(Below is a post from Lauralyn Kearny, on PTSD and the effects of Yoga on her own condition. She did such a nice job discussing the issues involved with PTSD, that I wanted to include her blog in my weekly post. Usually I do not post case story sources beyond the first name of the person relating the story, since this can be taken as advocating or favoring a particular program. Program specifics can vary considerably, and some aspects may be seen as negative by much of the general public (many complimentary health programs sometimes also include practices seen as particularly unorthodox, such as sending healing energies or tapping into cosmic forces. The goal of the Metarobic Institute is to research and foster awareness of measureable physiological changes, for the medical and general population). There is much about the mind and body we do not know, but to help foster interest in the larger community, I focus on primary elements related to relaxation and the breath. These are the main elements of Metarobic effects and measurable physiological responses in the body related to hypoxia (oxgyen difficiency), which underlies chronic conditions. Below is from the blog Peace Comes First (https://peacecomesfirst.wordpress.com/tag/tai-chi/). The comments in italics (in parentheses) are mine. – Pete).
Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered the number one most effective treatment for PTSD right now (Cognitive behavioral therapy aims at creating awareness of unhealthy patterns of thought, and replacing them with healthy responses. Since a goal of mindfulness is creating heightened states of awareness, mindfulness based practices are often used in conjunction. – Pete). Some veterans have also found art therapy helpful, and creating structure with a daily routine. Anti-anxiety medication can be effective, but it can also become addictive so it’s not a good option for a long-term solution. Narcotic addiction is a serious problem among veterans who aren’t seeking alternatives, or haven’t heard about them. When I experienced PTSD after a house fire that left me homeless, I tried a holistic approach. Here’s what helped.
5. Practice yoga therapy. (I only included the fifth step for healing PTSD, due to its focus on physiological responses related to Metarobic theory. - Pete). PTSD disrupts neurotransmitters that regulate stress and fear responses. It stresses adrenal glands that produce survival hormones that put you on edge, cortisol and adrenaline. The nervous system gets locked into a hyper state, making you feel on edge, heightening anxiety with the slightest change in environment. You may find yourself flinch at sudden movements and jump at loud noises (the “Fight or Flight” response I mentioned last week- Pete). My number one therapy healing PTSD was gentle and restorative yoga. At first, I practiced fast moving Vinyasas, sun salutes, to work out anxiety and anger. But cardio isn’t good for intensely stressed states, it only wears down the adrenals glands more and stimulates an overstimulated nervous system. I turned to gentle yoga instead, focusing on slowing down my movements and being present (she also mentions below a focus on the breath. – Pete). I gently and mindfully stretched emotional tension out of my body. I asked myself, where am I holding this emotional stress today? I’d locate it in my back, or knees and sometimes my neck, jaw and shoulders. I’d pay extra attention to stretching these parts. I’d try to spend at least 5 minutes in a restorative yoga position, and worked my way up to 10, 15 and 20 as I became more comfortable with lying still and simply being.
When I taught active duty soldiers fresh off deployments, we only did gentle and restorative yoga. They didn’t want any more physical challenges. They wanted rest. They wanted a refuge from the constant moving and change. They wanted the challenge of becoming more mindful, making a conscious mind/body connection and healing from within. At first, lying still may be extremely difficult. This is a sign that your nervous system is jacked up! Have patience. Consistent practice will calm your nervous system, help you breathe deeper and help you feel safe in your body again - Lauralyn Kearny
(Aside from benefits related to enhanced oxygen based metabolism and effects on chronic conditions, this mindfulness based approach is common to many other Metarobic forms of exercise, particularly Tai Chi. It may sound like I am biased towards Tai Chi, and I am to some degree. I have practiced Yoga off and on for 10 years or so, but did Tai Chi pretty much daily for 30 years. I love the martial aspect, and of all the exercises I practice, it personally gives me the most bang for my buck. A large part of my focus on Tai Chi is due to there being only so much time in the day. My ideal schedule would be 15 minutes or so of Qigong, 30 minutes of Tai Chi, 30 minutes of running, 90 minutes of Kung Fu workout, and then 45 minutes of Yoga and stretching. But with the demands of life, and current health needs, I rotate exercises as I have time, except for 30 minutes of Tai Chi each morning and night, due to Celiac Neuropathy. Without doing at least an hour a day of Tai Chi, I would not be able to feel my arms and legs. People differ and have different interests and needs, so if you do not have current favorites for exercise, try variety and see what works best for you. For those with chronic health conditions, Tai Chi is particularly easy on the body, while generating a host of benefits related to Metarobic effects, mindfulness, and the gentle manipulation of the body. Breath focused forms of Yoga and Qigong, with a focus on relaxation, such as that discussed by Lauralyn above, may also be a good option for many. One final note on Yoga. More common forms of Yoga can also include the above elements, but also tend to work on (or focus on) developing core and body strength and flexibility (which is also a great benefit of Yoga), or as noted by Lauralyn, may be more aerobic (which also benefits health). For those with health concerns which have a hypoxic element (which includes cancer, heart, lung and kidney disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes and more), formats which maximize relaxation and a focus on the breath will maximize Metarobic Benefits (see “Tai Chi Therapy: The Science of Metarobics” for details). All forms of Yoga tend to include a mindfulness based component. – Pete).
Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered the number one most effective treatment for PTSD right now (Cognitive behavioral therapy aims at creating awareness of unhealthy patterns of thought, and replacing them with healthy responses. Since a goal of mindfulness is creating heightened states of awareness, mindfulness based practices are often used in conjunction. – Pete). Some veterans have also found art therapy helpful, and creating structure with a daily routine. Anti-anxiety medication can be effective, but it can also become addictive so it’s not a good option for a long-term solution. Narcotic addiction is a serious problem among veterans who aren’t seeking alternatives, or haven’t heard about them. When I experienced PTSD after a house fire that left me homeless, I tried a holistic approach. Here’s what helped.
5. Practice yoga therapy. (I only included the fifth step for healing PTSD, due to its focus on physiological responses related to Metarobic theory. - Pete). PTSD disrupts neurotransmitters that regulate stress and fear responses. It stresses adrenal glands that produce survival hormones that put you on edge, cortisol and adrenaline. The nervous system gets locked into a hyper state, making you feel on edge, heightening anxiety with the slightest change in environment. You may find yourself flinch at sudden movements and jump at loud noises (the “Fight or Flight” response I mentioned last week- Pete). My number one therapy healing PTSD was gentle and restorative yoga. At first, I practiced fast moving Vinyasas, sun salutes, to work out anxiety and anger. But cardio isn’t good for intensely stressed states, it only wears down the adrenals glands more and stimulates an overstimulated nervous system. I turned to gentle yoga instead, focusing on slowing down my movements and being present (she also mentions below a focus on the breath. – Pete). I gently and mindfully stretched emotional tension out of my body. I asked myself, where am I holding this emotional stress today? I’d locate it in my back, or knees and sometimes my neck, jaw and shoulders. I’d pay extra attention to stretching these parts. I’d try to spend at least 5 minutes in a restorative yoga position, and worked my way up to 10, 15 and 20 as I became more comfortable with lying still and simply being.
When I taught active duty soldiers fresh off deployments, we only did gentle and restorative yoga. They didn’t want any more physical challenges. They wanted rest. They wanted a refuge from the constant moving and change. They wanted the challenge of becoming more mindful, making a conscious mind/body connection and healing from within. At first, lying still may be extremely difficult. This is a sign that your nervous system is jacked up! Have patience. Consistent practice will calm your nervous system, help you breathe deeper and help you feel safe in your body again - Lauralyn Kearny
(Aside from benefits related to enhanced oxygen based metabolism and effects on chronic conditions, this mindfulness based approach is common to many other Metarobic forms of exercise, particularly Tai Chi. It may sound like I am biased towards Tai Chi, and I am to some degree. I have practiced Yoga off and on for 10 years or so, but did Tai Chi pretty much daily for 30 years. I love the martial aspect, and of all the exercises I practice, it personally gives me the most bang for my buck. A large part of my focus on Tai Chi is due to there being only so much time in the day. My ideal schedule would be 15 minutes or so of Qigong, 30 minutes of Tai Chi, 30 minutes of running, 90 minutes of Kung Fu workout, and then 45 minutes of Yoga and stretching. But with the demands of life, and current health needs, I rotate exercises as I have time, except for 30 minutes of Tai Chi each morning and night, due to Celiac Neuropathy. Without doing at least an hour a day of Tai Chi, I would not be able to feel my arms and legs. People differ and have different interests and needs, so if you do not have current favorites for exercise, try variety and see what works best for you. For those with chronic health conditions, Tai Chi is particularly easy on the body, while generating a host of benefits related to Metarobic effects, mindfulness, and the gentle manipulation of the body. Breath focused forms of Yoga and Qigong, with a focus on relaxation, such as that discussed by Lauralyn above, may also be a good option for many. One final note on Yoga. More common forms of Yoga can also include the above elements, but also tend to work on (or focus on) developing core and body strength and flexibility (which is also a great benefit of Yoga), or as noted by Lauralyn, may be more aerobic (which also benefits health). For those with health concerns which have a hypoxic element (which includes cancer, heart, lung and kidney disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes and more), formats which maximize relaxation and a focus on the breath will maximize Metarobic Benefits (see “Tai Chi Therapy: The Science of Metarobics” for details). All forms of Yoga tend to include a mindfulness based component. – Pete).
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