Turinys
All people tend to worry and get lost in anxious thoughts, but stress and negative thoughts contribute to the aging of the body. It’s good that there are techniques to help change this habit — and therefore not to rush to get old.
“Have you ever noticed how quickly big politicians age? — addresses readers Donald Altman, a former Buddhist monk, and today a writer and psychotherapist. “People who are constantly stressed sometimes age before our very eyes. Constant voltage affects hundreds of important biological processes. But not only stress accelerates human aging. As the latest research has shown, negative thoughts also contribute to this. They affect the key biomarkers of aging — telomeres.»
Stress and aging
Telomeres are the end sections of chromosomes, something like a shell. They help protect the chromosomes, thereby allowing them to repair and reproduce themselves. They can be compared to the plastic tip of a shoelace. If such a tip wears out, it is almost impossible to use the cord.
Similar processes, in simple terms, occur in chromosomes. If telomeres are depleted or shrink prematurely, the chromosome cannot fully reproduce itself, and senile diseases are triggered. In one study, researchers followed mothers of chronically ill children and found the effects of significant stress on telomeres.
In these women, obviously under constant stress, telomeres «showed» an increased level of aging — at least 10 years faster.
mind wandering
But do our thoughts really have such an impact? Another study was conducted by psychologist Elissa Epel and published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science. Epel and colleagues tracked the effect of «mind wandering» on telomeres.
“Wandering of the mind”, or withdrawal into one’s thoughts, is usually called a phenomenon characteristic of all people, in which the thought process aimed at solving current specific problems is confused by “wandering” abstract thoughts, most often unconscious.
Be kind to yourself when your mind wanders. You don’t have to be perfect at this, just keep working on yourself.
Epel’s findings clearly show the difference between being focused and being lost in «mind wandering.» As the researchers write, “Respondents who reported frequent distraction had shorter telomeres in many immune cells—granulocytes, lymphocytes—compared with another group of people who were not prone to mind wandering.”
If you dig deeper, you will find that it was negative thoughts that contributed to the shortening of telomeres — in particular, anxious, obsessive and defensive. Hostile thoughts definitely harm telomeres.
So what is the antidote to age-accelerating mind wandering and negative mental attitudes?
The key to youth is within us
One of the conclusions of the study mentioned above is: “Keeping attention in the present moment can help maintain a healthy biochemical environment. This, in turn, prolongs the life of the cells.” So the source of youth — at least for our cells — is being in the «here and now» and focusing on what is happening to us in the moment.
It’s also important to keep an open mind about what’s going on, given that a negative attitude or a constant defensiveness only harms our telomeres.
It is both sobering and reassuring at the same time. It is sobering if we find ourselves mired in negative mind wandering. It is reassuring, because it is in our power to use awareness and reflection to train, learn to be open and involved in what is happening here and now.
How to bring the mind back to the here and now
The founder of modern psychology, William James, wrote 125 years ago: “The ability to consciously return one’s wandering attention to the present moment over and over again is the root of sobriety of mind, firm character and strong will.”
But even earlier, long before James, the Buddha said: “The secret of the health of mind and body is not to grieve for the past, not to worry about the future, not to worry in advance because of possible problems, but to live in the present with wisdom and an open heart. moment.»
“Let these words serve as all inspiration,” comments Donald Altman. In books and articles, he shares various ways to train the mind. Here is one of the practices that helps to return from wandering thoughts:
- Give the distracting thought a name. It’s really possible. Try saying «wandering» or «thinking.» This is an objective, non-judgmental way of identifying that your mind is wandering and wandering. You can also say to yourself, “I am not the same as my thoughts” and “I and my negative or hostile thoughts are not the same.”
- Return to the here and now. Put your palms together and quickly rub one against the other for a few seconds. This is a great physical grounding exercise that will bring you back to the present moment.
- Confirm your involvement in the present. Now you can easily return your conscious attention to your surroundings. You can confirm this by saying to yourself, “I am engaged, focused, present, and open to everything that is happening.” And do not be upset if the mind starts to wander again.
Donald Altman recommends doing this practice any time during the day when we find ourselves lost in our thoughts and out of the present moment, or when we take something too close to heart. Stop, pause for breath, and take these three simple steps to strengthen open, unrestricted awareness.
“Be kind to yourself when your mind wanders over and over again. You don’t have to be perfect at this, just keep working on yourself. It’s not without reason that this is called practice!”
About the Author: Donald Altman is a psychotherapist and author of Reason! Awakening the wisdom to be here and now.