Restful Beauty: Relaxation Resources

Stress has been proven to be harmful, & stress free people live longer lives, look younger, feel healthier, and live happier. Luckily for those who cannot be free of stress there’s a number of methods to relieve stress, and relax both the body and mind.

• Be Well – The Importance of Relaxation.
• Stress Relief – Relaxation Techniques.
• Health SMART – Stress reducing techniques.
• Psychological Stress – The implications of stress on mental health.
• Stress Management – Why it’s important to relax.

Meditation

Meditation is usually done by a person for themselves, without external sources leading in the process. The goal is to induce a state of calm, free from external concerns. This can be practiced for minutes or hours. There are a variety of methods, and few requirements beyond entering into a state of tranquility.

• Meditation – Helping young adults cope with stress.
• Managing Stress through Meditation – A Guide for students.
• Meditation Reduces Stress – An overview from Harvard Health Publications
• Anxiety Disorders & Medication – Measuring the Effectiveness of Meditation
• Dealing with Stress – Meditation Techniques

Breathing

Breathing to achieve relaxation is a very common way to relieve stress. Controlling breathing helps to reduce the body’s automatic anxiety responses, by reducing one’s heart rate. There are many types of breathing techniques that may be used. All that is required when using breathing to control stress, or even pain, is consistent control over one’s breathing.

• Breathing Exercises – An overview from Holy Cross College
• Stress Management & Reduction – Using Breathing to Reduce Stress.
• Common Breathing Techniques – Breathing techniques that reduce stress.
• Stress & Lifestyle Changes – Using breathing to control stress.
• The Science of Breathing – How breathing affects stress.

Autogenic Relaxation

Autogenic Relaxation was invented by Johannes Heinrich Schultz, in 1932. The basic technique involves practicing 3 times daily relaxing for 10-15 minutes in one of several recommended postures. This enables practitioners to train their body’s autonomic nervous system to enter a state of relaxation when they sit in these positions. With practice individuals can then enter a relaxed state when they feel oncoming stress.

• Relaxation Exercises (PDF) – Using autogenic relaxation to relieve stress.
• Stress Headaches – The effectiveness of autogenic relaxation on headaches.
• A Directory of Relaxation Techniques – Includes information about autogenic relaxation.
• Autogenics Exercises – Ways to practice Autogenic Relaxation.
• What is Stress – Discusses how Autogenic Relaxation affects stress.

Yoga

Yoga is a relaxation technique involving both physical and mental training, and sometimes also spiritual techniques. Buddhism & Hinduism are two spiritualities that encourage the use of yoga. Yoga originated as far back as 3300 BCE. Today yoga techniques are practiced all over the world for either spiritual, or relaxation purposes.

• Yoga for Health – An Introduction to using Yoga to relieve stress.
• What is Yoga – Describes what yoga is and what it isn’t.
• The History of Yoga – Looks at the history of yoga, and several yoga positions.
• Yoga & Relaxation – How Yoga can mute the effects of stress.
• Stress Management With Yoga – 7 ways to reduce stress with yoga.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Another way of reducing stress or anxiety is the use of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, or PMR. PMR was invented by Dr. Edmund Jacobsen. The theory behind PMR is that muscle tension is a common symptom of stress and it is thought that by removing muscle tension stress and anxiety can be reduced. Basically the practice involves tensing and relaxing muscles in groups for 10 to 20 seconds at a time.

• Social Anxiety – Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation – A basic PMR exercise.
• PMR Exercise – Another good Progressive Muscle Relaxation exercise.
• Energy Management – Using PMR to reduce stress.
• Managing Behavioral Disturbances – Treating Alzheimer’s with PMR.

Visualization

There are many different types of visualization, and techniques for accomplishing visualization. For purposes of relaxation typically the practitioner closes their eyes, and pictures a relaxing place, often concentrating on details of the place. This can be done with or without outside influences like music, or a narrator. Many of those who use visualization employ a CD, or attend a group where a narrator helps them to visual relating settings.

• Stress Management – Using visualization to relieve stress.
• Visualization Techniques – Relaxation exercises with visualization.
• Guided Imagery – A visualization technique.
• Visualization – A group visualization exercise.
• Sports Psychology – Using visualization to improve sports performance.

Massage

Massage is a very popular way to relieve stress. Massage, like PMR, seeks to relieve stressed muscles. Unlike PMR, where one attempts to relax muscles themselves through practice, massage involves a trained massage therapist who knows which muscles are where, and how to relax them. Massage therapists also know how to determine which muscles are suffering from tension. Massage may also incorporate scented candles and music to create a relaxing mood.

• Massage – Using massages to relieve stress.
• Taking Charge of Your Health – How massage relieves stress.
• Stress & Massage – The role of massage in stress management.
• Tension Headaches – Using massages to relieve stress headaches.
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – Using massage as a treatment for PTSD.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi, also called Tai Chi Chuan, is a martial art from the 1500s. There are numerous techniques of Tai Chi. Although it is used as a form of martial art there are a lot of reasons it is good for relaxation. Tai Chi movements and techniques focus on control, and relaxing muscles, rather than tensing them to perform attacks. Techniques are also very slow, and do not raise the heart rate.

• Tai Chi History – How Tai Chi came to be.
• Tai Chi & Stress – The health benefits of Tai Chi
• Depression & Tai Chi – Tai Chi is effective at reducing stress.
• How to Do Tai Chi – Instructions for beginners.
• What is Tai Chi? – Information about Tai Chi and how it reduces stress.

Exercise

Exercising generally raises the heart rate, and so it may seem counter intuitive that it can be used for relaxation. In fact exercising can be very useful in relieving stress. When one exercises they can focus on the activity, and ignore the outside world. This is especially true when one listens to music, or does something else to block out exterior influences. Further while exercising endorphins are released which can cause the brain to relax.

• Exercise & Mental Health – How physical exercise affects stress.
• Stress Relief – Using physical activity to reduce stress.
• Stress Management Techniques – Using exercise as a stress management tool
• Tips for Managing Stress – Examines how exercise can help manage stress.
• Sport Science – How physical education relieves stress.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis involves a hypnotist giving suggestions, or commands to an individual or group. While there are types of hypnosis that do not necessitate relaxation, most hypnosis does place those being hypnotized into a relaxed physical and mental state. Hypno therapy is used wildly in sports, and the military, as well as by individuals seeking to relieve stress.

• What is Hypnosis – A look at the science of hypnosis.
• How Hypnotherpy Works – A look at hypnosis and hypnotherapy.
• Consciousness & Hypnosis – A look at whether hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness.
• Hypnosis & Stress – How reducing stress through hypnosis improves the immune system.
• Stress Management & Hypnosis – Using hypnosis to manage stress.

General Resources

Avoiding stress, and managing stress are critical to leading a successful and happy life. In fact most psychological disorders are caused in some part by stress, and stress analysis is used in diagnosis many mental problems. While these resources describe many ways to relax there are far more. The following are further resources on relaxation, why it is necessary, and how to accomplish it.

• Work Related Stress – How to manage stress in the work place.
• Managing Stress – Identifying and managing stress.
• Stress Management Resources – Guides, and publications dealing with stress management.
• Be Well, to Do Well – Coping with stress.
• Stress Web Resources – A Directory from the CDC.