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Meditation - A Powerful Stress Buster in Dental Care Professionals

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Rajeev Saxena
Rajeev Saxena
Rajeev Saxena
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Savita Ladkat
Savita Ladkat
Savita Ladkat
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Abstract

Meditation is an umbrella term that encompasses a family of practices. In state of meditation there is total relaxation of body & mind. Control of breathing & doing nothing are the basic steps. The practice of meditation creates a balanced, rhythmic & naturally flowing pulsation of life through every part of the body. It transfers the struggling- stressful & exhausted life into a peaceful one. That life is full of health, creativity, love & compassion. Such type of greatest adventure only ′human mind′ can undertake. For meditation, there is no need to escape from the life. It is a simple technique that does not require sophisticated or complicated amenities.
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Meditation - A Powerful Stress Buster in Dental Care Professionals
Expert Speak
45
Journal of Dental & Allied Sciences 2012;1(2)45-47
Abstract
Meditation is an umbrella term that encompasses a family of practices. In state of meditation there is total relaxation of body & mind. Control of
breathing & doing nothing are the basic steps. The practice of meditation creates a balanced, rhythmic & naturally flowing pulsation of life
through every part of the body. It transfers the struggling- stressful & exhausted life into a peaceful one. That life is full of health, creativity, love &
compassion. Such type of greatest adventure only 'human mind' can undertake. For meditation, there is no need to escape from the life. It is a
simple technique that does not require sophisticated or complicated amenities.
Key words: Meditation, Relaxation, Stress freedom, Creativity, Healthy life.
1Professor & ,
*Department of General Pathology & Microbiology, Sinhgad Dental
College & Hospital,Vadgaon, Pune, India.
email: r
2
Head Lecturer
1Member of OSHO International Training Team, Pune
Member of Vidya Sagar Institute of Yoga Therapy, Bihar
ajeevsaxenak2010@gmail.com
1 2
Rajeev Saxena , Savita Ladkat
Introduction
1. Current stressful life style of Dental Care Professionals:
The present scenario of life style is world of struggle. The
struggle is for achieving the self image of 'perfectionist' &
success in every aspect of the life. This is the root cause of rat
race competition which is inevitably followed by anxiety,
tension & exhaustion. The result is creation of disharmony
between body and mind. The struggle in life is unending
leading to an unsatisfactory, unhealthy life.
The tensions in dental care professionals are mainly physical
& mental. The doctors have to perform skilful & precise work.
The uncomfortable posture has to be maintained for hours
with full concentration. This leads to many health problems
e.g. backache, eye strain, early fatigability, cervical
spondylosis, wrist pain & others. We cannot change the
current practice, but we can try to accommodate for
betterment. Everybody want healthy life &“Freedom” from
tensions. Meditation will help to face the tensions of life. We
should not neglect our basic needs during achievement of the
goal. Otherwise there will be 'paradox' in life, the basic cause
of stress. We have bigger house but small families; more
convenience but less time. We built computers to hold more
information but less wisdom. We can communicate anybody
all over the world instantly but less communication with
family & neighbours. We have more degrees but less sense;
more knowledge but less judgement; more experts but more
problems; more medicines, but less healthiness.
2. Health & meditation
Meditation helps to relax body & mind even in the subjects
who had never practiced meditation before. Meditation helps
1
to be in present with freedom from past & future. Exercises of
breathing pattern releases the tension. The practice of
meditation reduces the physiological stress responses without
taking away the beneficial effect of stress, e.g. improved work
2 3
capacity & memory scores. Meditation creates the balance,
rhythm & natural flow (Pulsation) of life through every part of
body. Whenever there is interruption or disturbance in this
joyful flow, disease appears. The basic root cause of poor
2
health is stressful lifestyle, emotional conflict & mental
tension. A number of physical diseases created by this are
called as psycho-somatic diseases. Examples are
4,5 4,6,7 4,7,8,3,
:Hypertension, Diabetes, chronic pain, Anxiety
7 6
Depression, Acidity, Backache, Migraine, Insomnia.
