MENTAL HEALTH
Understanding Stress: The Silent Killer and How Meditation Can Help You Manage IT
By Dr. Anjum Kumbkarni, M.D., MBA
In the last few articles, we’ve explored the concept of stress response, relaxation response, and how using your breath can help you relax. Today, we’ll focus on understanding the warning signs that indicate stress is building up in your body and mind. If left unaddressed, this chronic stress can lead to serious health complications. The good news is that recognizing stress early and taking steps to manage it through mindfulness and meditation can bring about significant relief.
Warning Signals of Stress
Physical Symptoms:
Your body communicates with you when stress starts to take a toll. Some common physical signs include:
- Headaches and stomach aches;
- Indigestion or acid reflux;
- Tiredness, back pain, tight neck and shoulders;
- Racing heart or palpitations;
- Sweaty palms, restlessness, or ringing in the ears.
Cognitive Symptoms:
Stress also affects how you think and process information. You may experience:
- Trouble thinking clearly, forgetfulness and a lack of creativity;
- Memory loss and difficulty making decisions;
- Racing thoughts, negative thinking, and ruminations (fixating on worries).
Emotional Symptoms:
Your emotions may become intense or overwhelming. You might feel:
- Nervousness, anxiety or edginess;
- Pressure, boredom (feeling that nothing has meaning);
- Anger, sadness, loneliness, or a sense of emptiness;
- Feeling powerless to make any changes, leading to frustration.
Behavioral Symptoms:
Stress can also change your behavior. Look out for:
- Decreased exercise or skipping meals;
- Overuse of alcohol or teeth grinding at night;
- Crying, hair twisting or overeating;
- Difficulty getting things done, loss of sleep, and feeling jumpy.
Relational Symptoms:
Stress can affect relationships, causing:
- Resentment, judgement, and withdrawal;
- Lashing out at others, lack of intimacy, and intolerance;
- Avoiding friends or using people, creating emotional distance.
The Medical Impact of Chronic Stress
Ongoing stress doesn’t just affect your mood and behavior; it can take a heavy toll on your health. Some medical conditions linked to chronic stress include:
- High blood pressure, diabetes and acid reflux;
- Headaches, migraines and muscle tension headaches;
- Irritable bowel disease (IBD), leading to symptoms like diarrhea and constipation;
- Fibromyalgia, autoimmune diseases, and even insomnia.
It’s essential to realize that stress affects both your mind and body. Once you recognize these symptoms, it’s crucial to decide what level of help you need. If your symptoms are severe, seeking medical help or therapy is necessary. Alongside professional help, meditation and mindfulness can be incredibly effective in managing and undoing the harmful effects of stress.
Meditation as a Tool to Manage Stress
You don’t need to be an expert to benefit from meditation. Even starting with simple techniques can make a significant difference. Last month, we discussed deep breathing and mini relaxation exercises, which you can use daily.
One of the most effective techniques for relaxation is Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). This method helps release physical tension from the body, easing the stress stored in your muscles.
Guided Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique
Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down. Take a few moments to breathe deeply and let go of any distractions. Now, let’s begin with this simple practice:
- Feet: Bring awareness to your feet. Notice the sensation in your toes and the space between the cells of your feet. Feel a sense of lightness as the area becomes relaxed and open.
- Calves and Knees: Move attention to your calves and knees. Simply observe the sensations and feel the space between the muscles. Allow the area to soften and relax.
- Thighs: Bring awareness to your thighs. Feel the lightness between the cells of the muscles. Let your legs feel heavy and relaxed, as if they are sinking deeper into the ground.
- Pelvic Area: Now, focus on your pelvic area. Notice any sensation there and the feeling of space and relaxation between the cells. Allow this area to open up, feeling light and free.
- Stomach: Gently bring attention to your stomach. Feel the spaciousness between the muscles and skin. Allow the area to relax, becoming light and expansive with each breath.
- Hands and Arms: Move focus to your hands and arms. Feel the subtle space between your fingers, palms and arms. Notice how the area becomes soft and light as you breathe.
- Shoulders: Direct awareness to your shoulders. Let them feel open, with lightness in every muscle. Imagine the space between each muscle and the ease that comes with letting go of tension.
