Optimal Performance Training http://optimalperformancetraining.com Transform your stress into improved performance and optimal flow! Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:33:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 en SOME SEE HOPE IN NEUROFEEDBACK FOR ATTENTION DEFICIT http://optimalperformancetraining.com/some-see-hope-in-biofeedback-for-attention-disorder/ http://optimalperformancetraining.com/some-see-hope-in-biofeedback-for-attention-disorder/#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:53:09 +0000 david http://optimalperformancetraining.com/?p=52 By JIM ROBBINS
NY Times
September 26, 2000

If a child at the Enrico Fermi School in Yonkers is found to have attention deficit disorder, parents can choose an unusual alternative to medication: neurofeedback, a computerized biofeedback system that some say strengthens the brain.

Linda Vergara, the school’s principal, said she decided to try the approach when doctors diagnosed the disorder in her son in 1992. ”They told me I needed to give him something to calm him down,” she said.

Ms. Vergara decided not to give her son Ritalin, the drug frequently used to treat the ailment, and instead took him to see Dr. Mary Jo Sabo, a psychologist in Suffern, N.Y., to try neurofeedback.

Ms. Vergara said she saw her son become calmer, and he began doing his homework without being asked. She and Dr. Sabo brought the technique to Fermi, a public elementary school with 900 children.

Now, five years after the program began, nearly 300 children have been treated at no charge with neurofeedback at Fermi and two other public schools in Yonkers for a variety of problems, including A.D.D., learning disabilities and depression.

”There are children who see tremendous gains and some who see minimal changes,” said Ms. Vergara. ”Over all, the kids can focus better and have better self-esteem. There are fewer suspensions, better attendance and fewer late kids.”

Generally relegated to the fringes by mainstream scientists when it was introduced in the 1970’s, brain wave biofeedback — now called neurofeedback or neuro therapy — has returned. Its effectiveness boosted by computers, it has made its way into mainstream health care, largely as a treatment for attention deficit disorder, but also for depression, head injuries, sleep disorders and other problems.

Critics say that not enough research has been conducted on the technique to justify any claims for its effectiveness. Critics say that improvements in the patients probably stem from a placebo response and that parents should be aware that the technique is highly experimental.

”If you give a child four extra hours a week of one-on-one attention you’ll see some improvement,” said Dr. Larry B. Silver, who has been treating attention deficit disorder in the Washington area since 1964. ”But will it last a week or a month later? There has been no follow-up.”

The disorder, Dr. Silver said, is ”a neurochemical deficiency.” He added: ”And the only thing that will raise the levels of neurochemicals is medication. We’ve found no alternatives.”

One of the hundreds of clinics in the United States offering the treatment is Connecticut Educational Services in Middletown, Conn., which specializes in treating A.D.D., hyperactivity and traumatic brain injury. Dr. Robert Reynolds, the psychologist who operates the clinic, said the technique brought about long-term changes in the brain’s functions.

”About half the children we treat get off medication completely,” Dr. Reynolds said. ”The other half reduce their medication.”

Brain wave training, he said, is part of a package of treatments that includes family counseling and behavioral therapy. But the brain wave training, he said, is key.

”We did all these things without the neurofeedback and they didn’t work as well,” Dr. Reynolds said. A testing and treatment package costs around $4,500 at the clinic.

Most neurofeedback systems use one or two dime-size sensors placed on the scalp. The sensors read the subtle electrical frequencies of the brain. The signal is amplified and displayed on a computer, and a clinician can see where the client needs to alter the range of frequencies.

The patients sit at computers playing video games, which respond to their brain waves to challenge them. Their success at the game is tied to their ability to expand the range of their brain waves. After 20 to 40 sessions the brain changes are set in place, practitioners say.

”It’s brain exercise,” said Dr. Alan J. Strohmeyer, chief of the Biofeedback Section of the Department of Neurology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., and an assistant professor of neuroscience and neurology at the New York University School of Medicine. ”There’s a direct correlation between neurofeedback and getting in shape physically at a gym. Neurofeedback helps the brain grow and develop normally.”

Neurofeedback is a carry-over from the behavioral school of psychology. In the 1970’s, a researcher at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Sepulveda, Calif., accidentally discovered that neurofeedback could help some people control epileptic seizures.

The researcher, Dr. M. Barry Sterman, now a professor emeritus at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine, had conditioned cats’ brain waves for a sleep study. Coincidentally, he used some of those cats in a study of the hazards of rocket fuel for the Defense Department. Most of the cats exposed to the rocket fuel went into seizures, except those that had received brain wave training. Dr. Sterman then tried the technique on people with epilepsy.

