,The Science of Stress And The Art of Managing it,Computer Society of India Bangalore 28 Feb 2007,Background about the speaker,Electronics & Communication, Computer Science Engineer 20 years experience in the IT industry Visited 18 different countries some global experience Professional roles: System Engineering & Project Management on LCA Avionics at ADA Quality Professional at Motorola covering India, Singapore, Japan, Korea, China Quality professional and senior leadership role at MindTree Interests outside the profession: Homeopathic practitioner, Physiology (neuroscience, endocrine system, respiratory & circulatory mechanisms) Ancient Indian Wisdom: Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation, Vedantha Modern Physics, Quantum Physics, Electro Magnetism Trekking, Mountaineering, Nature study, Photography Classical music, playing Tabala, singing,What is Stress?,Stress is a state of Mind Stress is a mind-body reaction/response to a situation To flight from/fight the situation,Why Stress Happens?,When a situation/condition is not Acceptable to us When we want to do/get something but are unable When ego is hurt (feedback, comments, criticism) When we loose something which we feel as important Stress is mostly due to Fear (of Future) Worry (about Past) And not so much due to Present Moment It is always due to the perception of Mind Different people feel different stress levels for the same situations,What Happens when Stressed?,Psychology of Stress: Emotional impact Anxiety Fear Depression Anger Sadness Physiology of Stress Acidity Ulcers Heart ailments Blood Pressure Kidney problems Diabetes ,Chain Reaction of Stress: The Negative Spiral,Some Impacts of Sustained and Unmanaged Stress,Brain Continues to operate in higher Beta state (15 to 26 cycles per second of electrical impulses (EEG) Continues to trigger the rest of the body mechanism and create stress Blood Pressure remains high High blood pressures can lead to Heart failure, paralysis (due to breakdown of blood vessels in brain) Acidity, Ulcer and other digestive problems Diabetes Kidney problems due to overload on removing toxins from the body Reduces immunity and makes body susceptible to diseases .,Some More Impacts,Human body & mind are a highly complex and integrated system Each system impacts the other: either positively or negatively Stress and Mind induced effects on the body are far more harmful than the external pollution Internal Toxins are far more harmful than external chemical/industrial pollution ISO 14000 needs significant change in the globalized knowledge era!,Why Allopathic Medicines and Stimulants are not good for managing Stress,Allopathic medicines directly add chemical to the body and interfere with the internal chemical factories E.g. Taking Antacids for Acidity neutralizes the acid in the stomach. Then body thinks that the acid is not sufficient and starts producing more. E.g. Anti-depressants suppress the ability of brain cells to generate electric impulses People taking such drugs for prolonged time become dull Stimulants like Tobacco, Coffee, Tea, Coco etc. temporarily trigger higher activities Subsequently body craves for more & more stimulants,Then how to manage stress?,Turn it into a Positive Spiral Break the negative cycle at each point Some amount of Stress is healthy it triggers and energizes the system,Managing Stress,Root Cause: Manage Mind Positive Thinking and Attitude Larger view of life Meditation Build capability to face stressful situations and reduce the impact of stress at physiological level Yoga Pranayama Healthy lifestyle and food habits Have multiple positive energy sources Hobbies, interests ,What does Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation do at Physiological level?.,Yogasanas Exercise different parts of the body Combine with breathing Postures: Stretch & hold, Compress & hold Creates flexibility and hollowness, lightness Helps in flow of water, food, oxygen, electrical signals and flow of energy in the body Isometric exercises As against Isotonic exercises of aerobics, gym exercises which help to build muscles which reduce the flexibility & become blockers over a period,What does Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation do at Physiological level?.,Pranayama E.g. Ujjai breath: Increases absorption of oxygen into the hemoglobin by creating inhale pressure in lungs for osmosis E.g. Bastrika pranayama: Increases the removal of carbon dioxide from the blood plasma by creating exhale pressure in lungs for osmosis Increases oxidation and liberation of energy in every cell of the body Air filter analogy in automobiles Stimulates nerve tips in lungs which have connection to the brain area where Pituitary Gland is situated Pituitary Gland is the master gland in the endocrine system and has a strong influence on rest of the endocrine glands,What does Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation do at Physiological level?,Meditation Takes the brain to Alpha state: electrical impulses of 8 to 14 cycles per second At deep meditation level (Samadhi state