Guided Imagery, Biofeedback and You
By Dr. Nancy D. O’Reilly, Psy.D.
As you read this article, you will see pictures in your mind. No, you are not crazy. You are merely doing what we all do, namely defining your world with pictures that you began developing at birth. As we grow from infancy, we are shown and told what things are. Book, ball, baby, tree, apple, sky – all of these become pictures in our minds and help develop our understanding of the world. This ability is a gift each of us received at birth.
Unfortunately, when we become angry or extremely emotional, our mental pictures may become distorted. Strong and destructive emotions can cause disorders related to the sympathetic nervous system, such as migraine headaches, ulcers, stomach and digestive problems and other extreme stress responses including exhaustion and autoimmune diseases.
Use Imagery To Calm Yourself
Fortunately, we can also use imagery to heal and calm ourselves. We can learn to use this gift to strike a balance among all of life`s demands and stressors. None of us can avoid stress, but we can develop effective strategies for dealing with it. By consciously replacing stressful mental images with pleasing images, we can create a healthier and happier life.
Biofeedback is one type of imagery that people use to actually lower their heart rate, raise their body temperature and release tension in muscles. Many of us hold our breath and tense our muscles, stopping the blood circulation that insures good levels of oxygen in the brain. The brain is the control tower. It tells us what is going on. We tell it what we need and it helps us accomplish this.
Start By Just Breathing
Start by sitting back and taking time to breathe. Breathe deeply. Breathe again and think about filling the lungs full of good, clean, healthy oxygen. Imagine the oxygen going into the blood stream and filling the body and brain with enriched blood and oxygen. Breathe again and feel your brain become clear and more concise. Breathe again and feel it interpret input from you more efficiently.
Breathe again. Fill your lungs and relax. Now, fill your mind with wonderful images of the things, people, activities, places, colors and sounds you love most. Take just five minutes of your day to imagine the things that make you happy and you may be surprised at how good you will feel.