Beating Stress With Mindfulness

Stress is almost inevitable for most of us. Constantly thinking about jobs, kids, finances and physical health all can take a toll on our stress levels – and some days we struggle to juggle everything life throws our way.  
 
“Stress is a natural physical and psychological reaction to the external demands we face,” says Susan Wiley, MD, co-founder of Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) Center for Mindfulness. “Too much stress can have negative long-term effects of the mind, body and our behavior. Stress can contribute to problems like anxiety disorders, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension and substance abuse, to name just a few.” 

Because of the physical and psychological toll stress can cause, it’s important to find ways to cope in ways that will benefit our physical and mental health.  
 
“When we’re stressed, we’re not at our best,” says Wiley. “We lose clarity and revert to our more basic coping strategies. This is where mindfulness can be beneficial. It can result in relaxation and mental clarity that helps us to respond to challenges at our best.” 

“Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to what is happening right now, in the present moment, with an attitude of curiosity,” Wiley says. “Mindfulness is the cultivation of awareness and presence. It can help us achieve clarity, relax the body and mind and foster healthier coping strategies.” 
 
While mindfulness exercises are not a cure for stress, over time they can help us to calm our minds, gain perspective and become more resilient.  

“When we become mindful, we can see the scope of our challenges more clearly,” says Wiley. “We are better able to cope with life’s difficulties when we gain perspective. We can reconnect us to our purpose, our values and our goals. We can become more tolerant.” 
 
Mindfulness is a natural human capacity. Moments of clarity can arise spontaneously. When we practice being mindful, these moments can arise more frequently. The benefits of this clarity on perspective and reactivity can be profound.  
 
“The brain is an organ that, like your muscles, become stronger with practice. The physiologic changes in the brain that result from mindfulness training can be measured. And, even more remarkably, these changes are sustained over time,” says Wiley. “We now know that these changes in the brain with mindfulness training correspond to increases in psychological resilience.” 

LVHN Center for Mindfulness offers a variety of ways to learn to meditate and has programs for both colleagues and community members. LVHN will begin offering courses in September that cover several topics, including self-awareness, stress reduction with mindfulness and resilience. Class size is limited for some courses.