Medication heals the body temporary from outside but
meditation heals the body from inside forever. It helps to
overcome not only these psycho-somatic elements but also
expands the brain function promoting creativity,
unconditional love & compassion.
Pathophysiology of stress induced effects
Stress causes stimulation of sympathetic nervous systems.
The effects are:
1. Quickening the action of heart result is Increased Heart
9
rate & palpitation.
2. Contraction of the blood vessels of skin & gut ( Gastric
ulcers - curling's)so that more blood flows to muscles
where it is needed. Result is high blood pressure &
tension in muscles.
3. Decreasing gut movements & secretions of most glands
except sweat glands. Result is indigestion.
Meditation calm down the sympathetic system & allow the
parasympathetic system to act. The harmony is established in
between sympathetic & parasympathetic systems which is
important to balance their functions; just like an melodious
orchestra composing joyful music of life. Effects suh as slows
the action of the heart, Dilates the blood vessels of the gut
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where blood flow is increased & gland secretions are
increased, Muscles are relaxed, Control the blood pressure.
What is meditation?
Manocha10 described meditation as a discrete and well-
defined experience of a state of “thoughtless awareness” or
mental silence, in which the activity of the mind is minimized
without reducing the level of alertness. These difficult words
can be simplified by an example. In era of computer when
there is coase & computer is not performing functions
according to commands then what we do? we shut down the
computer & restart. The same is achieved by meditation in our
mind that reflects on body functions. Meditation also has been
11,12,13
defined as a self-experience and self-realization exercise.
That means doing & experiencing is must to understand
meditation. Meditation is total relaxation of body &mind
1
complex & an art of living in present moment. Meditation is
14
an umbrella term that encompasses a family of practices.
15
Body & mind as an unit: Body & mind are not different
from each other. Body is reflection of mind & mind is a part of
body & execute through body. Naturally tensions &
relaxations of mind & body reflect on each other that is body-
mind complex.
15
Breathing: Breathing is the first action of our life sustained
up to the end. The tension & relaxation changes the breathing
pattern. There is fast & shallow breathing in tension & slow &
deep breathing in relaxation. If we control the breathing
pattern we can control the tensions & relaxation of body &
mind. Thus the controlled breathing pattern is one of the ways
to the meditation. Types of breathing are Abdominal type
(Diaphragmatic muscle-spiritual muscle), Deep breathing,
Bellows (Bhastrika)-Abdominal muscles are used,
Nadishuddhi (Alternate nostril is used)
1,5,16-18
Steps of meditation:
1. Just be. Doing nothing.
2. Watching & Witnessing.
Nothing needs to be done; just be a witness, an observer. A
watcher looking at the traffic of the mind without
identification & consisting of thought passing by, desires,
memories, dreams, fantasies. Simply stand aloof, cool,
watching it, seeing it with no judgement, no identification,
with no consideration, neither saying 'This is good,' nor
saying 'This is bad'.
4
Different methods & Meditation:
1. Active method (Body oriented) : Hath yoga compiled by
Patanjali.
2. Passive method(Mind oriented) : Raj yoga
3. Heart oriented method : Bhakti yoga
1. Active method (Body oriented): Hath yoga
In this method primarily body energy is activated. This energy
helps in deep cleansing of many blocks-discomforts created
by mental expression in the body. For example Eight fold path
of yoga (Ashtang-yog), Dynamic meditation-Chaotic
breathing catharsis, Nataraj-Dancing meditation, Kundalini,
Whirling (Sufi method),Gibberish,Tai-chi, Sudarashan kriya,
Laughing & crying meditation & Qi Gong.
2. Passive method(Mind oriented): Raj yoga
This method is basically mind oriented with minimum body
activity involvement. For example Chanting of mantras,
Transcendental meditation, Meditation on sound/music,
Tratak (Concentration method), Mirror gazing, Za Zen,
Humming, Who am I, Visualization, Vipassana, Lathian,
Chakra breathing, Chakra sound.
3. Heart oriented method: Bhakti yoga
In this method heart-emotions are used. It is mainly beneficial
for emotionally & devotionally inclined people. For example
Kirtan-Bhajan & Prayers.
