Philosophy:Relaxation (psychology)

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Short description: Emotional state of low tension and an absence of arousal

In psychology, relaxation is the emotional state of low tension, in which there is an absence of arousal, particularly from negative sources such as anger, anxiety, or fear.[1]

Relaxation is a form of mild ecstasy coming from the frontal lobe of the brain in which the backward cortex sends signals to the frontal cortex via a mild sedative.[citation needed] Relaxation can be achieved through meditation, autogenics, breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation and other means.

Relaxation helps improve coping with stress. Stress is the leading cause of mental and physical problems,[citation needed] therefore feeling relaxed is often beneficial for a person's health. When a person is highly stressed, the sympathetic nervous system is activated because we are in a fight-or-flight response mode; over time, this could have negative effects on a human body.

History

The idea of relaxation in psychology was popularized by Dr. Edmund Jacobson in his published book Progressive Relaxation (1929). It was a technical book intended for doctors and scientists. His book describes tensing and relaxing specific muscles at a time to achieve overall relaxation in the body.[2] Jacobson then published another book called You Must Relax published in 1934 that was geared towards the general public. According to Jacobson, his research started in 1908 at Harvard University, and later moving on to Cornell and University of Chicago. His research was aimed at improving the general human well-being.[citation needed]

In 1932, Johannes Schultz and Wolfgang Luthe developed a method of relaxation that emphasized using the power of suggestion, called autogenic training.[citation needed]

In 1975, Herbert Benson and Mirium Z. Klipper published a book called The Relaxation Response, which gives instructions on tying meditation techniques into daily activities the average person could do.[3]

Techniques

Main page: Social:Relaxation technique
A man relaxing with a book

Although stress levels vary across society, the fact remains that stress can be detrimental to one's health. In order to combat this stress, there have been a variety of methods developed that have been proven to reduce stress and its consequences in everyday life. The majority of techniques can be classified into either physical, mental or therapeutic techniques.

Physical

Breathing techniques are one of the easiest ways to reduce stress. They require little effort and can be done anywhere at any time. Proper breathing techniques that incorporate deep abdominal breathing have been shown to reduce the physical symptoms of depression, anxiety and hypertension as well as everyday emotional symptoms of anger and nervousness.[4] A study found cyclic sighing to be effective in reducing anxiety, negative mood and stress, and more so than equivalent-duration mindfulness meditation. These 5-min breathwork exercises consist of deep breaths followed by extended, relatively longer exhales.[5]

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique wherein people focus on flexing and holding a certain set of muscles and then slowly relaxing them and focusing attention on a group of muscles. Gradually, from top to bottom, one might feel a deep sense of relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation is a somewhat adapted version of the Jacobsonian Relaxation Technique developed in the 1920s.[6][7] Progressive muscle relaxation is currently used in clinical and non-clinical settings to reduce the effects of anxiety and sleeplessness brought upon by stress.[6]

Mental

Meditation has long been practiced around the world, but has only become commonplace relatively recently in North America. Studies suggest that in addition to reducing physiological and psychological stresses placed on a body, people who practice meditation have fewer doctor visits for physical or psychological illnesses.[8]

Hypnosis relaxation therapy has recently become another technique used among healthcare professionals to promote relaxation. When performed correctly, it puts a person into a state of deep relaxation and high vulnerability to suggestions made by the hypnotist. In addition to relaxation, hypnosis therapy is used to treat a variety of conditions. Hypnosis is promoted by the Mayo Clinic for conditions such as smoking addiction, pain, obesity, chemotherapy reaction, asthma, and allergies.[9]

Many relaxation techniques, including physical ones, involve sustaining a passive simple focus.[10]

Therapeutic

Relaxation techniques used in therapy by a certified counselor or therapist could include any of the previous techniques discussed. Professionals in the fields of psychology or counseling can administer a variety of these techniques. If they feel it is appropriate they may prescribe medication to assist the patient with relaxation. Although a number of these techniques are simple and can be performed on one's own time, patients may receive better results if they are guided by a professional who is very familiar with the techniques.[citation needed]

Meditation

Herbert Benson, a professor at the medical school at Harvard University, has proposed in his book The Relaxation Response a mechanism of the body that counters the fight-or-flight response. The relaxation response reduces the body's metabolism, heart and breathing rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and calms brain activity. It increases the immune response, helps attention and decision making, and changes gene activities that are the opposite of those associated stress.[citation needed] The relaxation response is achieved through meditation. Benson's meditation technique involves these four steps:

  1. A quiet environment to help focus
  2. A mental device to help keep attention constant (a sound or word said repeatedly)
  3. A positive attitude to avoid getting upset over failed attempts
  4. A comfortable position

Autogenics

Autogenics was invented by Dr. Johannes Heinrich Schultz in the 1920s. The process of autogenics is by relaxing muscles deeply, and by doing so, the mind follows through and relaxes as well. There as six parts to autogenics training:[citation needed]

  1. Heaviness in parts of the body (arms and legs feel heavy)
  2. Warmth in parts of the body (arms and legs feel warm)
  3. Heartbeat (heart is calm)
  4. Breathing (breathing is calm)
  5. Warmth in the abdominal area
  6. Forehead is cool

Activities, lifestyle and chemicals

Taking walks in nature can be used to induce or support relaxation.[11][12][13] Studies indicate taking walks in nature is more effective than walking elsewhere, walking on a treadmill, and viewing nature scenes,[14][11][15] and that "spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature" (unspecified frequency of visits/week) is associated "with good health and wellbeing".[16][17]

Listening to music or audio can be useful too,[18][19][20] in particular various relaxing audio which may include ambient music or soundscapes.

