrict hypersensitivity, rejection, frustration, and suppression, and diver more oxygen to muscles so one will have personal isolation and other deep seated emotional more strength to take action. But this also raises blood crisis. pressure. Available online: http://saspublisher.com/sjams/ 4793 Kaushal Kumar Alam & Y. Udayashankar., Sch. J. App. Med. Sci., Dec, 2018; 6(12): 4792-4796 Yoga nidra therapy leads to conscious and sub Measuring stress conscious recognition and analysis of these underlying Stress can be measured by the following methods psychological factors, and initiates the release