When you experience stress, your body reacts with hormones that raise your blood pressure and raise your heart rate. This is known as a stress response. Relaxation techniques can help your body relax and lower your blood pressure and heart rate. Hold it for a moment and then exhale.
Do you feel more relaxed? Breathing exercises are one way to relax. Here’s how you can relax your body and mind in a variety of ways. Being relaxed can relieve stress. It can also relieve anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.
Practicing “relaxation” is paramount to managing stress When we relax, blood flow around our bodies increases and gives us more energy. It helps us have a calmer and clearer mind that supports positive thinking, concentration, memory, and decision making. Relaxation slows our heart rate, lowers our blood pressure and relieves tension.
It also helps digestion because we absorb essential nutrients more efficiently when we are relaxed, which helps fight disease and infection. This is one of the easiest stress relief exercises because you simply focus on your breathing. Herb Benson, originator of the relaxation reaction, advises people to practice it regularly. Meditations that promote mindfulness have long been used to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions.
For example, when you imagine yourself relaxing by the sea, think of the smell of salt water, the sound of the waves, and the warmth of the sun on your body. Some of the studies discussed in this fact sheet compare relaxation techniques with cognitive behavioral therapy. Also keep in mind that some people, especially those with serious mental health issues and abuse in the past, may experience emotional discomfort during some relaxation techniques. In general, relaxation techniques involve refocusing your attention on something calming and increasing awareness of your body.
Health professionals such as alternative practitioners, doctors and psychotherapists can teach various relaxation techniques. As a physical therapy doctor, I believe that the “relaxation response” is not being used sufficiently in health professionals, and I congratulate Ann MacDonald on taking the time to tell us about her experience. Triggering the relaxation response is a public health problem, but unfortunately it is still very little known in academic circles and especially on the front lines of health services. Relaxation techniques can help you deal with everyday stress and stress associated with various health problems, such as heart disease and pain.
Relaxation techniques are recommended by two professional associations for use during and after breast cancer treatment. Relaxation techniques can reduce stress symptoms and help you enjoy a better quality of life, especially if you have a medical condition. Whether your stress is out of control or you’ve already tamed it, you can benefit from learning relaxation techniques. It’s easy to learn, can be practiced almost anywhere, and provides a quick way to keep your stress levels at bay.
