A new paper, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, mentioned that medication, yoga, and mindfulness could help manage stress.
In the commentary, experts in mind-body medicine have called for including stress-reduction practices, such as meditation, yoga, and mindfulness, in treatment plans and medical research.
Researchers found that prolonged and persistent stress could contribute to chronic diseases and increased mortality.
Stress often worsens anxiety and depression, which also plays a key role in developing chronic conditions such as heart disease, autoimmune disorders, chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, and headaches, according to lead author Dr. Michelle Dossett of the University of California (UC) Davis Health.
“By reducing the body’s stress response, mind-body practices can be a powerful adjunct in medicine by helping to decrease patients’ symptoms and improving their quality of life,” Dr. Dossett said, who is also a doctor with the Benson-Henry Institute.
Dr. Dossett noted that meditation, yoga, and mindfulness could help reduce stress, anxiety or depression caused by the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The mind-body thing is not new. Benson-Henry Institute researchers have been exploring mind-body medicine into clinical care through research and training programs since 2006.
Dr. Herbert Benson, one of the first physicians to bring spirituality and healing into medicine, is famous for his work with the Relaxation Response.
“The Relaxation Response is an inborn, anti-stress capacity that transcends the differences that separate mind from body, science from spirituality and one culture from another,” said Dr. Benson.
Mind-body medicine is considered the third leg of a 3-legged stool at the Benson-Henry Institute. The first leg is surgery, the second is pharmaceutical, and the third is self-care. In self-care, patients are taught about the techniques to help improve their health through mind-body medicine, nutrition, and exercise.
In the new paper, the researchers wrote, “Western medicine has produced revolutionary health benefits through advances in pharmacotherapies and procedures.”
“It now faces enormous challenges in battling stress-related noncommunicable diseases,” they added. “Chronic pain, often perpetuated by psychosocial stress, has become an epidemic that our pharmaceutical arsenal is poorly equipped to handle and medical costs continue to soar.”
They continued, “Mind-body therapies can be a helpful adjunct in managing chronic pain and other stress-related noncommunicable diseases by fostering resilience through self-care.”
Dr. Benson and co-author Dr. Gregory Fricchione, director of the Benson-Henry Institute, led the field of mind-body medicine. They also led the research on counteracting the dangerous effects of stress, promoting health and reducing the possibility of stress-related issues.
