Under the common perception of “soft overcoming hard, weak restraining strong”, many people easily choose relaxation techniques as an escape to alleviate the effects of stress. Therefore, meditation often ranks high among methods for combating stress.
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That is correct, but it is not always necessary to sit still to combat stress. According to George Goodheart, a physician in the United States who founded the field of Kinesiology in the 1970s, it is possible to restore body-mind balance and awaken the immune system by applying simple movements. Goodheart focused on specific, precise, and rhythmic movements to press and massage selected skin areas related to nerve segments and junctions of the sympathetic nervous system. This stimulation catalyzes various responses to improve disrupted functions and restore damaged organs. Similarly, the pathological consequences of stress can be alleviated by knowing how to use external skin surfaces to activate the nerve-endocrine axis through the “skin-organ” reflex.
Here are some specific examples:
– To improve mental focus: find a comfortable sitting position and use your thumb and index finger to slowly massage the outer ear in one direction from top to bottom. Choose the left ear if you are right-handed, and vice versa. Repeat the movement several times throughout the day, especially during moments of mental stress. Remember not to do it in the opposite direction.
– To combat fatigue after hours of stress: sit up straight with your elbows resting on the table, as if pondering something important. Use your index and middle fingers to massage along your eyebrows several times in a semicircular motion from outside in, ending just above the bridge of your nose, between your eyebrows. Again, do it in only one direction. This technique is popular among many women as it serves a dual purpose: it alleviates stress while also combating wrinkles around the eyes.
– To create optimal conditions for creativity: extend your index and middle fingers like scissors. Then, use your index finger to gently rub your upper lip and your middle finger to rub your lower lip, moving from left to right and back again. At the same time, practice breathing in a three-phase manner: inhale quickly, hold your breath without closing your throat, and exhale slowly.
– To increase endurance: press the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Inhale deeply through your nose, exhale quickly through your mouth, and repeat this several times. While breathing, firmly press the tips of the fingers of both hands against each other for one minute.
Dr. Luong Le Hoang
