2023-07-28 11:15:34
The medical community today realizes that getting a daily amount of mental and physical “relaxation” is very important from a health point of view. For all healthy people, the importance of relaxation is no less important than the practice of other healthy behaviors in the lifestyle of daily life. As for all patients, medical sources believe that their need for relaxation is more and more important.
Despite all this, the practice of physical and mental relaxation remains below the level required by the general public, and patients in particular.
Despite the differences in the definition of “relaxation,” the simplest one is “redirecting attention to something that causes calmness and increased awareness of what is going on and going through the body.”
In addition to the role of relaxation in improving digestion, it has a role in reducing the activity of stress hormones, increasing blood flow to the main muscles, reducing muscle tension and chronic pain, improving focus and mood, improving sleep quality, reducing feelings of fatigue, and reducing feelings of anger and frustration. And boosting the confidence needed to tackle problems, as confirmed by doctors at the Mayo Clinic.
The benefits of relaxation
Here are 5 other important health benefits of relaxation
1. Slowing down the heart rate. One of the main facts in medical science is that the heart is closely related to the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The heart is affected either negatively or positively by increasing the activity and control of either of them in the body and the brain. Therefore, the heart “beats” strongly in the event of emotional attraction, fear, or motivation to confront.
On the other hand, the heart is relieved by moments of calm, tranquility and happiness.
Relaxation is one of the most powerful “natural medicines” to lower your heart rate. To clarify, stress and emotional and physical stress lead to a response to increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for activating your body’s functions in dangerous situations. The fight-or-flight response sends stress hormones, called catecholamines (including adrenaline), to speed up your heart. But when the parasympathetic system takes over the brain and body, relaxation occurs that lets your body know that it’s okay to save energy, and that there is no need for this physical and psychological stimulation. Among other things it does, it releases a hormone called acetylcholine and this slows down your heart rate.
2. Lowering blood pressure. When the question was asked: “Stress and high blood pressure: what is the link?” Mayo Clinic doctors answered by saying: “Feeling stressed can cause a sudden increase in blood pressure for a short period. In the case of people with high blood pressure, physical activities that help control stress and improve health can contribute to lowering blood pressure. They added, explaining: “The body goes through a hormonal impulse when stressed. These hormones cause a temporary rise in blood pressure by causing the heart to beat faster and blood vessels to narrow. It is true that the effect of stress per se on chronic long-term high blood pressure has not yet been proven. But unhealthy reactions to stress can lead to high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. And they continued: «Temporary elevations in blood pressure (during episodes of stress) can lead to heart attacks or strokes. It can also lead to damage to blood vessels, heart and kidneys over time similar to long-term high blood pressure. And the hormones secreted by the body when exposed to emotional stress may cause damage to the arteries, and this results in heart disease.
respiratory and immune systems
3. Slow down your breathing rate. When one of them receives while he is in a state of panic or severe psychological agitation, one of the simplest tips, and the most feasible and useful and with a quick effect, is to say to him, “Take a deep breath.” Stress makes breathing faster, and this leads to lower levels of carbon dioxide in the blood, which can make a person feel dizzy and weak.
Conversely, relaxation slows the rate of breathing, and vice versa. That is, slow breathing helps to reach a state of relaxation. The intended slow breathing is about 6 breaths per minute. (Normal is between 12 to 20 breaths per minute if not relaxed). To clarify, slow, deep breathing has a direct effect on brain activity via the vagus nerve, which follows a path from the brain to the abdomen, and activates the relaxation response, which calms the person. This is why you can use slowed breathing to restore a sense of calm, slow your heartbeat, and stabilize your blood pressure when you’re feeling anxious, angry, or stressed in a difficult situation. By practicing slow breathing, one can train their brain to deal better with stress and avoid its worst effects.
In their study titled “The Physiological Effects of Slow Breathing on a Healthy Person,” the December 2017 issue of Breathe magazine, Australian researchers reported: “Scientific investigations into the physiological effects of slow breathing revealed significant effects on the respiratory, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. and the autonomic nervous system. There appears to be potential for using slow breathing techniques as a way to improve physiological parameters that appear to be associated with health and longevity, which may extend to improving disease conditions.
