How To Unlock Your Inner Calm

We can’t simply flick a switch and relax, but research shows that we can train our minds to alter the way we think and behave to free ourselves from stress.

Being calm, a state of mind that most of us long for, can positively change your life. However, when you try to be more relaxed, you quickly discover how difficult it is to achieve. And scientific research tends to focus on stress rather than on the art of remaining calm. The key questions are: what happens when stress takes control of your brain and what can you do to achieve calm? Bruce McEwen, of The Rockefeller University, New York, is a pioneer of modern stress research. He believes that all behavioural strategies that result in an increased level of calmness have high therapeutic value in dealing with stress reduction. McEwen’s research shows that the price of ongoing stress is wear and tear on the body. The detrimental effect on skin, muscle and bone tissue increases with constant stress. Fortunately, the converse holds true, too: inner calm is known to be an effective anti-ageing strategy.

CHANGING THOUGHT PATTERNS