Lewes Yoga & Meditation Center
Over 50 Yoga and Meditation
According to new research done at the Center for Mind and Brain at the University of California, Davis, focusing on the present moment can significantly reduce your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. “If you start rehashing the past or worrying about the future, try drawing your attention back to the present by focusing on the sensations of your own breath,” recommends lead author Tonya L. Jacobs.
Results of a study published in the journal Psychological Science showed that breaking into a genuine smile, one that engages not just the muscles around the mouth but also those around the eyes, can measurable lower your heart rate after a stressful event. “Whether you feel happy while smiling doesn’t matter,” says lead author Tara Kraft, a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Kansas. “Muscle activation alone does the trick.”
Recent research at the University of Hawaii show that stress can be as contagious as the common cold. We pick up the negative attitudes-and even the negative body language of stressed-out friends, family members, and colleagues. “Pay careful attention to the emotions you experience in another’s company,”says psychology professor Elaine Hatfield, the study’s lead author. “If they’re negative, don’t take on too much. And if they’re positive, seek out that person’s company.”
