Relaxation Physiology and Practice Summary Roger Cole

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1 / Relaxation Physiology and Practice Summary Roger Cole You already have the ability to relax deeply, even if you don't know it. Relaxation is an inborn, integrated physiological process that you can easily trigger just by setting up the right conditions. One way to understand this is to think about the opposite of relaxation. When you encounter danger, your brain automatically prepares your body, and itself, for forceful action by mobilizing specialized nerve centers that rapidly trigger a pre-programmed set of emergency physiological changes. These changes work in a coordinated way to speed up your heart, tense your muscles, raise your blood pressure, make your breathing more rapid, open your eyes wide, and accelerate your thoughts, among many other effects. They are collectively called the fight orflight response. When you relax, your body produces an opposite relaxation response. This is also an integrated set of physiological changes, but they are all geared toward rest and recovery. They relax your muscles, lower your blood pressure, slow down your breathing, quiet your brain, and so forth. A good relaxation response leaves you feeling calm, clear, and rested. Like th-efight or flight response, your brain triggers the coordinated relaxation response by activating specialized nerve centers. The strategy of a relaxation practice like restorative yoga is to systematically set up physical and psychological conditions that stimulate the relaxing nerve centers, and to withdraw stimulation from, or actively inhibit, the nerve centers that induce to the fight or flight response. The goal is to go far beyond ordinary relaxation to induce maximal physiological relaxation. The fight or flight response is self-reinforcing and self-sustaining, that is, the physiological changes it creates stimulate one another and inhibit the relaxation response, so once your body and mind become partly active, they tend to get more and more active, and then to stay revved up a long time. Likewise, the physiological processes of the relaxation response reinforce one another, and inhibit the fight or flight response, so once relaxation begins to gain ascendance over activation, it encourages more and more relaxation, and it becomes self-sustaining. A key milestone in relaxation practice, therefore, is the moment when you tip the balance from self-reinforcing activation to self-reinforcing relaxation. However, it's much more difficult, and it takes much longer, to tip the balance from activation to relaxation than the other way around. For example, a sudden, loud noise can rouse you out of a peaceful rest in an instant, but once you are disturbed, it takes a much longer to settle down again. The way to relax most effectively is to deliberately place yourself in circumstances that contain as many factors that favor relaxation as possible, and as few factors that favor activation, and then to wait patiently for the relaxation to unfold. Rev by Roger Cole. All rights reserved

2 FIGHT OR FLIGHT VS. RELAXATION RESPONSE System, Process, or Event FightIFliQht Response Relaxation Response. BRAIN AND BODY ACTIVTATION electroencephalogram (EEG) fast, activated slow, synchronized muscle tension & locomotor activity t ~ heart rate t ~ blood pressure t ~ respiratory rate t ~ oxygen consumption t ~ blood sugar t ~ sweating t ~ eyelids wide open narrowed or closed pupil dilated constricted body hair stands on end lies flat MECHANISMS AND SIDE EFFECTS vascular resistance t ~ finger temperature ~ t adrenal glands (medulla & cortex) t ~ epinephrine t ~ norepinephrine t ~ plasma renin activity t ~ vasopressin t ~ aldosterone t ~ digestive process ~ t cortisol t ~ immune function p f? lactate production t ~ thyroid hormone t ~ carbon dioxide tension (pc02) - t skin conductance t ~ EEG habituation ~ t basal forebrain t 80% ~ 20% ~ 80% t 20% amygdala t ~ locus coeruleus t ~ paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus t l posterior & lateral hypothalamus (TMN, orexin neurons) t ~ anterior hypothalamus (VLPO, MnPO) ~ t reticular activating system t ~ solitary tract nucleus ~ t hemispheric lateralization left dominant? richt dominant? nostrillateralization riqht more open? left more open? Rev by Roger Cole. All rights reserved

