relaxation

relaxation is that blissful state of being at peace with oneself and with the world. As Robert Browning put it about a hundred years ago, ‘God's in his heaven/All's right with the world’. It is the consequence of an untroubled mind in a relaxed body — a body free from undue tension. It is something that we are all born knowing how to do, or rather to be — since relaxation is more a state of being, than an activity, although sometimes it becomes a skill that we have to relearn.

Relaxation creates measurable changes in the body, such as a reduction in oxygen consumption, heart and respiratory rate, blood pressure, blood cortisol levels, and muscle tension, and an increase in the production in the brain of serotonin which leads to feelings of calmness and well-being. There is also a noticeable change in the pattern of our brain waves (electroencephalogram) when we are deeply relaxed. Very deep relaxation and meditation produce a pattern that combines the so-called alpha and theta rhythms, indicating a state of harmony. The collection of bodily changes that accompany relaxation is sometimes referred to as ‘the relaxation response’.

The body and mind — or body/mind, since they are so intricately interconnected — is designed to cope with periods of effort interspersed with periods of rest and relaxation. Unless we allow the body/mind these respites, we become irritated, unhappy, stressed, and vulnerable to disease. Most of us instinctively know how to achieve relaxation, whether it is through leisure activities — taking walks, dancing, playing sports or games, knitting, reading, listening to music, watching television, having a drink, spending time with friends, laughing, making love — or simply doing nothing. Some forms of relaxation involve virtually no effort, other forms require effort as a means to achieve relaxation. Methods of relaxation that address both the physical and mental sides tend to be most effective. Exercise often works in this way. It gets us ‘out of our heads’ and into a greater awareness of our bodies. Thus, it distracts us from our worries. It also gives us a sense of accomplishment and ‘satisfied tiredness’, which may be related to the exercise-induced production of endorphins — the body's own morphine-like substances. Happy, healthy people tend to know what relaxes them and take time for it.

Problems arise when we fail to see relaxation as being important and continually prioritize getting through our ‘to do’ list. We get lost in the endless cycle of ‘doing’. It became something of a feature of late-twentieth-century life to see constant busyness as the norm; to make oneself available for round-the-clock demands by means of mobile phones, laptop computers, faxes, and e-mails. The pace of modern life has speeded up to such an extent that we often feel that we simply cannot afford the time to relax because we have to run so hard to keep up.

Chronic stress can lead to significant physical and mental health problems — so a habitual stressed state requires serious attention. Firstly, we need to become aware that there may be a problem. Secondly, spending more time relaxing is half the battle. Nevertheless, we may feel dissatisfied with our usual repertoire and in need of new and more effective methods of relaxation.

Ancient Asian methods tend to be at the basis of most of what has been more recently learned about relaxation. Yoga and meditation are the most well–known methods. Starting to practise them may turn into a life-changing experience. Other relaxation methods, like ‘cue-controlled relaxation’ or ‘progressive relaxation’, have also blown over from the East. In essence, these Western adaptations have in common a way of regulating and slowing down the breathing, relaxing the muscles, and reducing mental activity. Progressive relaxation and cue-controlled relaxation differ in that the first requires the tensing of muscles before relaxing them, while the second addresses release of muscle tension directly: this may be preferred by a person who is already aware of how it feels to be tense.

The instructions are these (adapted by de Vries from Benson, 1975):1. Sit down in a relaxed position and close your eyes. Make sure your position in the chair allows you to relax as many of your muscles as possible. Become aware of where you need tension for your posture.2. Concentrate on your breathing, and slow it down. Breathe through your nose, making your exhalation longer. You will notice a little tension associated with inhalation. Concentrate on making exhalation feel pleasurable.3. Pay attention to your position, and feel each part of you being supported by the chair so that you can relax your muscles further. Adjust your position if you wish to.4. Begin searching your body for any signs of tension. Start at your feet and work your way up. If you find any tension, focus your attention on it, and, as you exhale, relax it away. Once you have reached your shoulders, work your way down your arms first and then finish with the neck and head. Pay extra attention to areas you know you find difficult to relax. Shoulders, neck, hands, and jaw are examples. Hands can be made to relax by ‘instructing them’ to feel ‘soft’.5. Keep breathing slowly through your nose, and begin to think or say the word ‘one’ to yourself. You don't need to produce sound as long as you make sure that you move your lips to say ‘one’. Keep doing this for 5 to 10 minutes. If you get distracted, don't worry about it, simply go back to saying the word and continue repeating it. Because of its neutral content the word ‘one’ helps to take attention away from worrying thoughts.6. When you are ready to end your relaxation training session, open your eyes and sit up slowly. Take one or two more deep, slow breaths. Notice that you are both relaxed and alert. This is one of the main reasons why you will want to practise relaxing, for example, just prior to beginning any performance before an audience.

This exercise can be used in many different circumstances. A comfortable chair is not even needed. In the beginning it may take about a quarter of an hour. After regular practice it may take only a couple of minutes to bring about the desired effect. Eventually, just sitting down and closing the eyes may automatically trigger the relaxation response. This makes it an excellent technique to use in preparation for exciting or stressful activities like hosting a party, making a speech, doing an exam, or going for an interview.

Relaxation is necessary for our health and sense of well-being. If we've forgotten how to do it, an exercise like cue-controlled relaxation may help — but essentially relaxation comes from a balanced lifestyle as reflected in this old Irish Prayer.

Take time to work
It is the price of success.
Take time to meditate
It is the source of power.
Take time to play
It is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read
It is the way to knowledge.
Take time to be friendly
It is the road to happiness.
Take time to laugh
It is the music of the soul;
And take time to love and be loved.

Áine Kennedy, and Jan M. A. de Vries

Bibliography

Ban Breathnach, S. (1995). Simple abundance. Bantam Books, London.
Benson, K. (1975, 1976). The relaxation response. Morrow Books, New York.
Davis, M.,, Robbins Eshelman, E.,, and and McKay, M. (1995). The relaxation and stress reduction workbook. New Harbinger, Oakland, CA.
Gerzon, R. (1998). Finding serenity in the Age of Anxiety. Simon and Schuster, London.
Kirsta, A. (1986). The book of stress survival. Allen and Unwin, London.

See also breathing; electroencephalogram; exercise; leisure; meditation; mind–body interaction; serotonin; stress; yoga.