Maybe you've read about people claiming to relieve stress by practicing breathing techniques, listening to relaxation music or recordings of
guided mediation. But you might not put much stock in such 'new age' therapies. I never did. And probably your doctor never wrote you a prescription for a hypnosis download - or told you about the latest release from Roberta Shapiro or the breathing techniques of Ocean Breath. Neither my neuro nor my regular doctor ever suggested alternative stress control therapies. But I read about it - tried a couple of things - and now I've gone from skeptic to believer - for one simple reason - they actually helped me.
It's not a cure of course- but like most people that attempt to manage their MG, I purposely add and delete things to my life - trying to find the right combination to keep the symptoms under control. So I've added meditation, relaxation and even self hypnosis to my regimen of healthy eating, vitamins and minerals and exercise.
Free Resources
Once you start poking around the internet you'll discover that relaxation and stress control audio recordings are very popular. There's a lot to choose from. Because it's a rather competitive market you'll find a lot of free samples and in some cases full length recordings so you can compare different techniques and styles. That will give you an opportunity to see what works for you. You might prefer the pure sounds of nature - like a soft rain storm or a waterfall over recordings that mix music with those sounds. Guided meditations can also be found with and without music. The same applies to hypnosis. You can try them all out for free.
YouTube.com is a handy resource for finding free samples of audio programs. You can define your specific search terms and instantly find examples of what you're looking for. Plus YouTube suggests related subjects to your search and often that can lead to things that you never thought about before. By using YouTube you can also get a feel for who is offering quality recordings and who is selling junk. While you're there check for the latest uploads about myasthenia gravis.
Amazon.com also offers incredible search capabilities and I was surprised to find that they have numerous free samples as well. You can play segments to see what you might like or dislike and sometimes entire tracks are available for free. Amazon has a tendency to stick with the more professional recordings but I have found some junk there as well. What I really like is being able to buy and download individual tracks for only 99 cents each. That way I can sort of mix and match techniques and themes. Here's a link to the search bar with Relaxation Titles pre-loaded.
If you've been on the fence about trying an audio for relaxation or sleep I would suggest that you at least explore the free stuff that's available. Give it a try. Many of us with myasthenia gravis have found meditation and relaxation exercises to be very helpful. But just taking a break listening to some tranquil music can make a difference. When you find you find something that you want to keep on your computer or your cell phone you can always buy the professional version.
After thought: I mentioned Ocean Breath and then noticed that I didn't say anything more about practicing breathing techniques. Controlling your breathing is an important part of the process when it comes to meditating and self hypnosis and the programs talk about that to some degree. However, controlled breathing techniques by themselves are probably the easiest and quickest way to quickly reduce stress. "Ocean Breath" is a good way to familiarize yourself with the benefits of learning those techniques - but there is a lot of information about it on the internet. And air is free.
Now relax!
No comments:
Post a Comment