How to stop stress fast!

Want a way to stop stress in its tracks? 

Often there is nothing that we can do to change external circumstances - or what is stressing us out - but we can alter our emotional response. One very simple but powerful technique helps to release distress and bring more coherence to heart rhythms and as a result quickly neutralizes the effects of stress. The Quick Coherence technique, developed by the Institute of Heartmath, takes only one minute to do once you’ve learned the technique.  If practiced frequently, it can have a huge impact on how the body responds to stress.

 

The Quick Coherence Technique

 

Step 1: Focus your attention in the area of your heart or the centre of your chest. You may place your hand over your heart to keep your focus there.  If your mind wanders, just keep shifting your attention back to the area of your heart while you do steps 2 and 3.

 

Step 2: Heart Breathing – as you focus on the area of your heart, imagine that your breath flows in and out of that area.  This helps keep your mind focused on the area of the heart allowing your heart and breathing rates to synchronise.  Breathe slowly and gently in through your heart (to a count of five or six) and slowly out through the heart (count five or six). Do not force the breath, just allow the breathing to be smooth and easy.  Continue to breathe until you find a rhythm that feels natural.

 

Step 3: Heart Feeling – as you continue to breathe through the area of your heart, recall a positive feeling.  Imagine a time when you felt good inside and try to re-experience it.  This may be a feeling of appreciation or care for a special person or pet, a place you enjoyed or an event. Allow yourself to feel this good feeling of appreciation or care.  If you cannot feel anything positive, don’t worry – just try to find the attitude of appreciation or care.  Try and sustain this feeling by continuing the Heart Focus, Heart Breathing and Heart Feeling.

 

The technique may feel a little uncomfortable at first, building coherence is a process and takes practice.  Just keep a genuine intention of creating a heart feeling.

 

Start by practicing the technique several times a day.  Make some notes about what commonly triggers feelings of anxiety, anger or stress.  With practice you can reset your system into increasing coherence.

 

By Charmaine Shepherd  B.Sc. Biomed., N.dip. Ac, MBAcC

Charmaine Shepherd is an acupuncturist and Coherence Coach, Director of the Centre for Holistic Health and Author of Is it all in your mind? 10 Steps to Resolving the Underlying Causes of Anxiety and Depression. Available on Kindle! helping people regain their health with the use of natural treatments.