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Relaxation
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There is a world of difference between true relaxation
and simple diversion from the events of the day. Many people equate watching television or
drinking a beer with relaxation. In fact, the process of relaxation is a physical activity
which results in a series of physical responses which truly relax the body and the mind,
lessening the impact of stress has on us by changing the way the body responds to it.
Methods of Relaxation
There are several different ways to achieve a state of true relaxation. Which one to use
is largely a matter of personal preference. One method is progressive muscle relaxation,
an exercise in which different muscles such as those of the hands and arms are tensed and
then relaxed, progressing on to the shoulders, neck, face, and other muscle groups. This
process of learning to recognize muscle tension and what relaxation feels like can help in
stressful situations and in recovering from them as well as in preventing them from having
too great an impact on our lives.
Other methods involve breathing exercises in which one's attention is focused on the
breath or on the repetition of a focus word which is linked to a phase of breathing. This
method is frequently used in the Mind/Body Medical Clinics at the Harvard Medical School
in the USA. Meditation and yoga can also be very effective, while religious practice can
bring about a sense of inner calm.
Being truly relaxed and blunting the impact stressful situations have on us is truly the
best way to deal with stress, because the key to being immune to stress is in our own
hands.
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