1
Flowering Effects of meditation:
Great silence is achieved. There is feeling of unconditional
love, compassion-a combination of meditation & love which
is divine & spiritual. You have continuous & undisturbed
abiding joy. The meditation explore the intelligence &
increase the responsive ability. You get self nature-being own,
absoluteness, aloneness due to inside journey- pure space of
own.
That is your real self, your individuality, beauty & integrity.
There is increase in sensitivity, perceptibility & memory.
Conclusion
Meditation is not something new. All of us have come with it
into the world. We only explore it to open our capacity for
1
love, intimacy, creativity & expansion. All over the world
people are struggling to be free from something. It may be
failure in solving day to day problems like in family escape
from a nagging wife, or a controlling husband, a dominating
1
parent, or a boss at work who is quashing the creativity. It
may be failure in profession or fighting against a repressive
political system. Or it may be an effort to get free of own
childhood conditioning through countless therapies
(Sanskar). Everybody wants to be free from such struggles.
The freedom of meditation does not depend upon something
outside ourselves. It is 'Just freedom'. Living in present
1
moment; neither in memory nor the dreams of future .The
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Journal of Dental & Allied Sciences 2012;1(2):45-47
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control of this is in hands of meditator & not in hands of
external environment. Mind is always jumping ahead or
lagging behind, but it is never in the moment. This constant
chattering mind robs us of life preventing from enjoying what
each moment of life holds for us.Through meditation the
chattering can slow down & eventually disappear. The mind
1
becomes useful tool instead of enslaving us. However, we
often confuse by countless meditation techniques. Follow any
technique suitable for you. Do it. Experience it. Do not
believe because it is written in books or told by someone but
because you have experienced the flowering of meditation.
The deep relaxation create the required depth in silence of
mind to know our real self & spiritual dimension. This
experience is healthy perfectly fits into definition of heaith by
19
WHO -Health is a state of complete well being of physical,
mental, social & not merely an absence of disease or infirmity.
Meditation heals the body from inside but medicine heals
15
body from outside. Healthy mind & body allows you to
enjoy the life without side effects of tension.
Meditation - A powerful stress buster for all.
References
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2. Vandana B, Saraswathy L, Pillai GK, Sunadaram KR, Kumar H.
Meditation induces a positive response during stress events in young
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3. Mohan A, Sharma R, Bijlani RL. Effect of meditation on stress-
induced changes in cognitive functions: J Altern Complement Med.
2011;17(3):207-12.
4. Epstein RM. Just being. West J Med. 2001 ;174(1):63-5.
5. Benson H, Beary JF, Carol MP. The relaxation response.
Psychiatry1974;37:37-46.
6. Fentress DW, Masek BJ, Mehegan JE, Benson H. Biofeedback and
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7. Kabat-Zinn J. An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for
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Hosp Psychiatry 1982;4:33-47.
8. Kabat-Zinn J, Massion AO, Kristeller J et al. Effectiveness of a
meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety
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9. Caudill MA, Friedman R, Benson H. Relaxation therapy in the control
of blood pressure [review]. Bibl Cardiol 1987;41:106-119.
10. Manocha R. Why meditation? Aust Fam Physician 2000;29(12):1135-
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11. Kokoszka A. Axiological aspects of comparing psychotherapy and
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12. Walsh R, Shapiro SL. The meeting of meditative disciplines and
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13. Cardiac care; Health & life style Management series by Apollo
healthcare, Hyderabad : 243 -245
14. Ospina MB et al. Meditation practices for health: state of the research.
Evid Rep Technol Assess. 2007 Jun;(155):1-263.
15. Health & Life style assessment & correction, by Apollo healthcare,
Hyderabad : 280
16. Nhat Hahn T. Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in
Everyday Life. New York: Bantam Books; 1992.
17. Suzuki S. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. New York: Weatherhill; 1980.
18. Kabat-Zinn J. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness
Meditation in Everyday Life. New York: Hyperion; 1994.
19. J.E.Park. Concept of Health & Disease : Definitions of Health (WHO).
In Park's Textbook of Preventive & Social Medicine: Nineteenth
edition; pg13.
