Stress is a fact of life. It cannot be avoided. Stress results from any change that occurs in your life, ranging from the extreme of a life threatening situation to falling in love or starting a new career. In between these extremes, day to day living bombards us with a continuous stream of potentially stressful experiences.

Not all stress is bad. In fact, it is essential to life. Whether the stress you are experiencing is the result of major life changes or the cumulative effect of minor everyday hassles, it is how you choose to respond to these events that determine the impact that stress will have on your life.

Stress comes from four basic sources:

• Your environment (noise, pollution, weather, traffic, etc.)
• Social stressors (demands for time, attention, deadlines, conflicts, loss of loved ones, etc.)
• Physiological stressors (adolescence, menopause, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, illness, injury, etc.)
• Your thoughts. Your brain decides when to turn on the stress response. How you interpret your present experience and what you predict for the future can give you hope or stress you.

Physiological changes occur in the body in response to stress, whether there is real danger or it is imagined. Heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension, metabolism, and blood pressure all increase. The body is preparing to fight or run.

In times of chronic stress, when these responses continue unchecked, the adrenal glands become active and chemicals are secreted which inhibit digestion, reproduction, growth, tissue repair, and responses of the immune and inflammatory systems. Very important functions that are designed to keep the body healthy begin to shut down.

Fortunately, the body and mind can work together to turn the stress response off. This is called the relaxation response… As soon as you decide that the situation is no longer dangerous, your brain stops sending emergency signals which amp up the nervous system Three minutes after you shut off the danger signals, the stress response burns out. Read that sentence again…three minutes! Your metabolism, heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension and blood pressure all return to normal levels.

The health benefits of yoga practice include those of the relaxation response. Mindfulness of the body in movement and in asana, along with focus and control of the breath, bring about the soothing, peaceful feeling and physiological changes of the relaxation response. The body finds its natural equilibrium and the mind experiences a sense of well being. Not only does it feel great, but it actually helps to prevent diseases born of chronic stress. And for those who are suffering symptoms of many of these diseases, these symptoms are relieved or improved as the body is supported in the healing process.

Continuity of practice is the best way to experience these benefits. So why not get up from the computer right now and perform a chest opener and a hamstring stretch. Your body and your mind will thank you!