| Benefits beyond managing stress |
| Research suggests that the benefits of the calming response go beyond stress management. It can also have a profound impact on your health, relationships and performance. |
| Health |
| The calming response is a fundamental of health – this makes sense given it's the antidote to stress and there are strong links between stress and poor health. |
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The calming response is also used as a measure of biological ageing. This shouldn’t be surprising given research has linked the calming response with stronger immunity and lower levels of the anti-ageing hormone DHEA. |
| The calming response is also associated with lower blood pressure, speedier recovery from heart attack, and helps with mild to moderate depression. |
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| Relationships |
| Interestingly the levels of the calming response are indicative of the strength of personal relationships. So it makes sense that people who have been taught to increase their levels of the calming response are more satisfied with their intimate relationship and report less conflict with work colleagues. |
| Also higher levels of the calming response are linked to serotonin (the bonding hormone), as well as the ability to regulate thoughts and emotions – emotional management is an ability that is critical for maintaining successful relationships. |
| Performance |
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We have already discussed the impact that the calming response has on stress, health and relationships - these are important dimensions that are necessary for you to perform at your best. |
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The calming response also has a direct impact on your performance. For example higher levels of the calming response are associated with the ability to focus, emotional intelligence, and improved executive memory function. |
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| More research |
| Our thriving blog contains more research on the calming response. To understand the research you need to appreciate that the scientific terms for the calming response include parasympathetic nervous system activity, vagal tone and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Don't get too confused - all you need to know is that more is generally better. |
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