Does Relaxing Actually Relieve Stress?

Does Relaxing Actually Relieve Stress?
Is simple relaxation an effective way to relieve stress?
Yes, up to a point. The problem is if you're still under
stress it doesn't work for long.

When you've been building up stress for a long period of
time simple relaxation relieves stress in the moment, yet
the slightest problem brings it right back to the surface.
Ever experienced or witnessed sudden road rage?

Have you ever noticed that when you're under a lot of
stress, you feel fine one moment and angry the next?
Sometimes you may even feel out of control. You might feel
this emotionally, you may feel this physically, or both.
Let's take a look at the physical effects. Unrelieved
stress shows up in our bodies through:

Tension headaches Stiff neck and shoulders Back pain
Stomach problems ... the list goes on and on There was a
revealing study about this very thing at the UCLA Center
for East-West Medicine. When average people with tension
headaches practiced tai chi for only 15 weeks they:

got significant relieve from tension headaches found they
had more energy experienced better emotional well-being got
along better with others experienced improved mental health
... in short, they were less stressed. Here's the excerpt
from the study:

"Researchers found that Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese
low-impact mind-body exercise, provided significant health
benefits for adults suffering from tension headaches.
Compared with a control group, patients who participated in
a 15-week Tai Chi program were helped not only with
headache pain, but also perceived improvement in other
areas, reporting increased energy, emotional well-being,
social functioning and improved mental health." April 2007
Los Angeles UPI release Why Tai Chi and Not Just Regular
Exercise? Tai chi is a uniquely active method for relaxing
both body and mind. Tai chi requires you to focus your mind
while consciously relaxing your body as you move.

In simple relaxation you let your mind wander aimlessly or
let it be led by someone or something else. When exercising
at the gym people have a strong tendency to tense parts of
their bodies not otherwise needed for the exercise they're
doing. Ever see someone bench pressing weights while they
lifted their feet, or even worse, arched their back? Have
you ever noticed yourself tensing your whole body while
opening a jar of jam?

Another important factor is that tai chi movements cause
your body's natural energy to flow more smoothly, and you
don't have to think about it for it to happen. Combined
these factors are incredibly powerful stress relievers that
relax your body and allow it to naturally heal itself.

What Happens if You Don't Deal With Stress? Stress is
recognized as one of the leading causes of disease and
pre-mature aging. If you're under 40 you probably don't
think much about premature aging. After all, why would you?
The worst thing about pre-mature aging is this: "Once
you're aware of it, premature aging can be extremely
difficult to reverse".

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posted by John Crewdson - http://www.beginningtaichi.net
Experience Free Bursts of Tai Chi(TM) click here -
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