What happens in your body when you get very stressed or anxious?
When we get stressed out or very anxious, our fight or flight mechanism activates in the same way that it does when we need to run away from danger. There is a surge of adrenaline and cortisol and our bodies breathe faster and more shallowly, our heart rates increase and blood goes to the large muscles to prepare them to fight or run away. At the same time our bodies shut down functions such as digestion, immune function and problem-solving to concentrate on physical survival. This stress response is why your heart might race, and your mind can go blank in the exam hall and why you find that you cannot think or focus properly. Your body is reacting as if there is a tiger coming to eat you when what you need to be doing is sitting still, thinking and writing. However, there is a simple, quick and effective technique to calm down the stress response so that you can focus and concentrate on your studying and reduce exam anxiety.
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT or tapping)
EFT has been called emotional acupuncture. We tap on various points on the head and upper body while we think about the feelings that are causing us to feel stressed and anxious. The tapping sends calming signals to the brain so that it switches off the stress response and we feel more relaxed, less worried and are able to focus. In a clinical trial, EFT was shown to reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, by 43% in one hour! There are many other scientific studies showing that EFT is effective for reducing stress and anxiety and that the results last over time. Just a few minutes is often enough to feel the benefit. It looks weird but you can learn it quickly and use it yourself whenever you would like to feel calmer.
Tap along with the short video below and feel the effects for yourself. If you find it useful please share it with your friends.
Please go to EFT Tapping | activenaturalhealth for a picture of the tapping points and links to more resources.
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