Relaxing Is Good For Your Dynamic Lifestyle

The Science Says So

By Ange Fonce


It is a piece of advice that yogis have given for thousands of years... 

Take a deep breath and relax and watch the tension melt from your muscles and all your niggling worries vanish and the hard science proves it.

What happens in long term practitioners of relaxation methods such as yoga and meditation is far more disease fighting genes are active... compared to those who practiced no form of relaxation at all and live a lifestyle of constant stress and anxiety.

In particular genes that protect from disorders such as pain... infertility... high blood pressure and even rheumatoid arthritis are switched on and these changes are induced by what is called the relaxation effect which can be just as powerful as any medical drug without the side effects.

It has been found that a range of disease fighting genes are active in relaxation practitioners that are not so active in people who do not relax or are constantly "stressed out and the good news is for those who do not relax and are constantly stressed with less healthy genes is that the research has showed just how responsive genes are to behaviour... mood and environment and revealed that genes can switch on just as easily as they switch off.

When you start practicing relaxation methods every day... after about two months your body began to change... the genes that help fight inflammation and kill diseased cells and protect the body from cancer all began to switch on and more encouraging still is the benefits of the relaxation effect were found to increase with regular practice... the more people practiced relaxation methods such as meditation or deep breathing... the greater their opportunities of remaining free of arthritis and joint pain with stronger immunity... healthier hormone levels and lower blood pressure.

I have known for some time due to the nature of my work... Personal Development Consulting how a persons state of mind affects the body on a physical and genetic level and how relaxation can have such wide ranging and powerful effects both mentally and physically. 

Research around the world has described the destructive effects of stress on the body and linked to the release of the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol raises the heart rate and blood pressure... weakens immunity and lowers fertility and changes the chemistry in the brain that can cause depression... anxiety and even more stress which then becomes a negative feed back loop of a self destructive mental cycle.

By contrast the state of relaxation is linked to higher levels of feel good chemicals such as serotonin and to the growth hormone which repairs cells and tissue and indeed studies show that relaxation has virtually the opposite effect... lowering heart rate... boosting immunity and enabling the body to thrive and in the brain creates a positive feed back cycle of happiness and healthy esteem and confidence.  

On a biological level stress is linked to fight flight and danger and in survival mode our heart rate rises and blood pressure shoots up... meanwhile muscles preparing for danger contract and tighten and non essential functions such as immunity and digestion go by the wayside and this is not at all good for your mental or physical health to be a constantly "stressed state" all the time.

Relaxation on the other hand is a state of rest... enjoyment and physical renewal that is free of danger... muscles can relax and food can be digested... the heart can slow and blood circulation flows freely to the bodies tissues feeding it with nutrients and oxygen... this restful state is good for fertility as the body is able to conserve the resources it needs to generate new life.

While relaxation techniques can be very different their biological effects are essentially similar because you relax the parasympathetic nervous system switches on and that is linked to better digestion... memory and immunity among other things... so as long as you relax deeply you will reap a variety of rewards and deep relaxation is not the sort of switching off you do relaxing with a cup of tea or lounging on the sofa... what you are looking for is a state of deep relaxation where tension is released from the body on a physical level and your mind completely switches off. 

The effect will not be achieved by lounging round in an everyday way nor can you force yourself to relax... you can only really achieve it by learning a specific technique such as self hypnosis... guided imagery or meditation.

The relaxation effect may not be as pronounced on everyone... some people are more susceptible to relaxation methods than others... through relaxation some people experience a little improvement others a lot and there are those whose lives turn around totally.




The Health Benefits Of Deep Relaxation


The next time you tune out switch off and let yourself melt... remind yourself of all the good work the relaxation effect is doing on your body. 

These are just some of the scientifically proven benefits...

Immunity...

Relaxation appears to boost immunity in recovering cancer patients. 

One study at Ohio State University in the US found that progressive muscular relaxation when practiced daily reduced the risk of breast cancer recurrence... in another study at Ohio State a month of relaxation exercises boosted natural killer cells in elderly people giving them more resistance to tumours and viruses.

Fertility...

A study at the University of Western Australia found that women are more likely to conceive at periods when they are relaxed rather than stressed. 

Another study at Trakya University Turkey found that stress reduces sperm count and motility a finding that implies that relaxation may boost fertility in men too.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome...

When patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome practiced a relaxation meditation twice daily symptoms such as bloating... belching... diarrhoea and constipation improved significantly. 

The method was so effective that the researchers at the State University of New York at Albany recommended it as an effective IBS treatment.

