In an environment now more conducive to stress than ever relaxation is consequently more crucial than it’s ever been. Anxiety and worry can arise from numerous situations and circumstances including personal, financial and relationship troubles. As focus is taken away from what would have comprised a stressful situation a hundred years ago, now the recession, money and status can be cause for concern as supposed to standard survival. In addition to mental there are proven physiological effects that come as a result of effective relaxation and we discuss these below.
Calmer thoughts
Relieving stress and reducing mental tension can help calm down a person’s headspace. When chaotic and insistent thoughts start to manifest in the mind they usually become stronger and more frequent, using relaxation to calm those thoughts can help to stop this cycle, making the thoughts and feelings being experienced more realistic and true to reality.
Level headed
By having calmer, more collected thinking your decision making is likely to be more balanced too. We’ve all made those rash decisions when we’re not thinking straight – by relaxing prior to making decisions, waiting to make them until your mind is settled, you are likely to make choices you’ll be happier with and won’t regret in the future!
Physiological effects
Heavy and intensive relaxation decreases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. This triggers other physiological changes which can yield further benefits. This state requires concentrated relaxation efforts such as hypnosis, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation or meditation where the target of the session is relaxation specifically; it’s not unfortunately an additional side effect of another activity such as watching TV or driving.
Reduce symptoms of common ailments
It’s been reported that after intense relaxation as mentioned above, physiological responses can help the body. Some examples of reduced symptoms after intense relaxation include the widening of respiratory passages in asthmatics; a reduced need for insulin in diabetics and providing an internal type of pain relief from those that suffer with chronic and severe pain.
Ward off disease
By reducing the stress response through relaxation you reduce the associated effects of it that can, over time contribute to stress related illness and disease. When the body is stressed it takes its emphasis away from the immune system, reducing the bodies ability to fight disease. By relaxing and reducing if not eliminating the stress response the immune system can function optimally and fight off disease more effectively. The lowering of blood pressure and cholesterol are other reported effects which are also beneficial to the body.
With the well publicised dangers of excessive and prolonged stress, relaxation comes into a stronger prominence. Learning techniques to perform this successfully can help with preventing disease and increasing personal wellbeing.
Whether through Yoga, hypnosis or other methods Poulstone Court is a fantastic, secluded retreat venue in which to practice relaxation and reap its benefits.
