October is a beautiful month filled with glorious, vibrant colors as nature prepares for the winter. We’ve said our farewell to summer and have welcomed autumn. Aside from being a pretty time of the year, October is a month to establish a “normal” routine before the activities of the busy holiday season ahead. If you are not spending some time each day relaxing, this may be a good time to start or resume this practice as a defense against stress.

Stress has been called the “hidden epidemic” because it affects so many people. Studies have indicated that 75 percent of health problems have been linked directly or indirectly to stress. Stress contributes to many forms of DISease in the body. Some of these include high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, asthma, substance abuse, low back pain, skin rashes, cancer, obesity, depression, peptic ulcers, mental health problems, accidents, renal failure, multiple sclerosis, headaches and spastic colon.

The technology of the past 46 centuries and especially that of the last century was intended to give us free time and make life easier and for the most part it has, but now we are stressed out because of traffic, pollution, the high cost of living, the noise and fumes of the city, unemployment and a variety of fears. Added to this, we feel stressed out because of numerous pressures involving work, relationships, family issues and feelings of being unorganized and overloaded.

The level of stress in our lives depends on our interpretations of the events. As John Milton said, “The mind is its own place and in itself can make a heav’n of hell, a hell of heav’n.” When we are feeling “stressed” we need to ask ourselves, “What else could this mean? Is there another way I could look at this so I could feel comfortable? What could be good about this challenge?”

Whenever we experience a situation that requires adjustment of our behavior, we experience the “fight or flight response” which triggers an increases in our blood pressure, heart rate, rate of breathing, blood flow to the muscles and metabolism which prepare us for conflict or escape. Any situation that requires us to adjust our behavior can elicit this response. We can also produce the same effect by rehearsing conflicts and problems in our mind. Emotions such as anger, worry, resentment, jealousy and fear can create the same reaction. Fortunately we also possess an innate protective mechanism against “overstress,” which allows us to counteract the negative effects of the fight or flight response. It is called the Relaxation Response. During relaxation the heart rate decreases, metabolism is lowered, rate of breathing decreases and the body is restored to a healthier balance.

There are various healthful ways to achieve relaxation. It can be as simple as sitting by the lake or some other natural setting or it can be achieved through peaceful music, meditation, bodywork, Reiki, floating, guided imagery and hypnosis. The mind has the ability to create the relaxation response and we can use various techniques and environments to trigger that response. Some people feel that watching television or going to a movie is relaxing but this depends on the scripts. Watching scary movies or tense scenes can be entertaining, but they can also be stressful. If you find yourself feeling anxious and your heart is beating faster, you may need to find a way to relax after the movie to establish balance.

The body responds to whatever the mind is experiencing. Think of biting into a lemon and chances are your body will produce extra saliva to cope with the acid of the lemon. Your body responds as if you were really eating a lemon. Similarly, you can actually cause your body to experience the effects of relaxing at the beach by using all your senses to create a “real” experience. You may want to close your eyes as you imagine yourself relaxing at the seashore, feeling the warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze on your skin. You can listen to the waves as they rush to the shore and then return to the sea; and you hear the occasional call of the seagulls. As you inhale you may smell the salty air or the smell of suntan lotion. You can continue to relax while sipping your favorite beach beverage while you continue to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings of being at the beach.

We cannot always be on vacation physically, but we can take frequent mental vacations for relaxation. Through relaxation we can effectively counter some of the harmful psychological and physiologic effects of stress.

Donna May MA Ed, is a Certified Clinical Hypno-therapist, Stress Management, Pain Relief Specialist, practitioner of NLP, Reiki and Yuen Energetics. She utilizes spiritual principles and “A Course in Miracles” teachings. Available for classes, public presentations or private con-sultations. (248) 626-4859 or DonnMay27@comcast.net.