Mr. Sterman concluded that those cats had increased their resistance to seizures by strengthening their brain. In several controlled, randomized studies he tested the technique on epileptic patients and reported that they had far fewer seizures. The results were published in journals and replicated in other studies.

Although it appeared effective, the technique was put aside in favor of new drugs. Later, Dr. Joel Lubar, a psychologist at the University of Tennessee, adapted the technique to treat attention deficit disorder.

But Dr. Edward Hallowell, a psychiatrist who teaches at Harvard Medical School, has criticized the costs. It is not that neurofeedback does not work, said Dr. Hallowell, who wrote ”Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood.”

The treatment, he said, does work well for some people. He even refers some patients for the treatment. ”The problem,” he said, ”is that it’s time consuming and it’s expensive. Those are real obstacles.”

A full course of testing and treatment ranges from $1,500 to $5,000 or more. While some insurance companies pay for the treatment, most do not.

No one knows precisely how the brain responds to the neurofeedback training, though recent research on the brain’s ability to change offers some explanation.

Dr. Henry Markram, a professor and senior scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and an expert in neuroplasticity, took his 9-year-old daughter to a psychologist in Toronto who treats A.D.D. with neurofeedback. ”It was very effective,” he said. ”I’m very pleased with the effects.”

”The brain is incredibly plastic and incredibly responsive,” Dr. Markram said. ”Neurofeedback is in keeping with that.” 

]]> http://optimalperformancetraining.com/some-see-hope-in-biofeedback-for-attention-disorder/feed/ GENTLE AND EFFECTIVE EXERCISE FOR HEALTH, RELAXATION, AND STRESS REDUCTION. http://optimalperformancetraining.com/improved-stress-reduction-with-chinese-exercise-system/ http://optimalperformancetraining.com/improved-stress-reduction-with-chinese-exercise-system/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:13:41 +0000 david http://optimalperformancetraining.com/?p=22 “Whoever practices t’ai-chi, correctly and regularly, twice a day over a period of time will gain the pliability of a child, the health of a lumberjack, and the peace of mind of a sage.”

          —Professor Cheng Man-Ch’ing

 

The ancient art of T’ai Chi uses gentle flowing movements to reduce the stress of today’s busy lifestyles, and improve health. 

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The graceful images of people gliding through dance-like poses as they practice t’ai chi (TIE-chee) are compelling. Simply watching them is relaxing. T’ai chi, in fact, is often described as “meditation in motion” because it promotes serenity through gentle movements — integrating mind and body.

Originally developed in China as a form of self-defense, t’ai chi is a graceful form of exercise that has existed for some 2,000 years. Practiced regularly, t’ai chi can help you reduce stress and enjoy other health benefits.

Understanding T’ai Chi

T’ai chi, sometimes called t’ai chi chuan, is a non-competitive, self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching. To do t’ai chi, you perform a series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner. Each posture flows into the next without pausing.

Anyone, regardless of age or physical ability, can practice t’ai chi. It doesn’t take physical prowess. Rather, t’ai chi emphasizes relaxation over force.

T’ai chi is used to:

  • Reduce stress
  • Increase flexibility
  • Improve muscle strength and definition
  • Increase energy, stamina and agility
  • Increase feelings of well-being

T’ai chi has more than 100 possible movements and positions. You can learn the first third of the form and stick with that, or learn the full series of movements. Most forms are gentle and suitable for everyone. And they all include rhythmic patterns of movement that are coordinated with breathing.

Although t’ai chi is generally safe, consider talking with your doctor before starting a new exercise program. This is particularly important if you have any problems with your joints, spine or heart.

Stress reduction and other benefits of t’ai chi

Like other practices that bring mind and body together, t’ai chi can reduce stress. During t’ai chi, you focus on movement and breathing. This combination creates a state of relaxation and calm. Stress, anxiety and tension should melt away as you focus on the present, and the effects may last well after you stop your t’ai chi session.

T’ai chi may also help your overall health, although it’s not a substitute for traditional medical care. T’ai chi is generally safe for people of all ages and levels of fitness. Older adults may especially find t’ai chi appealing because the movements are low impact and put minimal stress on muscles and joints. T’ai chi may also be helpful if you have arthritis or are recovering from an injury.

