Many people do things that they find "relaxing". These may include watching tv, reading, sewing, or gardening. Doing activities that are relaxing is part, but not all, of what "relaxation" is about. This idea of relaxation is now a very common concept in our busy and often stressful modern society. Relaxation is a state of mind and body where the mind is clear of worries and negative thoughts and the body is free of unwanted tension and stress. Achieving true relaxation takes practice as our muscles are often used to being a bit uptight and our mind is used to wandering off to worrying thoughts or concerns.

Do you need relaxation?

On a scale of 1 to 10 (where 1 is low and 10 is high) how tense do you feel right now? How tense do you usually feel when you are carrying out your daily activities? Do certain activities make you more stressed or anxious than others? Do you find that you lose your patience or tolerance very easily?

There are a lot of benefits to relaxation exercises. For the average person, relaxation can help to relieve tension and stress. When we are less stressed we react more calmly to frustrating situations. This in turns puts less stress on our heart and body and allows us to be less affected by the situation that occurred. For anxious people who worry a lot or for people who lose their temper easily, relaxation can be an amazing tool for helping to control these stressful feelings that arise.