Relaxation: More Than A Treat (Part One)

Relaxation is often seen as a treat or a luxury. Yet, the health benefits make relaxation so much more than this. Over the coming weeks, I will be writing about the effects of busyness and stress on mental health and why relaxation is more than just a treat.

When we’re busy or managing difficult situations, our body switches on the stress response. When the stress response is switched on, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus—preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.

Our body and mind can’t distinguish between a life and death situation or stress and normal everyday busyness. It reacts in the same way. Through effective relaxation we activate the relaxation response. The relaxation response brings our body back into balance. Effective relaxation techniques make us feel we’ve had an incredible night sleep in 30 or 60 minutes. Our heart beats more gently, muscles relax, blood pressure lowers, breath becomes slower and our senses relax. We give our overloaded body’s a chance to rest effectively so we can keep going. It’s like recharging a battery to full power again.

For more information contact Tracy at Relax From Stress Holistic Centre, Castlebar on 086-2202734 or visit www.relaxfromstress.ie.

Published in the Connaught Telegraph newspaper on 9 May 2017