Often in our busy lifestyles, we get caught up or distracted by current, past and future events. This can result in a default mode of incessant thinking, or reacting which research shows results in a prolonged stress response on the body.
The stress response is useful sometimes but not all the time. Its physiological effect can be detrimental to our well being in the longer term. Physiotherapists often come across this in our patients, especially where muscles don’t relax when they are not needed to work. At rest, people can have loaded joints from excessive muscle activation.
Training ourselves to be aware of this and learning to switch off the chatter has research-proven benefits. Life Matters on ABC Radio National has a great page called the Meditation Toolkit to learn about and practice these important skills in mindfulness, body awareness and meditation.