Despite its ancient history, t’ai chi has been studied scientifically in recent years. And that research is suggesting that t’ai chi may offer numerous other benefits beyond stress reduction, including:

  • Reducing anxiety and depression
  • Improving balance and coordination
  • Improving concentration and self-esteem
  • Reducing the number of falls
  • Improving sleep quality, such as staying asleep longer at night and feeling more alert during the day
  • Slowing bone loss in women after menopause
  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Improving cardiovascular fitness
  • Relieving chronic pain
  • Improving everyday physical functioning

Learning to do t’ai chi

Wondering how to get started in tai chi? You don’t need any special clothing or equipment to do tai chi. To gain full benefits, however, it may be best to seek guidance from a qualified t’ai chi instructor.

A t’ai chi instructor can teach you specific positions and how to regulate your breathing. An instructor also can teach you how to practice t’ai chi safely, especially if you have injuries, chronic conditions, or balance or coordination problems. Although t’ai chi is slow and gentle, with virtually no negative side effects, injuries are possible if t’ai chi isn’t done properly. It’s possible you could strain yourself or overdo it when first learning. Or if you have balance problems, you could fall during t’ai chi.  

During tai chi classes, the instructor can give you personal guidance and correct any errors in your style before they become habit. Eventually, you will feel confident enough to do t’ai chi on your own.

Putting t’ai chi into practice

To reap the greatest stress reduction benefits from tai chi, consider practicing it regularly.  Many people find it helpful to practice t’ai chi in the same place and at the same time every day, morning upon rising and night before retiring, to develop a routine. But if your schedule is erratic, do t’ai chi whenever you have a few minutes.

You can even draw on the soothing concepts of t’ai chi without performing the actual movements if you get stuck in stressful situations — a traffic jam or a work conflict, for instance. T’ai chi is taught through principles, such as imagine a string lifting your head toward heaven, or feel as though there is a 1,000 pound weight on your tail, and so on.  These images can be used anytime to recover internal equilbrium and to relax.

 

I am a certified T’ai Chi Instructor through the T’ai Chi Foundation.  I have been studying and practicing T’ai Chi since 1985 and have taught classes to the public since 1994. 

 

If you cannot attend classes consider purchasing theself-learning DVD from the T’ai Chi Foundation; you will also find book suggestions for further reading at this link.

 

Source link:  The Mayo Clinic

]]> http://optimalperformancetraining.com/improved-stress-reduction-with-chinese-exercise-system/feed/ YOUR BRAIN CAN IMPROVE ITS OWN FUNCTION; ITS VERY NATURE IS ADAPTIBILITY. http://optimalperformancetraining.com/your-brain-can-improve-it%e2%80%99s-own-function-it%e2%80%99s-very-nature-is-adaptability/ http://optimalperformancetraining.com/your-brain-can-improve-it%e2%80%99s-own-function-it%e2%80%99s-very-nature-is-adaptability/#comments Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:12:56 +0000 david http://optimalperformancetraining.com/?p=20

by David Delaney

His father brings nine-year-old Harold (not his real name) to my office.  Neither he nor his mother is able to get him to go to sleep at night; sometimes they find him wandering around late because he cannot sleep.  He gets up repeatedly when they put him back to bed.   This kind of behavior is wearing on his parents!

They are really at their limits and have no solutions other than medication which they are not attracted to.  Then he wants to sleep with them, and when he does, he thrashes all night long and they cannot get the rest they need; and everybody now knows that good hygiene is vital to our health and well being if you have seen any of a number of PBS specials on the brain and sleep hygiene.

 

Get on the Brain Train…

Because the brain (Central Nervous System, hereafter CNS) is adaptable, changeable, it is possible to literally train it to let go of the habit of causing it’s own perturbation or upset, experienced as anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, inability to focus, to let go of stress states that become negative habits and prevent us from orienting toward relaxation.

 

The Orienting Response…

The mechanism that allows us to maintain present and a relaxed focus has been termed the Orienting Response. The Orienting response, also called orienting reflex, is the reflex that causes an organism to respond immediately to a change in its environment (what is different about this moment? it asked constantly) first described by Russian physiologist Sechenov in the 1850s in his book Reflexes of the Brain, and the term was coined by Ivan Pavlov, who also referred to it as the “What is it?” reflex. 1 This Orienting Response takes us toward relaxed, present moment focus, rather than being hi-jacked by past, unresolved events that manifest as repetitive negative feelings, emotions, and thoughts that are counter to our personal and species survival.  If we cannot remain oriented to the present, we cannot face life’s constant changes.  Without a strong Orienting Response, we therefore are out of touch with what is happening moment to moment.

