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LEARNING TO RELAX

By DR JAYACHANDRAN THAMPI on September 17, 2014

We seem quite used to taking on stress and other habits which are bad for our health, but we haven’t learnt how to relax properly to rejuvenate our bodies. Here are some tips to get you started...

One of the growing healthcare concerns these days is rising stress levels and subsequent increased incidence of heart diseases. Not a day goes by without some media or the other reporting that a rising number of people are falling prey to heart diseases or that people are becoming victims of stress-related disorders at a younger age. Are we really facing more stress today than the people did even a few years ago?

The best way to beat stress is to relax and herein lines the problem as many people do not even know what relaxation is! When asked, they might describe how they relax, but very often they don’t know what it actually means. Relax means to Re – Lax, where Lax means to loosen up (physically, mentally, emotionally, etc). Experiencing this loosening up is ‘relaxation’. So whatever methods or actions we indulge in must loosen up the system – create a change in the system. The ways to experience this loosened up state is what leads to relaxation.

Let us say, we want to relax our body and mind. Trying to sleep may not help, as it may not loosen up sore muscles. We must actively let the muscles work (change their tone, which is what muscles require for relaxation as muscles don’t ‘sleep’) by exercises or massages. This, followed by a warm water shower or hot water bags allow the right conditions for muscles to change their tone and loosen up. This loosening up, which we experience later is what actual relaxation is.

Read the full article in 'Viva Goa' magazine copy.
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