Harnessing the power of the mind-body connection
The mind-body connection means that you can learn to use your thoughts to positively influence some of your body’s physical responses, thereby decreasing stress. If you recall a time when you were happy, grateful or calm, your body and mind tend to relax.
Research has shown that when you imagine an experience, you often have similar mental and physical responses to those you have when the event actually happens. For example, if you recall an upsetting or frightening experience, you may feel your heart beating faster, you may begin to sweat, and your hands may become cold and clammy.
Whether you have been diagnosed with an illness or need to prepare for a medical procedure such as surgery, it is very important to minimize the negative effects and maximize the healthy, healing aspects of your mind-body connection.
A variety of calming and empowering mind-body exercises have been proven to help people:
- Decrease anxiety
- Decrease pain
- Enhance sleep
- Decrease the use of medication for post-surgical pain
- Decrease side effects of medical procedures
- Reduce recovery time and shorten hospital stays
- Strengthen the immune system and enhance the ability to heal
- Increase sense of control and well-being
While the exercises described are not alternatives to medical or surgical treatments, they provide a powerful way for you to actively participate in your own health care, minimize pain and insomnia and promote recovery.
Calming/Relaxation Practices
The goal of calming and relaxation exercises is to help change the way you perceive a situation and react to it — to help you feel more in control, more confident or secure, and to activate healing processes within the body. Become aware of any tension, anxiety, change in breathing, or symptoms that you recognize as being caused or worsened by stress. When you take about 15 minutes daily to practice these exercises to help “quiet” your mind and help your body become more relaxed, you can then call upon this ability with a shorter relaxation exercise at a stressful time.
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Try this exercise that incorporates a few different relaxation techniques:
- Begin by interrupting your normal daily thoughts. Think about what is going on around you. Then switch your thoughts to yourself and your breathing. Take a few deep breaths, exhaling slowly.
- Mentally scan your body. Notice areas that feel tense or cramped, such as your neck or shoulders. Loosen up these areas. Let go of as much tension as you can.
- Slowly rotate your head to the left in a smooth, circular motion, leaning your left ear to your left shoulder. Rotate your head to the right in a smooth, circular motion, leaning your right ear to your right shoulder. (Stop any movements that cause pain.)
- Roll your shoulders forward and backward several times. Let all of your muscles completely relax.
- Recall and focus on a pleasant memory.
- Take another deep breath and exhale slowly. You should feel more relaxed.
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Abdominal or Diaphragmatic Breathing
Be aware of your current breathing pattern and learn how to change your breathing rate from fast, shallow chest breathing to slow, abdominal breathing.
Focus on your breath while you place one hand on your chest, the other over your navel. Imagine there is a balloon in your abdomen. As you take a slow, deep breath, focus on inflating the balloon in your abdomen. You will notice that your abdomen will rise much more than your chest. As you exhale, just let your abdomen fall naturally.
The goal is to learn how to breathe at 6 breaths a minute, about 3 or 4 seconds inhaling and
6 or 7 seconds exhaling. Once you have the slow, deep breathing accomplished, don’t worry about counting and imagine breathing in a peaceful calm and breathing out any tension in the body or thoughts that get in the way of comfort and relaxation.
If it helps, you can imagine a spot located on your abdomen, just below your navel. Breathe into and through that spot, filling your abdomen with air, allowing it to expand. Imagine the air filling you inside from your abdomen, and then let it out, like deflating a balloon. With every long, slow breath out, you should feel more relaxed.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation involves sequentially tensing and then relaxing specific muscle groups in the body, one at a time, and progressing throughout the entire body.
The key to this exercise is to tighten a specific muscle group for at least 5 seconds until you feel the tension, and then release the muscles for 10 seconds, noticing the difference in how the muscles feel before and after the exercise.
You can start by relaxing the muscles in your legs and feet, working up through each muscle group to your neck, shoulders, and scalp.
Mind Relaxation
Close your eyes. Breathe normally through your nose. As you exhale, silently say to yourself the word “one,” or any other short word such as “peaceful,” or a phrase such as “I feel quiet” or “I’m safe.” Continue for 10 minutes. If your mind wanders, gently remind yourself to think about your breathing and your chosen word or phrase. Let your breathing become slow and steady.