47
How to cite this Article: Saxena R, Ladkat S. Meditation - A
powerful stress buster in dental care professionals.
2012;1(2):45-47.
Source of Support: Nil. Conflict of Interest: None Declared.
J Dent Allied
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Meditation - A Powerful Stress Buster in Dental Care Professionals - Saxena R et al.
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Effect of Meditation on Stress-Induced Changes in Cognitive Functions
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2011
  • J ALTERN COMPLEM MED
The objective of this study was to study the effects of meditation on stress-induced changes in cognitive functions. The study was conducted on 32 healthy adult male student volunteers who had never practiced meditation before the study. The study consisted of practicing 20 minutes of guided meditation and administration of psychologic stress to the subjects. The psychologic stress was administered to the subjects by asking them to play a (preselected) stressful computer game. The subjects were asked to meditate either before or after the administration of psychologic stress. For the control group measurements, the subjects were asked to wait quietly for an equivalent period of meditation time. The outcome measures were galvanic skin response (GSR), heart rate (HR), electromyography (EMG), sympathetic reactivity (QTc/QS2 ratio), cortisol, and acute psychologic stress scores. The central nervous system functions were assessed using Wechsler memory scale and visual-choice reaction time (VCRT). These parameters were measured both at the beginning and at the end of the intervention, using a pre-post experimental test design. Computer game stress was associated with a significant increase in physiologic (GSR, EMG, HR, QTc/QS2) and psychologic (acute stress questionnaire scores) markers of stress. Meditation was associated with relaxation (significant decrease in GSR, EMG, QTc/QS2, and acute stress questionnaire scores). Meditation, if practiced before the stressful event, reduced the adverse effects of stress. Memory quotient significantly increased, whereas cortisol level decreased after both stress and meditation. VCRT showed no significant change. Practice of meditation produced a relaxation response even in the young adult subjects who had never practiced meditation before. The practice of meditation reduced the physiologic stress responses without taking away the beneficial effect of stress, namely, improved memory scores.
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Effectiveness of a Meditation-based Stress Reduction Program in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
Article
Full-text available
  • Aug 1992
This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of a group stress reduction program based on mindfulness meditation for patients with anxiety disorders. The 22 study participants were screened with a structured clinical interview and found to meet the DSM-III-R criteria for generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. Assessments, including self-ratings and therapists' ratings, were obtained weekly before and during the meditation-based stress reduction and relaxation program and monthly during the 3-month follow-up period. Repeated measures analyses of variance documented significant reductions in anxiety and depression scores after treatment for 20 of the subjects--changes that were maintained at follow-up. The number of subjects experiencing panic symptoms was also substantially reduced. A comparison of the study subjects with a group of nonstudy participants in the program who met the initial screening criteria for entry into the study showed that both groups achieved similar reductions in anxiety scores on the SCL-90-R and on the Medical Symptom Checklist, suggesting generalizability of the study findings. A group mindfulness meditation training program can effectively reduce symptoms of anxiety and panic and can help maintain these reductions in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or panic disorder with agoraphobia.
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Why meditation?
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2001
  • AUST FAM PHYSICIAN
While many general practitioners perceive meditation as an acceptable, even mainstream, health care strategy, it is paradoxically a poorly understood discipline. To define meditation, outline the broad types of meditation and give an overview of the extent and validity of available evidence for its efficacy. The basic question of what constitutes meditation and what separates it from relaxation therapy has been an impediment to formulating quality studies in order to research meditation techniques. Examining the literature using evidence based criteria reveals that, while meditation does appear to have therapeutic potential, there is a great need for further research before definitive conclusions can be made. Researchers have yet to systematically compare different techniques of meditation to compare their profiles.
