If you’re like most people, you have ways to deal with the challenges that life throws your way. You work out, prepare for the big meeting, maintain a budget, enjoy time with loved ones, have a hobby, or maybe you scream into a pillow from time to time when the pressure mounts. You pray and/or meditate. Have a glass of wine. Most of us would rather not think about stress, but negative effects of stress can show up in surprising places. Have you ever had issues with sleep, or catch yourself worrying too much about something? Usually, it’s times when you feel clenched that you bring your existing coping methods into play, but are they really helping you?
The thing is, most of us also have powerful ways to persuade ourselves that “all is well” or “I’ve got this,” when maybe the load that day really is overwhelming. The ability to convince ourselves and those around us that we aren’t struggling can get us into trouble because stress effects accumulate. If you’re not fully dealing with stress as it arises in the moment, those stories you tell yourself about how well you cope can suddenly give way and force you to deal with accumulated stressors — whether you like it or not. Little stress-related physical symptoms like cold palms and sweaty underarms can become full-blown medical and psychological issues that directly affect your life, including your relationships, your job, and your future.
But, by using body-sensing software, you can actually see what the effects of stress are doing to your body. By “amplifying” the signals that the body sends to the mind about how it is coping, we can learn to tune into the dialog of self-regulation. The first step is simply deciding that you’re willing to look, and if you learn something, that you will act on the new understanding.
The Stress Resilience Training System (SRTS) uses sensors and software to help you listen to an important body signal called Heart Rate Variability, or HRV. Several military and civilian research studies in recent years have shown that SRTS helps Service Members build resilience. HRV feedback techniques can help you to see through your own mental cover-ups, becaue the body tells no lies.
With programs like SRTS, you can see when and where stress effects are holding you back or when you are legitimately rocking it! HRV feedback is ushering in a new era in the military where performance and resilience are tied directly to your ability to self-regulate. Mastering this skill affects every aspect of your life in the military and out.
– D. C.