The Relaxation Fomula
by Stephen Williamson
Wouldn't it be great to relax anytime you want to?
How often do you feel tense and stressed? Many of us lead busy, stressful lives. Even if you normally a laid back sort of person there many times when you come up against a particularly stressful event in your life, for example moving house, starting a new job, sitting an important exam, preparing for an important interview. If you know how to relax then the stress associated with these events can be greatly reduced.
Relaxation is not a luxury - it is essential for our mental and physical well-being.
Stress and the Immune System
The ‘fight or fly’ response type of short term stress was evolved as a way of protecting humans from attacks. If the creature was large, the responses created a surge in energy so that the human can run away. If the attacker was small then fighting was the appropriate response. In this case the stress boosts the immune system as it readies the body to cope with minor bites and scratches. If we are startled, frightened then short term stress happens. This is perfectly normal and causes no long term negative effect.
Constant long-term stress is a different case all together. This is when the stress lasts far beyond the fight or flight situation. In this case the immune system is suppressed and illness can result. If you are elderly or all ready sick then the effect of long term stress can be dangerous. Stress related conditions include:
* depression
* diabetes
* hair loss
* heart disease
* hyperthyroidism
* obesity
* obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder
* sexual dysfunction
* tooth and gum disease
* ulcers
* cancer (though this has not been proven yet)
Learning to relax combats long term stress and therefore can have a beneficial healing effect on the body as well as the mind.
How to relax
For an in-depth report on how to be relaxed and happy fill in your name and email address on the form at the bottom of this page.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Food - too much sugar or caffeine can cause severe emotional ups and downs and make you tense. Eliminating sugars and caffeine - or at least cutting them down - will help you relax.
- If you are feeling overwhelmed find a quiet place. If you are in a busy environment, such as at work, then even sitting in a bathroom stall will work.
- Breathing - when you are stressed your breathing will be faster. Try to inhale deeply and slowly.
- Take a bath - a bath with soft music and a good book is an excellent way to relax
- Avoid angry and irritable people if at all possible. Angry people tend to drive you mad.
- Exercise - simple exercising such as walking, cycling or swimming will help relax you afterwards.
- Stroke a pet. Stroking a cat or dog is a proven way to de-stress
- ,Take up relaxing hobbies such as fishing, painting, photography, sewing, knitting or drawing
- Learn to meditate. Meditation is an excellent way to relax. You can learn from a DVD program, audio, or a local class. Often Buddhist groups will teach you without pressurising you to become a Buddhist.
- Listen to a hypnotherapy relaxation CD. Hypnosis is a great way to relax - and you don’t need to spend a lot of money going to a hypnotherapist to do this. Click here for details of an excellant CD to do this.
- Smile and laugh. Rent a funny dvd, read a comic book, go to a comediy club. Laughter is the best medicine they say.
- Sing - signing a song is another way to relax.
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