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Biofeedback and relaxation-response training in the treatment of pediatric migraine
Article
To assess the efficacy of electromyographic biofeedback, relaxation‐response training and pain behavior management as a treatment for pediatric migraine, we studied 18 children between the ages of eight and 12 years (mean = 10·1) in a prospective, randomized, controlled investigation. Six patients received all three treatment procedures, six received relaxation‐response training and pain behavior management, and the remaining six constituted a waiting‐list control group. All patients kept a record of their headaches for the 15‐week study period and then for four weeks one year later. Following four weeks of baseline, the treatment groups completed nine one‐hour treatment sessions in 11 weeks. Both treatment groups experienced a significant reduction in headache symptoms and were significantly improved compared to the waiting‐list control group by the end of treatment. The treatment groups did not differ from each other in any of these comparisons. The reduction in headache symptoms in the treatment groups was maintained one year after treatment ended. These results suggest that relaxation‐response training, with or without biofeedback training, combined with pain behavior management, is an effective alternative treatment for pediatric migraine. RÉSUMÉ Biofeedback et entrainement à la réponse de relaxation dans le traitement de la migraine chez l'enfant Pour apprécier l'efficacité du biofeedback électromyographique, de l'entrainement à la réponse de relaxation et du contróle du comportement de douleur, comme traitement de la migraine de l'enfant, nous avons étudié 18 enfants âgés de huit à 12 ans (moyenne = 10';1) au cours d'une étude prospective randomisée et contrôlée. Six sujets reçurent les trois éléments du traitement, six reçurent l'entrainement à la réponse de relaxation et le controLle du comportement de douleur et les six restants formérent un groupe controLle d'attente. Tous les patients tinrent un compte de leur maux de tête durant la période d'étude de 15 semaines et durant quatre semaines l'année suivante. A la suite de quatre semaines d'observation, les groupes traités bénéficiérent de neuf sessions de traitement d'une heure sur une période de 11 semaines. Une réduction significative des maux de t#eCte fut abservée dans les deux groupes traités et l'amélioration fut significative par comparaison avec le groupe contrôle d'attente à la fin du traitement. Les groupes traités ne différaient l'un de l'autre dans aucune de ces comparaisons. La réduction des maux de tête chez les groupes traités existait toujours un an aprés la fin du traitement. Ces résultats suggérent que l'entrainement à la relaxation, avec ou sans entrainement de biofeedback, combiné avec le contrôle du comportement de douleur est une alternative thérapeutique efficace vis à vis de la migraine de l'enfant. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Biofeedback und Enispannungstraining in der Behandlung der kindlichen Migräne Wir untersuchten 18 Kinder im Alter zwischen acht und 12 Jahren (Mittelwert = 10·1) in einer prospektiven, randomisierten, kontrollierten Studie, um die Wirksamkeit des elektromyographischen Biofeedbacks, des Entspannungstrainings und des Schmerzverhaltenstrainings als Therapie der kindlichen Migräne zu beurteilen. Sechs Patienten wurden mit allen drei Methoden behandelt, sechs bekamen Entspannungstraining und Schmerzverhaltenstraining und die restlichen sechs bildeten eine Kontrollgruppe. Alle Patienten führten während der 15‐wöchigen Dauer der Studie und dann nochmals über vier Wochen nach einem Jahr Protokoll über ihre Kopfschmerzen. Nach einer vierwöchigen Einfiihrung hatten die Behandlungsgruppen neun einstündige Therapien in 11 Wochen. 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Seis pacientes recibieron los tres tipos de tratamiento, seis el entrenamiento relajación‐respuesta, y el control del comportamiento del dolor y los otros seis casos constituyeron un grupo de espera‐control. Todos los pacientes siguieron un registro de sus cefaleas durante el periodo de 15 semanas de estudio y luego otras cuatro semanas un año más tarde. Siguiendo una línea básic de cuatro semanas, los grupos de tratamiento cumplieron nueve sesiones de una hora en 11 semanas. Ambos grupos de tratamiento experimentaron una reducción significativa de las cefalalgias y mejoraron significativamente en comparación con la lista de espera‐control al final del trayamiento. Los grupos de tratamiento no defirieron entre si en ninguna de las dos comparaciones. La reducción de la cefalalgia en los grupos de tratamiento se mantenía un año después de terminar el tratamiento. Estos resultados sugieren que el entrenamiento de relajación con o sin entrenamiento de retroalimantacion en combinación con el control del comportamiento del dolor, es un tratamiento alternativo efectivo de la migraña pediátrica.
