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Do you need to relax? Are you feeling anxious? Well put up your feet and read this, that's it, take it easy and relax!
The feeling of anxiety is a natural healthy response to any stressful situation. If your computer started smoking now you'd feel pretty stressed, so stressed in fact that you would probably respond by removing yourself from any danger. This is the fight or flight response the act to preserve oneself.
Anxiety is experienced as a physical problem despite being an emotion. It can manifest as headaches, indigestion, insomnia, palpitations, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive sweating, and many other ways.
Long term exposure to anxiety can lead ultimately to long term health complications. It is amazing how some folks can cope with a lot of pressure where others appear to crumble at the slightest problem.
So what is anxiety? Anxiety is....
Learning to relax can alleviate pressure and stress. So, I want you to relax right now. You heard me, relax, go on it's easy, relax I say! Okay, maybe it's not so easy to do.
Why is it so difficult to relax? Basically we are not taught to. You may say that it is easy to relax whilst watching the TV. This may involve changing position frequently due to seating that is bad for your posture. You can fidget or twitch nervously, depending on what you are watching. You might be thinking of all those jobs you have to do.
Relaxing is easy to do when you know how. It is a skill you have to learn. The natural order of living would be for us to work on our minds and bodies and then for us to rest, exactly like animals do. Animals do not have any qualms about relaxing following exertion. In our modern structured lifestyles our schedules do not allow us time for relaxation.
Relaxation methods are various, from communication, humour, simple touch, massage/warmth, yoga, meditation, deep breathing. It can be described as a state of freedom from excessive anxiety and skeletal muscle tension.
Before commencing any relaxation technique, you should consider the environment in which you want to do it!
Helpful suggestions:-
Simply, relaxation can be a quick exercise, allowing a few minutes a day for your body to quieten down. Unfortunately this does not deal with the feelings of anxiety that will remain in many minds. For these people, the use of mental imagery can be very helpful. This can be done as an individual, or allowing a therapist to set the scene!
Breathing exercises are the ideal quick way to deal with stress immediately. When you next feel tense, focus on your breathing - is it rapid and shallow? Most people think a deep breath in will relax them. No, it won't! This will make you hyperventilate! In fact it is the out-breath that helps control the relaxation process. As you breath out slowly and gently, the tension will ease away. So, why relax? Here's why...
What are you waiting for! - Relax!
