Why relaxation can benefit your physical and mental health

In the modern age, it can be hard to find time to unwind. The ability to unwind is one of the best health skills that you could learn. Relaxation is an important skill in ensuring that your nervous system comes out of the fight-or-flight response and allows your body to rejuvenate.

Regular relaxation will assist with keeping your blood pressure at healthy levels, healthy sleeping patterns, improved concentration, decreased muscle tension and increased resilience. If you have chronic pain, stress, tension, burnout and/or sleeping issues, relaxation will be an integral part of your wellbeing routine. At PainBegone, we understand the importance of relaxation, and we can tailor-make specific relaxation techniques to reduce your pain and bring your life back into balance.

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Whilst technology can help us become more efficient, it can also make it harder to relax. We are constantly distracted by our phones, social media and our need to be ‘on-call’. We can often find ourselves in a constant state of mild alertness.

This can cause our bodies to go into ‘fight or flight’ mode. Whilst this is useful, as it can help increase our focus and energy and help us deal with situations in short bursts. In case of being constantly under stress, the symptoms can include high blood pressure, digestive problems, headaches, muscle tension, anxiety, depressed mood, and insomnia. It is known that chronic stress leads to the development of certain medical conditions, including cardiovascular disorders, digestive problems and a weak immune system.

Even though you do not think that you are stressed, having a hectic routine connected with the use of technology can give you some physical indications of it. One of them is the tension in your neck after spending too much time sitting in front of the computer. In addition, you may have problems with breathing deeply during consecutive phone calls, sleeping, and becoming a bit irritable.

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When you relax, you are entering into what is known as the relaxation response. This helps your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and stress hormones (such as cortisol) to lower. It will also cause your parasympathetic nervous system to become more active. This is known as your ‘rest and digest’ state.

Your body does not want to be in ‘rest and digest’ mode whilst also being in ‘fight or flight’ mode. When you intentionally relax, your body knows it can begin to heal, regulate and reset. This will help muscles to loosen, breathing to become deeper, digestion to become more efficient, and your mind to take a break.

Relaxation isn’t always about watching TV or scrolling through videos. Although this may assist in having a break, if you are viewing an interesting or emotional film, this is not going to be helpful for the relaxation of your nervous system. Relaxation often means that one breathes deeply and slowly, and also relaxes one’s muscles. In addition, one focuses their attention on something. Some of the relaxation methods include deep breathing, mindfulness, visualisation, and others.

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Another one of the advantages that comes along with relaxing is the fact that it helps to reduce tension within the body. The body becomes tight in the shoulders when stressed, with the mouth clenching and breathing becoming shallow. This results in pain in the neck and back, headaches, and exhaustion. You will be able to loosen up your muscles, improve circulation and reduce stress through relaxation techniques.

There are several benefits of deep breathing. Research indicates that deep breathing using the diaphragm lowers blood pressure in a person and reduces the level of cortisol, which is the primary hormone responsible for causing stress in your body. Progressive muscle relaxation also helps to relieve stress and can help some of those who suffer from anxiety and depression.

Some people find it difficult to sleep because their mind is always racing. Relaxation will serve as an indication to the body that it is time to relax. Mindfulness helps to improve sleep.

Relaxing can be a great way to help manage chronic pain. Pain can cause you to become stressed, which can cause more pain. By relaxing, you may reduce the tension in your muscles, stop spasms and reduce stress. It may also cause the release of chemicals which make you feel comfortable.

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Relaxation practice will benefit your mind. With your nervous system on high alert all the time, you will have difficulties concentrating, making decisions, controlling your emotions and thinking. You will see that you will easily get frustrated, have difficulty concentrating on vital tasks and feel tired.

With relaxation practices, you will gain an extra layer between the stressor and the response. You will start having the time to breathe and think about the response. This will bring a feeling of control; this is why relaxation is always connected with mood improvement, better concentration, confidence and resilience.

Mindfulness is extremely useful when using technology. It will help you become more aware of what is happening around you in the present. For example focussing on your breathing during a busy meeting, becoming aware of tension in your shoulders when working or simply just becoming aware of any negative thoughts. There is evidence to suggest that mindfulness meditation can help reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression and improve sleep.

Relaxation can also help with creativity and productivity. A relaxed mind will work better and will be able to identify patterns and move between tasks. High achievers can see taking breaks as a useful tool to help their brains recharge.

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Sometimes those with ambitious goals can struggle to relax. As a society, we believe that the more you work, the more progress you’ll make. However, often the opposite is true. If you don’t take time to recharge, your performance will decline. You will become more stressed, unable to focus, struggle to sleep and find it harder to stay motivated.

Relaxation doesn’t mean laziness. Rather, it means that you have adequate levels of energy, concentration, and physical well-being to meet up with your obligations. Just as the athlete needs to relax to stay safe and increase his performance level, so does the knowledge worker.

At PainBegone, we offer holistic support. We can provide you with techniques to help you recharge your mind and body. We offer Qi Gong-inspired relaxation techniques, natural health coaching, energy-balanced healing and sound and vibration healing wellness. We can help you create sustainable habits.

If you suffer from chronic tension, pain, or stress, having expert support can help remove the guesswork. We focus on creating personal techniques to help you with clear action plans and sustainable habits.

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You don’t need to go away or invest in expensive equipment to gain the benefits of relaxation. The best way to relax is to keep it simple.

Take 5 deep breaths. Before getting started on your laptop, take 5 deep breaths. Breathe in such that your stomach expands and breathe out such that your stomach contracts. Throughout the day, take such opportunities and remind yourself to take 5 deep breaths. Do this before taking calls, after sending complicated emails or finishing off a task. You can even try box breathing, which would help you calm down. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds and hold again for 4 seconds.

Do not take your mobile during your meal. Try not to carry your mobile in your room and take out some time from your work till you sleep. A simple 10 minutes stroll without any music or any other distraction would definitely help you feel better.

Do a body scan just before sleeping. Relax in a lying position and shut your eyes. Gradually direct your attention from your feet up to your head. Don’t attempt to relax any part of your body, but pay attention to the tense parts of your body. You will thus manage to connect with your body and release your body’s tension.

If you cannot relax because of your pain, tension or stress, consulting a practitioner is what you need. PainBegone offers you techniques that will be useful for those who seek consistency and clarity.

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This is because doing it all the time will ensure you get lasting effects. Even though breathing twice will relieve you instantly, doing it all the time will train your body on how to recharge properly. It is advisable that you relax your body one or two times each day. This can be done concurrently with any other thing, such as having coffee in the morning.

Do things that you like. While some people feel comfortable doing meditations, other ones are able to relax thanks to physical exercises, spending time outdoors, listening to music, stretching or anything else they want. The method doesn’t matter. The only important thing here is that you breathe more slowly and become relaxed physically and mentally.

Be kind to yourself. Relaxation is a skill and not a personality trait. Some days your mind may wander; you may be busy and feel more stressed. This doesn’t mean it isn’t working. Every time you bring your attention back to your breathing, body or the present, you are improving your self-regulation.

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Relaxation is not an escape from a busy life but rather a method that can be employed to guarantee you a healthy life. The techniques for relaxation consist of stress reduction, muscle relaxation, promotion of sleep, concentration and development of emotional strength. Through the practice of relaxation techniques, you will be able to maintain your physical and mental health. Relaxation is one of the wisest actions that you could take in the age of technology.

A few deep breaths, mindful walking and a quick scan of your body before going to bed are just a few things you can do. For personal assistance with pain management, stress relief, energy and balance, PainBegone can assist with holistic wellness.