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Meditation induces a positive response during stress events in young Indian adults
Article
  • Jul 2011
Relaxation techniques like meditation have been found to be beneficial in reducing stress. The aim was to find out the effect of the Integrated Amrita Meditation (IAM) technique on the response to life changes. The IAM technique, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) technique, and the Life Changes Questionnaire (LCQ) were used. LCQ was culturally adapted to the Indian population. One hundred and fifty subjects were randomized into IAM, PMR, and Control groups. LCQ scores were documented in all groups at 0 h, 48 h, 2 months, and 8 months after the training. STATISTICS ANALYSIS: Within groups, comparison was done by the paired t-test and between groups by ANCOVA. The new LCQ was analyzed using split-half reliability and was found to be having a correlation coefficient 0.96. On within group analysis, the IAM group showed a significant decrease in LCQ scores (P = 0.004) in the second visit which was maintained in the third (P = 0.003) and fourth visits (P = 0.001). Within the PMR group, there was a significant decrease (P = 0.006) in the third visit and fourth visits (P = 0.001). No significant change was seen within the control group in any of the visits. The decrease in LCQ scores in the IAM group was significant at the end of 8 months when compared to the Control group (P < 0.05) whereas the decrease in the PMR group was not significant in comparison with the control group. The IAM technique is an efficient tool in reducing stress as measured by LCQ.
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Axiological aspects of comparing psychotherapy and meditation
Article
  • Feb 1990
  • Int J Psychosom
This article is a general reflection on meditation and psychotherapy considered from the metatheoretical standpoint of the philosophy of science and axiology. It is concluded that in practice they differ in respect of functions, goals, and relation between participants. While the traditional aim of psychotherapy is to restore health, that of meditation is self-development through a specific way of life and practices. The master passes on his discipline a definite system of values and philosophy of life, whereas the therapist assists the patient in eliminating pathological symptoms through psychotherapeutic maneuver. The pitfalls of unwarranted interpretation of scientific data on meditation are presented.
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The Relaxation Response
Article
  • Mar 1974
In the Western world today, there is a growing interest in nonpharmacological, self induced, altered states of consciousness because of their alleged benefits of better mental and physical health and improved ability to deal with tension and stress. During the experience of one of these states, individuals claim to have feelings of increased creativity, of infinity, and of immortality; they have an evangelistic sense of mission, and report that mental and physical suffering vanish. Subjective and objective data exist which support the hypothesis that an integrated central nervous system reaction, the 'relaxation response', underlies this altered state of consciousness. Physicians should be knowledgeable about the physiologic changes and possible health benefits of the relaxation response.
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An Outpatient Program in Behavioral Medicine for Chronic Pain Patients Based on the Practice of Mindfulness Meditation: Theoretical Considerations and Preliminary Results
Article
  • May 1982
  • GEN HOSP PSYCHIAT
The practice of mindfulness meditation was used in a 10-week Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program to train chronic pain patients in self-regulation. The meditation facilitates an attentional stance towards proprioception known as detached observation. This appears to cause an "uncoupling " of the sensory dimension of the pain experience from the affective/evaluative alarm reaction and reduce the experience of suffering via cognitive reappraisal. Data are presented on 51 chronic pain patients who had not improved with traditional medical care. The dominant pain categories were low back, neck and shoulder, and headache. Facial pain, angina pectoris, noncoronary chest pain, and GI pain were also represented. At 10 weeks, 65% of the patients showed a reduction of greater than or equal to 33% in the mean total Pain Rating Index (Melzack) and 50% showed a reduction of greater than or equal to 50%. Similar decreases were recorded on other pain indices and in the number of medical symptoms reported. Large and significant reductions in mood disturbance and psychiatric symptomatology accompanied these changes and were relatively stable on follow-up. These improvements were independent of the pain category. We conclude that this form of meditation can be used as the basis for an effective behavioral program in self-regulation for chronic pain patients. Key features of the program structure, and the limitations of the present uncontrolled study are discussed.
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