Guided Imagery
Research shows that guided imagery and relaxation can decrease anxiety and pain and possibly shorten your hospital stay. Guided imagery is often presented on a CD or tape in which you are guided in using your imagination to induce peace, calm, strength, and control. The calming music accompanying guided imagery can be helpful in quieting the mind.
The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center offers a free guided imagery CD or tape set for surgery patients. Click here for more information. For many other procedures, Heart Center patients may bring their own relaxation or guided imagery tapes. Please ask your doctor or nurse for more information.
Reiki
Reiki is an ancient holistic method of energy-based healing used promote a deep sense of relaxation. To schedule a Reiki session before or after surgery, please call the Center for Integrative Medicine Clinical Practice at 216.986.HEAL (4325).
Mind-Body Coach
A Mind-Body Coach is a trained professional who can teach you multiple ways to use your mind to reach a higher level of peace, calm and comfort before surgery. You’ll also learn the “tools” to help you during the recovery process, including guided imagery. To schedule a one-on-one session with the Mind-Body Coach before or after surgery, please call 216.986.HEAL (4325).
Spiritual Practices
Centering prayer and meditation are some of the oldest methods of relaxation involving a specific mental focus. These techniques induce a deep state of relaxation and well-being. Many people find spiritual practices helpful in achieving total mind-body relaxation. To schedule a clergy visit from Pastoral Care, please call 216.444.2518. Or call our 24-hour Prayer Line at 216.445.7200.
Healing Services Team
The Healing Services Team provides a comprehensive approach to help you during your hospital recovery. Services include holistic nursing, social work, spiritual care, and complimentary touch therapies including Reiki, Healing Touch and massage. If you would like someone from the Healing Services Team to visit you, please call ext. 59543 on your hospital telephone, or 216.445.9543.
Music Therapy
Under the supervision of a board-certified music therapist, music therapy combines music and therapeutic techniques and aids in the physiological, psychological and emotional well-being of the individual during treatment of an illness. For more information about music therapy, contact the Music Therapy Coordinator in the Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine Institute at ext. 55083 on your hospital telephone, or 216.445.5083.
Massage Therapy
Massage is used to support your medical condition, aid recovery from procedures, manage pain, decrease muscle tension and promote relaxation to help you cope with your hospital stay. Massage therapy and bodywork are provided at Cleveland Clinic by licensed massage therapists who have been specifically trained in hospital-based manual therapies. For more information about our program, please see the next section in your binder, “Hospital Massage and Bodywork Program.” To schedule a massage appointment, please call 216.986.HEAL (4325) and a scheduling specialist will assist you.
Relaxation and Massage Suites
The Relaxation and Massage Suites, located on the 5th and 8th floors of the Miller Family Pavilion, are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Patients and family members are welcome to go to these rooms to take a quiet break from the daily hospital routine. If you are staying in a unit that’s not on the 5th or 8th floors, please let your health care team know if you’d like to visit the suite. Please note that massages are available in these suites by appointment, during regularly scheduled times. To schedule a massage appointment, please call 216.986.HEAL (4325) and a scheduling specialist will assist you.
Art Therapy
Art therapy utilizes art media and the creative process to help patients in their healing and recovery. Art therapy can help patients decrease anxiety, manage stress, and deal with emotional issues. For more information about art therapy, please call the Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine Institute at ext. 48854 on your hospital telephone, or 216.444.8854.
Additional Resources
The Relaxation Channel (Channel 36) on the Cleveland Clinic hospital television network. Programming is offered 24 hours a day.
The Center for Integrative Medicine Clinical Practice : 216/986-HEAL (4325).
Cleveland Clinic General & Health Psychology: 216.444.5812 or 800.223.2273, ext. 45812
Cleveland Clinic Gift Shop: for additional tapes and resources - 216.444.1700 or
800.223.2273, Ext. 41700
If you need more information, click here to contact us , chat online with a nurse or call the Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute Resource & Information Nurse at 216/445-9288 or toll-free at 866/289-6911. We would be happy to help you.
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.
