Oscillate not-so-wildly: New exercises aim to combat stress through shaking

There’s no escaping it; stress is part of our lives. It is experienced by everyone, regardless of age, gender, and civil and social status.

Office work, school projects, moving into a new house, planning a wedding, death of a loved one, illness — these are a few of the inevitable events in our lives that are factors of physical and emotional stress.

But studies have shown time and again that prolonged stress can have hazardous, even lethal effects on the body as it weakens the natural immune system and increase's one's risks of infection. Studies link prolonged stress to higher risks of depression, obesity, heart disease, sexual and reproductive dysfunction, diabetes and even certain types of cancers.

Thus, it is important to always keep your stress level in check. One form of workout that is gaining popularity in terms of reducing stress is the TRE or Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises.

Developed in the US in 2008, TRE was introduced to the Philippines by a group of foreign volunteers led by health expert Chris Balsley.

Balsley and his team used TRE as therapeutic exercises for victims of typhoon Yolanda in Bohol and Tacloban City as well as the relief workers helping them.

"Depending on the audience...we call it tension releasing exercises, or for trauma zones or disaster zones, we call it trauma releasing exercises," Balsley explained in a report on GMA's "Unang Hirit."



According to earlier reports, the TRE is also being used to help victims of crime and natural disasters in the US, China, Japan, Thailand and Haiti.

The TRE is a 15-minute workout divided into six exercises that involve various movements and positions intended to create shaking of the muscles to release the stress from the body.

"Each exercise exists to create a shaking or tremor in the body. We use the exercise to warm our muscles up and when we lie down and assume another position, our body begins to quiver a little bit, and this quivering is our body letting go of tension," Balsley explained.

"... and it's not about trying really hard. Trying hard actually slows the process down," he added.

Balsley said that though the exercises are just the same for all the participants, their body's responses may vary.

"The truth is, everybody looks different [during the session] because we all take in stress differently. It's not gonna be exactly the same for each person...because everybody holds tension differently, everybody's  response is gonna be different." Balsley said.

Two TRE participants meanwhile attested to the efficacy of the exercises.

"Mahirap i-fake [the shaking of the body]. Kasi talagang nagmo-move siya [the muscles]...I did it seven times and sabi ko, 'Ah this is real!'," one said.

"After [the exercise] parang gumaan yung katawan ko," said the other. — Elizabeth Marcelo/BM, GMA News