Blood Pressure...

A study at Harvard Medical School found meditation lowered blood pressure by making the body less responsive to stress hormones in a similar way to blood pressure lowering medication. 

Meanwhile, a report in the British Medical Journal found that patients trained to relax had significantly lower blood pressure.

Inflammation...

Stress leads to inflammation a state linked to heart disease... arthritis... asthma as well as skin conditions such as psoriasis say researchers at Emory University in the US. 

Relaxation can play a role in preventing and treating such symptoms by switching off the stress response. 

In this way one study at McGill University in Canada found meditation clinically improved symptoms of psoriasis.





How To Relax Deeply


So how can you access relaxations healing powers? 

Harvard researchers found that yoga... meditation and even repetitive prayer and mantras all induced the relaxation effect... the more regularly these techniques are practiced the more deeply rooted the benefits will be... have a go at one or more of the following for 15 minutes once or twice a day.

Body Scan...

Starting with your head and working down to your arms and feet notice how you feel in your body. 

Taking in your head and neck simply notice if you feel tense... relaxed and calm or anxious. 

See how much you can spread any sensations of softness and relaxation to areas of your body that feel tense. 

Once your reach your feet work back up your body.

Breath Focus...

Sitting comfortably become aware of your breath following the sensation of inhaling from your nose down to your abdomen and out again. 

As you follow your breath notice your whole body and let tension go with each exhalation. 

Whenever you notice your mind wandering come back to your breath.

Mantra Repetition...

The relaxation response can be evoked by sitting quietly with eyes closed for 15 minutes twice a day and mentally repeating a simple word or sound such as 'Om" or my own favourite for training both my breath and voice....

A... E... I... O... OO... AH...

Actors use this method to train their breathing and their voices and no I am not an actor... yet I do presentations so having a trained and powerful voice that I can vairy in tonality and pitch is an asset for me to have.

Guided Imagery...

Imagine the most wonderfully relaxing light or a soothing waterfall washing away any tension or worries from your body and mind. 

Make your image as vivid as possible imagining the texture... colour and any fragrance as the image washes over or through you.





The Benefits Of Relaxation Techniques


When faced with numerous responsibilities and tasks or the demands of an illness... relaxation techniques may take a back seat in your life and that means you might miss out on the health benefits of relaxation.

Practicing relaxation techniques can reduce stress symptoms by...

Slowing your heart rate

Lowering blood pressure

Slowing your breathing rate

Increasing blood flow to major muscles

Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain

Improving concentration

Reducing anger and frustration

Boosting confidence to handle problems

To get the most benefit use relaxation techniques along with other positive coping methods such as exercising... getting enough sleep and reaching out to supportive family and friends.





Relaxation Techniques Take Practice


As you learn relaxation techniques you will become more aware of muscle tension and other physical sensations of stress. 

Once you know what the stress response feels like you can make a conscious effort to practice a relaxation technique the moment you start to feel stress symptoms... this can prevent stress from spiralling out of control... remember that relaxation techniques are skills and as with any skill your ability to relax improves with practice so be patient with yourself and do not let your effort to practice relaxation techniques become yet another form of stress... if one relaxation technique does not work for you then try another until you feel comfortable for what is best and works for you. 

If none of your efforts at stress reduction seem to work talk to your doctor or a psychologist about other options and keep in mind that some people especially those with serious psychological issues and a history of abuse may experience feelings of emotional discomfort during some relaxation techniques and although this is rare if you experience emotional discomfort during relaxation techniques stop what you are doing and consider talking to your health care professional or mental health provider.

Take care of your Dynamic Health and Fitness. 

Have you any thoughts or comments you would like to share with me on what I have written?

I would love to hear from you.

Thank you and may you enjoy a Loving... Prosperous and Dynamic day!

Yours Sincerely







Dynamic Lifer... The Tribe of Dynamic Lifers

1... A person with a penchant for Science... creativity... books... writing... communication... fitness... women... sexing... sexuality... human relationships... psychology... physiology and any other area involving heavy use of the Intellect.

2... A bright person and glamorously Intelligent!

3... Ange is an Author... Speaker and Dynamic Peak Performance Personal Development Consultant... and Humanistic Counselling Psychologist... Sexologist and Multipreneur... who works with those men and women who desire to personally develop themselves and their relationships to become Dynamic Lifers... creators of their own life... relationships and wealth! 

4... If you are Happy and you Know it... you are becoming a Dynamic Lifer!

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"Transformation happens when people fall in love with a different version of themselves and their future!"


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