3 PRACTICE Preparation Good general health habits Avoid stimulants Soothing foods/herbs Stretch muscles Massage Timing Late night, very early morning or afternoon for sleep Morning or early evening for wakeful relaxation After adequate sleep for wakeful relaxation Allow plenty of time Environment -Ouiet -sate -Warm, but not too hot -Dark Posture and Physical Devices -Cornfortable -Passive (complete muscle relaxation, remain still) -Warm skin, including fingers and toes -Reclining or inverted Practice few postures, hold longer Pressure on forehead / orbits / body Breathing Emphasize exhalation Reduce respiratory rate, lengthen pauses while maintaining smooth breath and mental calm Mental Permission to relax / safe to relax Passive attitude, watch and wait, no chatter Mental device (meditation, mantra, imagery, etc.) HOW TO PROMOTE RELAXATION REASON Reduce various noxious internal stimuli Avoid arousal of central nervous system (CNS) and sympathetic nervous system Promote parasympathetic activity. Inhibit sympathetic activity and CNS arousal Reset muscle spindles to reduce later proprioceptive input to CNS Stimulate CNS pleasure centers. Reset muscle spindles to reduce later proprioceptive input Circadian sleep zones Circadian wake zones Reduce homeostatic sleep drive Biochemical reactions of relaxation take time Reduce CNS-arousing external stimuli Reduce CNS-arousing thoughts/emotions Stimulate preoptic sleep-promoting centers Reduce arousing stimuli, stimulate preoptic sleep-promoting centers, promote EEG synchronization Reduce CNS-arousing internal and external stimuli Reduce proprioceptive input to and neuromuscular output from CNS Stimulate preoptic sleep-promoting centers Stimulate baroreflex inhibition of cardiovascular activity, blood pressure hormones and CNS arousal Biochemical reactions of relaxation take time. Reduce arousing proprioceptive input and cognitive responses to changing position May stimulate vagal heart-slowinq reflex Lengthen cardiac-slowing phase of sinus arrhythmia Raising C02 threshold may slow EEG, but can cause anxiety and hyperventilation unless accompanied by proper meditative focus Reduce CNS-arousing thoughts/emotions, voluntarily switch mode/intention Reduce CNS-arousing thoughts/emotions, allow plenty of undisturbed time Increase CNS-soothing and reduce CNS-arousing thoughts/emotions Learn/repeat successful relaxation experiences Create conditioned relaxation responses, build self-efficacy Rev by Roger Cole. All rights reserved

4 A SIMPLE RESTORATIVE YOGA PRACTICE Supported Uttanasana Supported Setu Bandha Sarvangasana Viparita Karani Prone Bharadvajasana Supta Baddha Konasana Rev by Roger Cole. All rights reserved

5 Some Additional Restorative Poses Viparita Karani Variations (cross-legs, Baddha Konasana, wide legs, twist) Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (reclining with legs up) Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana, supported on chair or block Cross Bolsters and variations (cross-legs, Baddha Konasana) Child's Pose, supported (forward and side) Forward Bends with Forehead on Chair (Sukhasana, Upavistha Konasana, Parsva Upavistha Konasana, Paschimottanasana, [anu Sirsasana, Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana etc.) Bhismacharyasana Shoulderstand, supported on chair Ardha Halasana, supported on bench or chair [athara Parivartanasana, bent knees, supported Savasana and Variations (support under back, head, legs, and/or arms, calves on chair seat Side-Lying Savasana Practice Tips Set aside a time to relax, use an alarm if necessary Create a safe, undisturbed space Dim lights, pull shades Set room temperature and have warm clothing or blankets as needed Cover eyes and body by default, always do it unless you have a reason not to Pad/cover floor if hard or cold Practice just a few poses with long holds, rather than lots of poses held briefly Choose only great poses Get out all props, before starting practice, including lots of extra blankets Sequence poses that stretch more at beginning, especially stretch large muscles of back and front of body Set up every pose following Tadasana principle (use good Tadasana alignment except where pose specifically deviates from it) For stretching poses, set prop height at or just beyond edge of easy, comfortable stretch Don't forget to put padding under back of head, relieve pressure on heels, etc. Adjust until completely comfortable and temperature feels right Consciously let go of muscles Consciously let go of mind, cease effort, remain passive, allow thoughts to pass Trust that relaxation will occur Allow plenty of time Stay until pose spontaneously ends, time permitting Articles, News, Features Cole, R. Conditions for calm. Yoga Journal Dec;216: Cole, R. The eyes have it. Yoga Journal May;228: Rev by Roger Cole. All rights reserved

6 Research Danhauer SC, Tooze JA, Farmer OF, Campbell CR, McQuellon RP, Barrett R, Miller BE. Restorative yoga for women with ovarian or breast cancer: findings from a pilot study. J Soc Integr Oncol Spring;6(2): Danhauer SC, Mihalko SL, Russell GB, Campbell CR, Felder L, Daley K, Levine EA. Restorative yoga for women with breast cancer: findings from a randomized pilot study. Psychooncology Apr;18( 4): Cohen BE, Chang AA, Grady 0, Kanaya AM. Restorative yoga in adults with metabolic syndrome: a randomized, controlled pilot trial. Metab Syndr Relat Disord Fall;6(3): Kerstin Khattab, Ahmed A. Khattab, Jasmin Ortak, Gert Richardt, Hendrik Bonnemeier. Iyengar Yoga Increases Cardiac Parasympathetic Nervous Modulation Among Healthy Yoga Practitioners. ecam 2007;4(4) Kiecolt-Glaser J, Christian L, Preston H, Houts CR, Malarkey WB, Emery CF, and Glaser R. Stress, Inflammation, and Yoga Practice. Psychosomatic Medicine 2010, 72: Lieberman MD, Eisenberger NI, Crockett MJ, Tom SM, Pfeifer JH, Way BM. Putting feelings into words: affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychol Sci May;18(5): Hughson, R. L., A. Maillet, G. Gauquelin, P. Arbeille, Y. Yamamoto, and C. Gharib. Investigation of hormonal effects during 10-h head-down tilt on heart rate and blood pressure variability. J. App!. Physio!. 78(2): , Rev by Roger Cole. All rights reserved