Why is our brain unable to remain present to what is happening?

Chronic or acute stress, overload, traumatic reactions, injuries, illness, flight-flight responses, and acquired family and cultural behaviors can all cause stress to build-up and negatively influence our nervous systems functioning.  Stress can be seen on a brainwave electroencephalograph monitor (EEG) when there is perturbation occurring in the CNS. Perturbation (literally being ‘perturbed”) is seen not as regular wave patterns, but as irregular, highly volatile patterns, meaning inefficient, ineffective use of our personal biological energy causing us to behave in ways that are counter to our own best interests.

 

Brain upset…

When there is perturbation in the CNS, you do not feel relaxed, calm, alert, present, and in harmony with yourself and the world,  but feel angry, depressed, anxious, hyper, unable to rest: perturbed.  By evoking this Orienting Response through brain training, your brain is trained to learn to literally ‘drop’ these negative states and come back to the present moment.  There have been thousands of people since the 1970’s who have benefited from this sort of training including Olympic athletes, NASA astronauts, business professionals, professional performing artists, people with depression, anxiety, traumatic brain injury- just to name a few.

 Brain Neuroplasticity…

Many people do not know that the brain can learn new ways of behaving, but now with so much research over the past few decades, it is clear that our CNS is constantly learning and growing in response to what is asked of it- or shrinking if not challenged.  It is now known that a blind person’s brain who utilizes their hands to read brail will develop more sophisticated nerve branches in that area of the CNS which controls that function that you or I will.  People’s brains that have had a stroke are able to produce new neural pathways to help them recover functions which they lost, if appropriately directed.  

A relaxed CNS allows us to let go of the past to be in the present…

After one session of brain training, Harold falls sleep right away 4 nights that week.  His mother arrives for session number two clearly relieved.  She wants to continue training him so that he can help him achieve a more relaxed way of being, helping him move away from his hyperactive tendency.

_______

To learn more, sign up for the Optimal Performance Newsletter.  In addition, if you sign-up, you will automatically receive the report, “ The Five Most Common Impediments to Optimal Performance” delivered to your email address.

 

I also offer a free 30 minute in-person or phone consultation to better assess your needs and see if brain training can reduce the stress that keeps you from feeling and performing at your best physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

 

 

Source:  1- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orienting_response

 

(C) 2008, David Delaney.  Cannot be used without the written permission of the author.

]]> http://optimalperformancetraining.com/your-brain-can-improve-it%e2%80%99s-own-function-it%e2%80%99s-very-nature-is-adaptability/feed/ WIRED FOR MIRACLES? http://optimalperformancetraining.com/wired-for-miracles-by-jim-robbins/ http://optimalperformancetraining.com/wired-for-miracles-by-jim-robbins/#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:34:10 +0000 david http://optimalperformancetraining.com/?p=19 By: Jim Robbins

Epilepsy. ADD. Depression. PMS. Insomnia. What do all these conditions havein common? They’re being treated with a new form of high-tech brain biofeedback. So open your radical science horizons. Here, a report on the cresting edge of the brainwave.

JAKE’S BIRTH WAS A LONG SHOT. Three months premature, he weighed just a pound, and his early birth took a heavy neurological toll. When he was four, he entered his parents’ room one evening, drooling and unable to speak. As they watched, horrified, one side of his body went into seizure and he lost consciousness. Jake’s seizures often happened at night, and his parents kept an overnight bag packed for trips to the hospital emergency room, where he received injections of Valium. He often had petit mal seizures during the day. He was also diagnosed with cerebral palsy, which diminished his fine and gross motor skills. His learning disabilities included attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity. He had speech problems and ground his teeth constantly. His sleep was troubled and he often woke up ten or eleven times in a night.

Like many children with epilepsy, Jake took two heavy-duty anti-seizure medications: Depakote and Tegretol. Both are depressants, and both have serious side effects. As a result, the boy was logy and often tired. “We felt that Jake was losing his personality,” says his mother. “He was zoned out.”

I had known Jake since his birth; the incredible story of his survival had made him something of a celebrity in our town of Helena, Montana. Two years ago, I was in Santa Fe doing a piece on the use of different technologies to enhance brain performance; while I was there, I heard about a new technique for the treatment of epilepsy–a natural treatment called electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback, or neurofeedback, that often reduced or eliminated the need for drugs. I was skeptical, but l mentioned it to Jake’s mother at a Christmas party. They drove three hundred miles to Jackson, Wyoming; for a week at the local hospital, Jake underwent two hour-long sessions a day on a computerized biofeedback program.

