Mind-Body Approaches

Mind-Body is a term that covers a broad range of modalities, from ancient mindfulness meditation to modern neurofeedback. These modalities are often working to trigger a relaxation response, but also build up one’s resilience against stress, increasing resilience. The brain, throughout your lifetime, adapts and changes through experiences and training (neuroplasticity). Because uncontrolled stress may negatively impact someone with a cancer diagnosis – trying mind-body techniques to help decrease stress and increase relaxation are likely to be beneficial. Mind-body approaches may enhance health in other ways as well, such as decreased pain, better digestion, improved sleep and improved immune response. Many mind-body approaches stem from simply becoming aware of breath and present experience. Practices that focus on breathing awareness at their core can involve stillness, such as sitting meditations, or they can involve movement with breath such as walking meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong. Many organizations offer classes or structured activities to help teach and practice these approaches, including Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), among others. Other mind-body activities involve guided experiences such as medical hypnosis or guided imagery. An increasing body of evidence supports the positive impact of mind-body activities on quality of life and psychological well-being in cancer patients. Many of these modalities also favorably impact other common cancer-related symptoms such as sleep disturbance, fatigue, and anxiety or fear of recurrence.

Explore Different Modalities

Harnessing the mind-body connection activates powerful inner resources for healing and relaxation. Though the techniques may differ, the end goal of triggering the relaxation response is the primary aim, and overlap of the modalities is fairly common. For example, imagery is often included as part of meditation and hypnosis; biofeedback often uses imagery and relaxation techniques; and most techniques modulate the breath to help elicit the relaxation response. Many studies examining the health benefits of mind-body interventions reflect this overlap, which can make analysis of individual therapies more challenging.

There are many other mind-body practices not discussed specifically here that can be beneficial to promoting health, decreasing side effects of cancer, and improving mood and quality of life. It can be an enjoyable and worthwhile endeavor to discover and try these practices. Many wellness centers, as well as a growing number of cancer centers, offer mind-body classes, groups, or educational series. Some, such as Yoga, Qi Gong or Tai Chi, involve movement, while others focus on imagery, biofeedback, meditation or mindfulness. Most involve focused breathing.