Relaxation - Health Benefits

What is relaxation?
There are a number of definitions and explanations when it comes to the term "relaxation". Ultimately, however, this is the process in which the tension among all the muscles in the body is absent. Furthermore, it defines a state of mind in which stressors, negative self talk, and other worries are eliminated from the mind.


Relaxation, is both a physical state, and a mental state of mind. In order for an individual to maintain and optimize their physical and mental well-being, relaxation is an essential element.
Sometimes people say they have not got the time to relax. If this is correct, then it's exactly the time to make time to practice relaxation. Our lives have speed up; we barely have time to take a breath from finishing one task before we have to start another task. People who live in urban areas even walk faster than people in rural areas. Some people are taught that you must always be active, busy and productive and that to sit down doing nothing is almost a sin. Sitting down doing relaxation is not sitting down doing nothing and is not being unproductive. In fact, the opposite is true; if you regularly practice relaxation it will actually make you more efficient and productive. Relaxation is a chance to re-charge our batteries.

Relaxation training is a skill and like any other skill it takes time and practice to get the maximum benefits from it; it needs to be practiced on a regular basis, not just when we are having difficulty. It can take a few weeks of practicing relaxation to start to feel the benefits. The benefits are cumulative and regular relaxation practice supplies the best benefits.

Relaxation works because it is impossible to be relaxed and tense at the same time and fortunately, just as our body has an inbuilt fight/flight response mechanism, it also has an inbuilt mechanism for triggering relaxation. This is called The Relaxation Response.

There are some stressors that are impossible to remove from our lives but that doesn't mean there is nothing we can do to reduce their impact. Practicing relaxation techniques on a regular basis can help to reduce the impact of these stressors. Relaxation is an excellent cushioning technique that can be used when it's impossible to remove the stressor.

Benefits of relaxation:
The benefits of relaxation are more than simply a refreshed mind and rejuvenated spirit. Did you know that there are significant health benefits associated with relaxation? Reducing stress, reducing or eliminating insomnia, and improving your reaction to stress and depression can decrease your chances of developing certain health conditions, such as heart disease and cancer. It will also help lower your resting heart rate, breathing is slower and deeper and a drop in blood pressure can be noticed almost immediately.