Relaxation: More Than A Treat (Part Three)

Relaxation is defined as “the state of being free from tension and anxiety”. Just like life provides us with plenty of opportunities to be wound up on a daily basis, regular and effective relaxation is needed to unwind. We wouldn’t expect to stay clean by washing ourselves once a year, so how do we expect to stay relaxed by paying little attention to how we are relaxing?

The health benefits of relaxation for the mind are very real. When we have been busy, stressed or anxious for a long period of time the body gets used to being busy, stressed and anxious. What happens to the body and when this happens? Busy, stressed and anxious causes tension in the mind. Tension gives the message of fear, that something awful is about to happen. This alerts the sympathetic nervous system that imminent danger or a threat is about to happen.

The snag is that we’re busy every day! How often do you take a minute during the day to just stop and think and do nothing? We don’t! Developing time and appreciation for effective relaxation changes that busy and stressed and anxious to busy, and calm and patient. By activating the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, we learn to take a different approach to life, an approach that makes life more peaceful and more enjoyable!

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

Published in the Connaught Telegraph newspaper on 23 May 2017