The Relaxation Response and Nature

Dr. Hebert Benson who is a professor, author, cardiologist and founder of Harvard’s Mind and Body Medical Institute founded the phrase “relaxation response.” The relaxation response is how your body reacts and releases certain chemicals that slow the bodies function down such as; Organs but not all of the organs. The digestive organs are the ones that are being activated during the time of relaxation. The muscles are relaxed as well and there is an increase in blood flow to the brain and the rest of the body. This reaction is just one way the body opposes the flight or fights response that raises the body’s heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels. The relaxation response lowers these initial responses to stress and can bring the body back to a pre-stress level.

There are many different ways to stimulate a relaxation response, such as yoga, breathing techniques, repetition of words and also mediation. The method that I found that brings me a relaxation response is meditations in the form of white noise and a cadence. The types of mediation and white noise applications that I tend to use most often to help me sleep is called Relax Melodies that can be purchased off of the App Store. Other things that can be used and that I have used myself are an air condition, the sound of a fan, quite music playing or the window being open. For the app, I have a combination of water sounds such as waves crashing on the shore, rain falling on a tin roof and a soft melody that accompanies it. I play this combination of noises and song every night before I go to bed the noises also continue to play throughout the night as well. These not only help me sleep but also lower my stress levels bringing me down and relaxing me. I also play a 10-minute meditation along with that, which incorporates breathing techniques and relaxing muscles by focusing on certain areas of the body. By focusing on certain areas of the body and your breathing it helps you to focus and take your mind off of what is stressing you from the day.

Now what exactly is white noise? White noise is anything such as a fan, a flag blowing in the breeze, an air condition, an isolating fan or even the low noise from the TV or music. It also reduces the sound of background noises that can be heard during the night while you sleep to help you stay asleep and sleep through these noises better. It is classified as a consistent, soothing noise that contuse throughout the night as you sleep, each noise and sound varies for each person or couple so finding the best volume and type of sound that best works for you.

Another relaxation response that also helps me, especially during the summer months is to go to the local town beach and sit by the water. Any body of water such as a lake, ocean or, river helps me to focus on the sounds of the ducks, the water lapping on to the shore and the gentle breeze while looking at the beautiful landscapes. Distractions help me focus and take my mind off of the day, especially when it’s been extremely stressful. I can’t do this every day, so having the simple meditations at night help me to unwind and relax while focusing on what’s really important in getting to sleep. With this repetition it has created a balance in my life that my body looks forward to every night. It helps with healing and bettering myself when I find a moment to really focus on myself and unwind from the day.

Researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School in England conducted a fMRI scans on 17 adults and found that by “listening to artificial sounds was associated with patterns of inward-focused attention, while nature sounds prompted more external-focused attention” (Macmillian). The findings showed that the nature sounds produced a reaction in the body’s sympathetic response time that it has been decreased and an increase in the parasympathetic response. They had also found that people with the highest levels of stress resulted in the largest benefit to relaxation response from the nature sounds and clips. Finding a sound that is familiar to you is also important, maybe the sounds of the ocean isn’t relaxing to you where as the sound of the waves from a lake is because that is what you are used too and are familiar with. It can decrease stress levels and your heart rate with the familiar sounds. This also coincides with sleep; a familiar sound can help improve sleep.

According to Harvard Health, the relaxation response is vital for life because without it our body would maintain a constant state of fight or flight, which then has a direct impact on our organs, arteries, heart and mind. While staying in this constant state of stress our organs are at an elevated state, which causes further diseases and illnesses especially in our artery walls. Which can later turn into a fatal outcome, such as heart disease, heart attacks, stroke and much more. Having this relaxation response helps us not only focus on ourselves, but better our bodies and becoming healthier by decreasing the rate the elevated rate at which our bodies are at during stressful times and increasing blood flow to relax and bringing us down to pre-stress levels.