“Relax,” “Take a moment for yourself,” “Try to stay calm”: phrases like these are said and heard very often, especially during the most difficult moments. The principle is that relaxation is essential to achieve and maintain a good level of well-being for the body and mind.
Furthermore, there are many techniques to induce relaxation and, in this way, counteract the negative effects of stress in everyday life: just think of autogenic training, or breathing-based exercises. Below we offer some simple tips to try to fully experience your own well-being and health.
What is relaxation and its benefits for well-being
Relaxation, which each of us interprets and experiences differently, is generally a physical and psychological state of tranquility, of absence of tension. Whether it is given by sleeping well, by a day immersed in nature or by a hot bath at home, relaxing allows you to relieve the feeling of fatigue and remove negative or painful feelings. In short, relaxation is the opposite of a condition of agitation, excitement or fear.
To better understand what relaxation consists of, it is sufficient to refer to one's own experience: when one is relaxed, one experiences a decrease in muscular tension, a sense of rest in both body and mind, and above all a profound inner calm.
It is clear that relaxation is essential for everyday life. In fact, during work and daily activities, we are faced with stressful situations that put our tranquility to the test, so much so that in some cases they can cause insomnia or other sleep disorders. Precisely for this reason, it is appropriate to take a few minutes for yourself and experiment with the best methods to induce relaxation.
Fortunately, in fact, there are techniques that act effectively on both the body and the mind. In this way, even when we experience negative situations of stress and anxiety, it will be possible to keep physical agitation and negative thoughts at bay, at least for a little while.
Despite the problems and difficulties that we find ourselves having to face and manage, if we know how to carve out a moment to enjoy a bit of tranquility we can feel better about ourselves and, therefore, also with others.
Moreover, those who are relaxed enjoy a greater psychophysical balance: everyone knows that calm and serene people do not let themselves be overcome by worries or negative emotions. But what are, then, the techniques and methods that can promote relaxation?
Relaxation techniques as a help against stress
There are, without a doubt, many different ways to relax: everyone has their own and they are all equally valid. There are those who read a book or listen to music, those who dedicate themselves to fitness, sport or a hobby after work, those who take refuge in the kitchen or in a hot bath. The important thing is to try to create a relaxing situation that allows you to recover lost energy and a state of tranquility and calm.
However, there are also techniques and practices that can be performed regularly, possibly with the guidance of teachers and specialists. These methods can help you focus on yourself, on treating stress and on finding well-being.
One of the most important techniques, in addition to autogenic training, which we will discuss later, is progressive muscle relaxation (PMR).
The idea behind it is to alternate contraction and relaxation of individual muscle groups, in the following order from bottom to top: legs, buttocks, pelvis, abdomen, arms... up to the head and forehead. After completing the exercise, in a few minutes, the entire body should feel less tense, and you should also feel a state of mental relaxation.
Another method that uses our psychology is hypnosis. For some it is useful, but we must not forget that to put it into practice it requires the presence of an expert in the field.
Some are more widespread, however types of meditation, techniques that generally refer to ancient oriental traditions.
They all have some fundamental goals in common: concentration on the present moment, inner peace, the perception of greater self-awareness and a balanced relationship with oneself and with others. Meditation can be practiced in all situations, perhaps with the help of music and ambient sounds, which can increase the relaxing effect.
Close to meditation, and equally common, are techniques such as mindfulness, yoga or tai chi, which involve more deeply many aspects of life, such as nutrition, diet or spiritual and ethical beliefs. Precisely because of their ability to involve, these methods are increasingly appreciated by many men and women around the world.
The importance of breathing
Almost all of these relaxation techniques have one thing in common: they require constant concentration on breathing. Autogenic training and RMP, but also and above all alternative practices such as meditation, consider breath control a fundamental moment in the acquisition of relaxation.
This has a very simple explanation, which we sometimes see confirmed in our daily lives. Anxiety and tension, in fact, can increase the rhythm and decrease the depth of breathing. It is a completely natural mechanism of our body, which is activated, for example, even when we start moving or have to face significant physical fatigue.
Obviously, an accelerated breathing leads us to further increase the state of agitation in which we are, especially if we do not find an immediate outlet. Many people, when they are anxious, immediately feel the rhythm of their breathing increase, and are unable to control it. This is a rather frequent phenomenon, especially in those phases of life in which tiredness and stress are felt more, such as pregnancy, or menopause.
This is why regulating your breathing is essential in cases like this: by controlling your breathing you can promote relaxation and release tension. In this way, you ensure that your body is in a state of calm and balance and you avoid the consequences triggered by everyday stressful situations.
Autogenic training
Of all the relaxation techniques, autogenic training is probably one of the best known. The term “autogenic,” meaning “self-generated,” “that occurs by itself,” indicates a form of self-induced relaxation through physical and mental exercises.
Autogenic training was invented and defined by the German Schultz in the 1930s. Schultz based his studies on previous studies, thanks to which he understood the influence of the mind on the body and vice versa. This connection is precisely at the basis of autogenic training, and makes it unique in the vast category of relaxation techniques.
It is, in a certain sense, a training to “trick” your body through concentration on certain mental images. These images, once visualized, would cause real physical modifications to occur.
An example can make it easier to understand. When we are hungry and we imagine food, we start a series of physical processes, for example salivation: in the same way, imagining, for example, a progressive muscular tension and then a relaxation, our body will react precisely by tensing and relaxing the muscles.
Autogenic training is made up of a precise sequence of exercises, to be performed one after the other, which are based precisely on this principle.
With your eyes closed, in a comfortable position (lying down with your hands at your sides, for example, or sitting), you begin to imagine (and thus realize) first the heaviness and relaxation of your muscles, then the warming of your body, then the slowing of your heartbeat and breathing, and so on, until you reach a state of complete relaxation.
Consequently, autogenic training can be a valid source of help in combating the stress of everyday life. The condition is that it is carried out in the correct manner: also for this reason, before practicing autogenic training it is essential to resort to a qualified teacher and, perhaps, the support of a group of friends or classmates.
Sources
https://www.msdmanuals.com/it-it/professionale/argomenti-speciali/medicina-integrativa-complementare-e-attiva/tecniche-di-rilassamento
https://www.msdmanuals.com/it-it/home/disorders-of-cervello,-midollo-spinale-e-nervi/disorders-of-the-nervoso-autonomo-system/overview-of-the-system-nervoso-autonomo
https://www.msdmanuals.com/it-it/professionale/pulmonary-maladies/pulmonary-pathology-symptoms/hyperventilation-syndrome