Within just a few days, Jake’s condition had improved. “His teeth-grinding and sleep problems disappeared,” says his mother. “We could carry on a conversation for the first time ever. He wanted to cut and draw and zip and button. He could never do any of that.” Unprompted, friends and relatives remarked that Jake seemed more centered.

Later, Jake repeated the protocol for another week. The results were similar. Jake’s pediatric neurologist, Don Wight–who had been extremely skeptical–examined the boy. When he was done, he concluded that he had found a new and exciting way to supplement his practice: “There was a qualitative and quantitative improvement in the way he was functioning,” says Wight. “It was very real.”

Jake’s parents bought one of the machines and donated it to the local hospital, where Wight is using it in his practice. “For most people, taking one kind of medication to control seizures is a pretty good deal,” he says. “I would like to use neurofeedback with people who are on two medicines, on high doses, or whose seizures are not being controlled.” And Jake? Though he may need to continue neurofeedback training for the rest of his life, the quality of that life will most likely be forever changed.

Click on this link to see the rest of this article

]]> http://optimalperformancetraining.com/wired-for-miracles-by-jim-robbins/feed/ HOW CAN I LOWER THE VOLUME OF MY NEGATIVE SELF-TALK? http://optimalperformancetraining.com/how-can-i-lower-the-volume-of-the-negative-voices-in-my-head/ http://optimalperformancetraining.com/how-can-i-lower-the-volume-of-the-negative-voices-in-my-head/#comments Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:28:41 +0000 david http://optimalperformancetraining.com/?p=13

by David Delaney

Constant negative thoughts…

 It’s our first meeting, and Peter (not his real name) is sobbing and obviously quite embarrassed.  He feels that his life is out of control.  He has anxiety, feels depressed, and has lost his once good concentration and motivation.  What have replaced it are constant negative thoughts, and he can’t over-ride them as in the past.  He says that this is causing him to loose his confidence.  He recently lost his composure at work and he is panicking that he might be fired.

 A natural human phenomenon…

 Negative self-talk is actually a natural human condition, especially when we are under pressure.  Anyone who has to perform well in inordinately pressured circumstances, as Peter does as a money manager, most likely knows this experience well.  But when you add internal personal crisis to this mix, it can FEEL like you are out of control.  This is a state of body and mind where we feel threatened and our normal relaxation state is replaced by high arousal that won’t let us calm down even though we want to.

 When we are overloaded, in order to manage the pressure, there is an automatic, protective survival process that takes over.  This process is accompanied by automatic feelings, emotions, and thoughts that have a life of their own.  Mankind has been working to solve this dilemma for millennia.  A trained meditator, or Olympic athlete, or Broadway actor might how to work with this situation; the average person with no training does not.

 

Enter- Our Changeable Brain…

 Because the brain (or Central Nervous System) controls all our behavior and provides us with a sense of internal harmony, and because we now realize that the CNS is adaptable, we can re-train it to let go of negative events which are the outcome of inordinate internal stress and come back to a more quiet, internal balance that is conducive to performing optimally.

 My parents were like this; I guess that I am doomed to be like this after all.

 Just because your parents were like this does not mean that you are doomed to behave the same way forever.  Because the brain is now known to be adaptable by its very nature, we can re-train it to recognize these negative patterns and let them go.   It has an innate intelligence and naturally orients toward relaxation if we know how to show it to do so.

 I am so busy now I hardly have time to accomplish what I need to do now, never mind add something else to the mix.

 This type of thinking is actually another symptom of negative self-talk.  Many people have thought just what you are thinking now and yet once they began training, learned that their brain is actually changeable and that it doesn’t take long to see results. 

 

Client Case Example

 From our first training sessions Peter announces that he is experiencing what he terms ‘quiet mind’ and that he is feeling his concentration and composure returning.  After our 10th meeting, his wife asks him to convey to me that whatever we are doing is definitely working- it has ‘turned him around’ she says. ‘He is doing much better at home and work’ and she has not seen him in such good shape for quiet some time.  He is positive and confident again.  Peter is learning to let go of the negative self-talk and manage his internal overloaded states.