- Neck and Jaw: Gently bring attention to your neck and jaw. Let the sensation of space fill this area. Feel the ease as the muscles of your neck and jaw relax and become lighter.
- Face: Now, bring awareness to your face. Relax your eyes, forehead, and jaw. Feel the lightness and the space between every cell of your facial muscles.
- Head: Finally, focus on your head. Feel the lightness between the scalp and the rest of the body. Notice the openness and relaxation as your mind becomes calm.
This exercise should take around 5-10 minutes, and if you wish, you can extend it to 20 minutes. This technique can naturally lead into Yoga Nidra, a deeper state of relaxation that rejuvenates both the body and mind.
A Step Towards Wellness
By incorporating progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness techniques like these into your routine, you’re taking an important step toward managing stress. It’s essential to recognize stress early and address it before it becomes a long-term issue. If needed, seek professional help, but remember that regular meditation can help undo the damage and improve your overall well-being.
In future articles, we will introduce more meditation techniques to help you on your journey to a stress-free life. Until then, practice these techniques and feel the difference they make!
Just a Minute to Breathe: Simple Breath Minis to Calm the Mind
By Dr. Anjum Kumbkarni, M.D., MBA
In my previous article, we discussed how stress is not a permanent state, but a response, and how diaphragmatic (or deep belly) breathing can activate the body’s natural relaxation response. But knowing the theory isn’t always enough. What about those moments in real life like when you’re stuck in traffic, waiting in the doctor’s office, or overwhelmed by a long to-do list?
That’s where “Breath Minis” come in handy. These are tiny, powerful tools that fit into your day, no matter how busy or chaotic it feels.
These one-minute breathing techniques help reset your mind and body. They can be done discreetly, anytime and anywhere, without any special setting or equipment. In our fast-paced lives, they are like little sips of stillness which work wonders.
When to Try a Breath Mini
- While stuck in traffic or at a red light;
- When someone says something upsetting;
- While on hold during a phone call;
- During a dental visit or medical test;
- While standing in line at the grocery store;
- When you're anxious, overwhelmed, or simply tired,
Four Easy Breath Minis to Try Today
Here are four simple breathing practices that anyone — from children to grandparents can use to quickly counter stress and shift into calmness.
Mini 1: The Countdown Breath — 10 to 1
Take a slow, deep belly breath. As you exhale, say “ten” to yourself. With the next breath, say “nine,” and so on, counting down to one.
If you feel dizzy, just slow the breathing. When you reach one, notice how your body feels. You can repeat this if needed.
Mini 2: Inhale Up, Exhale Down — 1-2-3-4 / 4-3-2-1
As you inhale slowly, count up: “one, two, three, four.”
As you exhale, count down: “four, three, two, one.”
Repeat several times. The rhythm naturally balances the nervous system.
Mini 3: Between-Breath Focus
Inhale deeply and, after the breath, pause and count “1, 2, 3.”
Exhale, pause again, count “1, 2, 3.”
Allow the breath to move like ocean waves, flowing in and out with gentle pauses in between.
Mini 4: The Antidote Breath
Breathe in and become aware of what you are feeling — stress, fear, anger.
As you breathe out, imagine an opposite emotion — peace, love, confidence — washing over you.
This is a powerful way to shift your emotional energy within seconds.
Why It Works
These practices are based on ancient Indian wisdom like Shiva sutras and now supported by modern science. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers your heart rate, reduces blood pressure, and helps your body repair and recover. It also clears the mental fog that often clouds our thinking when we are stressed.
A Simple Promise to Yourself
What if you paused and took one minute, just one minute, every hour to breathe consciously? What if your children learned to breathe before reacting to stress? What if, in the middle of your workday, you remembered to take care of you?
These are small acts, but they carry big medicine.
So today, I invite you to carry these Breath Minis in your pocket like gentle tools of healing. No one may even notice, but you will feel the difference. In a world full of noise, the breath brings us home.
Anjum Kumbkarni, a board-certified internal medicine physician and Harvard SMART program trained meditation coach, can be reached at [email protected]