Stress is part and parcel of our everyday lives. We all experience stress on a daily basis, but do you truly understand its effect on your body? Stress is a normal physiological response to life’s stressors, which can arise from any of our daily activities. Faced with such stressors, our bodies will adjust accordingly to help us handle them. However, too many stressors will cause the body to release excessive amounts of adrenaline and cortisol, which are stress hormones that can damage our health in the long run. Stress hormones can lower immunity levels, worsen asthmatic conditions, raise blood pressure, and lead to digestive issues and mental health illnesses like depression.
To safeguard our well-being, we should learn to identify and manage the stress we experience daily. Do you know that active relaxation can help you combat stress? Let’s learn about the benefits of active relaxation!
What Is Active Relaxation?
While there is a variety of methods in which we can manage our stressors, the most efficient way to deal with said stressors is to practice active relaxation. Active relaxation differs from passive relaxation like meditation as it involves the use of activities and physical movement to relax your body. Active relaxation can lower your stress levels and blood pressure, as well as promote better sleep.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
A popular application of active relaxation is progressive muscle relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation helps to treat muscle tension arising from stress, such as aching muscles on your neck and back. To practice progressive muscle relaxation, start by getting comfortable and taking deep breaths. Follow up by tensing parts of your body, then releasing the tension. Try tensing and relaxing each part of your body in intervals of ten seconds. Repeat this for all parts of your body by starting from the lower body and working your way up. Reports have shown that progressive muscle relaxation helps to improve insomnia, gives us a better understanding of our bodies, and aids us in identifying the stressors in our lives.
Other Forms of Active Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation may be physically demanding for some of us to perform. Hence, it may be counter-productive for us to use it to manage stress. In this case, you should consider other relaxation activities such as Pilates, going for walks, or painting with watercolors. In active relaxation, you can essentially engage in activities that contribute to your well-being and give you a sense of contentedness, even if these activities are leisurely in nature. Enjoying these activities, however simple they are, is considered an act of active relaxation that can play a pivotal role in managing the stressors that we experience in our daily lives.
Active Relaxation at The Welstone At Mission Crossing
The Welstone At Mission Crossing offers a variety of senior living amenities to our residents. Our residents can socialize and find entertainment at the lounge, card and game rooms, movie theater, and enjoy many other different amenities. In addition to these amenities, we have a wide range of activities and events available for you to immerse yourself in. Come experience independent senior living and relish the opportunity to lead a carefree life. You will certainly never have a dull moment in our retirement community!
