How do relaxation techniques help

The relaxation response is the opposite of the stress response. It's a state of profound rest that can be elicited in many ways. With regular practice, you create a well of calm to dip into as the need arises. Following are six relaxation techniques that can help you evoke the relaxation response and reduce stress.

Breath focus. In this simple, powerful technique, you take long, slow, deep breaths also known as abdominal or belly breathing. As you breathe, you gently disengage your mind from distracting thoughts and sensations. Breath focus can be especially helpful for people with eating disorders to help them focus on their bodies in a more positive way. However, this technique may not be appropriate for those with health problems that make breathing difficult, such as respiratory ailments or heart failure.

Body scan. This technique blends breath focus with progressive muscle relaxation. After a few minutes of deep breathing, you focus on one part of the body or group of muscles at a time and mentally releasing any physical tension you feel there.

A body scan can help boost your awareness of the mind-body connection. If you have had a recent surgery that affects your body image or other difficulties with body image, this technique may be less helpful for you. Guided imagery.

For this technique, you conjure up soothing scenes, places, or experiences in your mind to help you relax and focus. You can find free apps and online recordings of calming scenes—just make sure to choose imagery you find soothing and that has personal significance. Guided imagery may help you reinforce a positive vision of yourself, but it can be difficult for those who have intrusive thoughts or find it hard to conjure up mental images. Mindfulness meditation. Postures range from simple poses lying on the floor to more complex poses that may require years of practice.

You can modify most yoga postures based on your own ability. There are many different styles of yoga that range from slow to vigorous. If you are thinking about starting yoga, look for a teacher who can help you practice safely. Make sure to tell your teacher about any injuries. Tai chi was first practiced in ancient China for self-defense. Today, it is used mainly to improve health. It is a low-impact, gentle type of exercise that is safe for people of all ages.

If you are interested in tai chi for stress relief, you may want to start with a class. For many people, it is the easiest way to learn the proper movements. You can also find books and videos about tai chi. You can learn more about any of these techniques through local classes, books, videos, or online. Minichiello VJ. Relaxation techniques. In: Rakel D, ed. Integrative Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health website.

Updated October 30, Accessed October 30, Meditation: in depth. It doesn't matter which relaxation technique you choose. What matters is that you try to practice relaxation regularly to reap its benefits. Autogenic relaxation. Autogenic means something that comes from within you. In this relaxation technique, you use both visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress.

You repeat words or suggestions in your mind that may help you relax and reduce muscle tension. For example, you may imagine a peaceful setting and then focus on controlled, relaxing breathing, slowing your heart rate, or feeling different physical sensations, such as relaxing each arm or leg one by one.

Progressive muscle relaxation. In this relaxation technique, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. This can help you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation.

You can become more aware of physical sensations. In one method of progressive muscle relaxation, you start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and progressively working your way up to your neck and head. You can also start with your head and neck and work down to your toes.

Tense your muscles for about five seconds and then relax for 30 seconds, and repeat. In this relaxation technique, you may form mental images to take a visual journey to a peaceful, calming place or situation.

To relax using visualization, try to incorporate as many senses as you can, including smell, sight, sound and touch. If you imagine relaxing at the ocean, for instance, think about the smell of salt water, the sound of crashing waves and the warmth of the sun on your body. You may want to close your eyes, sit in a quiet spot, loosen any tight clothing, and concentrate on your breathing. Aim to focus on the present and think positive thoughts.

As you learn relaxation techniques, you can become more aware of muscle tension and other physical sensations of stress. Once you know what the stress response feels like, you can make a conscious effort to practice a relaxation technique the moment you start to feel stress symptoms. As you get used to the pace, feel free to increase the time you spend practicing breathing. These techniques rely on using mental images to create a sense of well-being in the body, which can reduce stress and help you fall asleep.

Body scans are a type of meditation that feature a slow, focused attention to different parts of the body. Autogenic Training takes you through the same steps as the body scan, but adds in self-statements about heaviness and warmth in each part of the body. The idea is that, with practice, you can begin to calm different parts of your body at any time.

This exercise is performed by methodically tensing and relaxing 16 different muscle groups, one by one. First, write down all of the muscle groups or make an audio recording of yourself saying each one, giving about 45 seconds in between each group to allow yourself enough time to get through the process. The muscle groups are: hands, wrists and forearms, biceps, shoulders, forehead, around the eyes and nose, cheeks and jaw, around the mouth, back of the neck, front of the neck, chest, back, stomach, hips and buttocks, thighs, and lower legs.

There are also tapes and videos online with pre-recorded phrases for falling asleep. Imagine yourself in a safe place and focus on relaxing sights, smells, and physical sensations around you. One common scenario is imagining yourself in a field of flowers, smelling lavender and feeling the warm sun on your skin.

Biofeedback is a bit more involved than other relaxation exercises because it relies on technology. This technique uses electronic devices to help users monitor processes within the body that are normally unconscious, like brain waves, heart rate, breathing, and body temperature. The idea behind this mind-body technique is that, by monitoring these body processes users can begin to exert some control over them.

For a simpler start, you could also try using a wearable device, like a smart watch, chest strap, or fitness tracker. Check the device at different times of day to learn about what affects your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. Once you have a grasp on what affects these processes, start to experiment with what you can do to influence them.

Develop your own strategies for lowering your blood pressure and heart rate, slowing your breathing, and increasing your overall sense of well-being. Rob writes about the intersection of sleep and mental health and previously worked at the National Cancer Institute.

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