4. Activate the immune system. Long-term stress makes it more difficult for the body to fight infection, which is also one of the main facts of medicine. On the other hand, relaxation can help the immune system to recover, revitalize, and work at maximum efficiency. In particular, this can be achieved with the help of techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation. That is, tensing and then slowly relaxing each muscle group, one after the other. The reason why constant stress makes us vulnerable to disease is that the brain sends defensive signals to the endocrine system, which then releases a host of hormones that not only make us prepared for emergencies, but also severely weaken our immunity at the same time. Perhaps it is not an exaggeration that some medical experts have claimed that stress is responsible for about 90 percent of all diseases. The way this is done is by triggering chemical reactions and flooding the body with cortisol, which, among other things it causes, weakens microbial resistance and activates perturbations of inflammatory processes.
Blood sugar
5. Control blood sugar. Mayo Clinic medical experts say: “Relaxation techniques may not be a priority in your life. But that means you may be missing out on the health benefits of relaxation. Which includes controlling blood sugar levels.
Researchers from the Kapodistrian National University in Athens, Greece, presented their study entitled “Relaxation training led to a significant decrease in blood glucose levels in diabetic patients” (Hormones magazine, June 2020 issue).
Medical researchers have passed the stage of demonstrating the role of relaxation and relieving physical and psychological stress on controlling blood sugar levels. They have even progressed in researching the feasibility of relaxation and other behaviors that have positive effects on the mind, soul and body, in improving the chances of recovery from complications of diabetes.
For example, in the July 13, 2022 issue of the journal Int J Environ Res Public Health, researchers from the Universities of Minho and Coimbra in Portugal report that they are currently conducting their own study evaluating the effects of relaxation and stress reduction in patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). . The researchers said: “Diabetic foot ulcers are the leading cause of lower extremity amputations, with a significant impact on patients, families and society. Our study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a muscle relaxation intervention on healing these conditions.”
How do you learn relaxation techniques?
There are what is known as “positive coping methods”, including: positive thinking, searching for the humorous side, problem solving, time management and prioritization, exercising regularly, following a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and spending time in open spaces. and connect with supportive family and friends.
However, it is worth distinguishing between “positive coping techniques” and “relaxation techniques”. “The relaxation response is the opposite of the stress response,” explains Julie Corliss, executive editor of the Harvard Heart Health Letter. It is a state of deep rest that can be elicited in many ways. With regular practice, you can create a well of calm to sink into whenever the need arises.”
And to answer the question: How can I relax? The American Heart Association put forward three practices, saying:
Try deep breathing. Take a long, deep breath in, count to 10, and then release it slowly. Repeat five times and you will feel more comfortable.
Allow yourself 20 minutes a day to de-stress in this way: close your eyes, relax your muscles, and think of one word, like “quiet.” Repeat it until you reach a state of relaxation.
Listen to calm music.
Health experts from the Mayo Clinic summarize three types of relaxation techniques, namely:
* Automatic relaxation: The fact that this type is automatic means that it comes from within you. In this relaxation technique, the person uses visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress. And they suggest how to do this by saying: «Repeat in your mind some words or suggestions that can help you relax and relieve muscle tension. For example, you can imagine a place where you feel reassured. Then, you can focus on calming your breath, slowing your heart rate, or feeling different physical sensations, such as relaxing each arm or leg one by one.”
* Progressive muscle relaxation: In this relaxation technique, the person focuses on tensing and then slowly relaxing each muscle group. This technique can help you focus on the difference in feeling between tense and relaxed muscles. You can then become more aware of your sensations and physical changes. They offer how to do this, saying: “In one of the progressive muscle relaxation techniques, you start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in the toes and then gradually work their way up to the neck and head. The most appropriate place to practice this kind is a quiet area free of distracting matters. It can also start from the head and neck down to the toes. Start by tensing the muscles for five seconds, then relaxing them for 30 seconds and repeating the process.
Visualization: In this relaxation technique, you create mental images of a visual journey to a peaceful and calm place or environment. They offer a way to do this, saying: “To relax using visualization, try to combine as many senses as possible; Such as smell, sight, sound and touch. If you imagine relaxing in the ocean, think of the smell of salty water, the sound of crashing waves, and the warmth of the sun’s rays on your body.
They add, “Other relaxation techniques can include deep breathing, massage, meditation, yoga, art and music therapy, aromatherapy, and water therapy.”
An important point to note is that relaxation is a skill that can be learned. The ability to relax will improve with practice. So one should not rush oneself. The most important thing is not to make attempts to practice relaxation an added reason for psychological or physical stress.
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