 Summary

When we are overloaded, when stress has accumulated beyond our natural human limits, anyone can find her/himself with negative self-talk and feeling out of control and at the affect of stress.  It is our ability to learn to manage this overload that is the key to reversing our condition and finding the peace of mind that is necessary to work at our optimal best.

 Research now shows…

Research in the past 10 years is demonstrating how adaptable our brains are (what they are calling ‘neuro-plasticity’) and how with effective training, it can discover new ways of functioning that we never thought possible.

 

Next Steps

Please sign-up for the newsletter, and receive the no cost report on the FIVE MOST COMMON IMPEDOMENTS TO OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE. And read other articles on my website; also feel free to send this link to someone who you think would benefit from this article.

 

(C) 2008, David Delaney.  Cannot to be used without the written permission of the author.

]]> http://optimalperformancetraining.com/how-can-i-lower-the-volume-of-the-negative-voices-in-my-head/feed/ WHEN THE PRESSURE IS ON, HOW CAN I LEARN TO TRANSFORM MY STRESS INTO OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE? http://optimalperformancetraining.com/when-the-pressure-is-on-learn-how-to-transform-that-pressure-to-your-benefit/ http://optimalperformancetraining.com/when-the-pressure-is-on-learn-how-to-transform-that-pressure-to-your-benefit/#comments Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:09:17 +0000 david http://optimalperformancetraining.com/?p=9 by David Delaney

Scotty, beam me up fast; I’m tanking…

Jim (not his real name), an ad agency executive, is making a campaign presentation to clients and begins to panic. He is aware of how important landing this client is for his agency, which makes him feel even more tense. He can not stop the negative spiral of stress and he now is loosing his natural, relaxed ability to present this ad campaign of which he has great natural passion for and knowledge of. No matter how hard he is trying, it makes things worse.

I’m tap dancing as fast as I can…

We have all had the experience of our heart beginning to pump rapidly, our thoughts racing, and we are jumping from past to future negative scenarios in our mind. Our breathing pattern is shallow and we are not able to stay present to what is happening around us now. The voice is straining, we feel like a big ball of tension, and we are hardly relating to those around us. And what is more, we see no way out. Yikes!

When this happens, in order to bring your self back to composure and reduce your effect from the stress, slow and deliberate belly breathing is your central ally. If you can stay with it, you will soon have access to the creative faculties that can only function when we are relaxed and feeling secure and grounded in the present. You will begin to feel more yourself again.

But don’t wait until the panic strikes…it’s too late then.

A highly stressed situation is not the ideal time to begin your breathing practice. This has to begin long before the presentation takes place. Transforming stress is an ongoing process that must be integrated into an activity from the very beginning. Waiting until the last moment will not be sufficient to ward off stress. Not that you won’t get stressed; but with ongoing preparation for such an event you will have prepared yourself so that when the stress-rush strikes, you are ready to transform it to your advantage.

Deep belly breathing, the opposite of upper chest/shallow breathing, has been shown through research to transform stress into positive energy. Many people who have to speak in front of others unknowningly allow the stress to overwhelm them. They don’t yet know that stress can be transformed into useable energy for their optimal performance.

But won’t I get lightheaded if I breath too much?

Actually, upper-chest shallow breathing, the same as hyperventilation, brings on stress and makes us unfocused. So in a certain way by not incorporating belly breathing in our preparation, we are actually producing your own negative stress states.

When I am overloaded, the last thing I want to have to think about is breathing.

When under stress, the breathing becomes shallow and oxygen is decreased in our bloodstream and so produces confusion, low energy, depression, lack of focus, all the unwanted feelings that make us feel terrible.

Look Ma, no hands…

After some training, our ad agency executive Jim is learning to transform his stress into useable energy that will help him make his presentation, make his sale, and do it in a satisfying, relaxed, and creative manner.

A little inspiration goes a long way…

When we are in stressed environments, be it work or school, the basketball court, the stage, or making that sales presentation, our body goes into a heightened state of overwhelm that can support us if we know what to do with it and have practice at actually having done in already. By remembering to do deep breathing, we send the message to our body and mind to relax and stay present to what it happening now. This allows all our natural aptitudes to come to the forefront without having to try so hard.

Next Step

Read other articles on my website (they are being added weekly) and feel free to pass along this information to friends and family who you suspect might benefit from the information.

And if you haven’t, please feel free to sign up for my FREE newsletter and receive other monthly articles that will help you to perform better in your life.  

(C) 2008, David Delaney.  Not to be used with the written permission of the author.
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