Various substances are known to reduce cortisol or stress in general or to typically contribute to relaxation, albeit effect sizes may be small and vary. These include the substance l-theanine (also contained in green tea),[21][22][23][24] as well as some other anxiolytics for short-term relaxation. Apigenin (also contained in chamomile and an aromatase inhibitor),[25][26] lemon balm,[26][24][27] and gotu kola[26][27] are also under investigation. Some of these chemicals appear to act through increasing GABA levels.[24][27] For some and longer-term, the adaptogens rhodiola rosea (also reduces fatigue and increases antioxidant capacity[28] which may not always be beneficial) and ashwaghanda (can also increase testosterone[29] and increase sleepiness at the time taken)[30] may be useful for relaxation as they appear generally healthy or safe and to be able to reduce stress.[31][32][27][33][34]

Effectiveness measurement

Effectiveness or relaxation-related neurobiological effects of techniques may be measurable to science possibly via self-reported (or self-tracked) subjective mental states, heart rate variability, cortisol levels, as well as, possibly less commonly, changes to blood pressure, plasma/urinary norepinephrine, norepinephrine spillover rate, various other hormones,[35] heart rate, dexamethasone suppression test, salivary α-amylase, neuroimmune biomarkers, interleukins and peripheral cytokine expression.[36][37][38][additional citation(s) needed]

Benefits

A Maltese dog relaxing

The benefits of relaxation can be found in three main areas of health; mental, physical and physiological. It can elevate mood[39] or induce sleep.[40] All of these things can help prolong and enhance life.[40]

Mental

Mental health is very important and needs to be worked on every day. Relaxation can help with many impairments that can occur in one's mental health. There is a higher mood and lower anxiety in those who practice relaxation techniques.[2] Those who are relaxed have much slower and clearer thought processes than those who are not relaxed; this can be shown on an EEG.[41] It is well known that relaxation can help reduce stress. With reducing stress, a person can help reduce the negative things that stress can do to the body.[41] Coping mechanisms are also improved with relaxation techniques in both mental and physical pain.[39]

Sleep disorders are an area that can produce stress and mental health issues. Relaxation may help reduce insomnia in those who have sleeping disorders. Those with insomnia may even give up sleeping aids just by practicing relaxation techniques.[40] Avoiding unnecessary medication or sleep aids may help health. Even though relaxation cannot get rid of chronic diseases, it may help dull of the symptoms one may have. Many cancer and AIDS patients are taught relaxation techniques.[not specific enough to verify]

Physical

Physical health is also something that needs to be worked on daily, whether it is exercise, healthy eating, or relaxation.[40] Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate will all decrease when one is relaxed.[citation needed] This means that a person's heart does not beat as fast and their breathing is shallow, helping one's body have time to rest. This will reduce the extra stress that these things can do to the body if they are over worked. Muscle tension will decrease.[40] If one's muscle tension is decreased they are not burning up extra energy that they may need later in the day. Metabolism can also decrease; this is mostly seen in hibernation and sleep and that gives the body extra time to rest and focus on other aspect that it needs to.[40] This could be seen as a good or bad thing, depending on the overall quality of health. People who practice relaxation have said to be able to tolerate pain better both mentally and physically.[39]

Physiological

In regards to the nervous system, relaxation can also play a big role. A person will go from active and alert, which is the sympathetic, to parasympathetic which is rest and digest.[41] When they are relaxing, it gives the body time to catch up. A person does not need to worry about running, because they are sitting still and allowing "rest and digest". Immune systems will sometimes benefit from increased relaxation[4] which is why relaxation can be seen as part of treatment for AIDS and cancer patients.[40]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Oxford Dictionaries (2014). Relaxation
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Pagnini, Francesco; Manzoni, Gian Mauro; Castelnuovo, Gianluca; Molinari, Enrico (May 2013). "A brief literature review about relaxation therapy and anxiety". Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy 8 (2): 71–81. doi:10.1080/17432979.2012.750248. 
  3. ↑ Lettus, Dodi (September 2010). "Breathe and Relax". Library Journal 135 (14): 30–32. ERIC EJ926001. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 MacGregor, Hilary E. (17 October 2004). "Take a breath to relieve stress Specialized breathing techniques beneficial to health, practitioners say". Journal-Gazette. Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 411159521. 
  5. ↑ Balban, Melis Yilmaz; Neri, Eric; Kogon, Manuela M.; Weed, Lara; Nouriani, Bita; Jo, Booil; Holl, Gary; Zeitzer, Jamie M. et al. (17 January 2023). "Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal" (in English). Cell Reports Medicine 4 (1): 100895. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895. ISSN 2666-3791. PMID 36630953. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Greenwald, Dawn (24 May 2012). "Innovative Health: De-stress with progressive muscle relaxation technique". Alamogordo Daily News. ProQuest 1015669126. 
  7. ↑ Toussaint, Loren; Nguyen, Quang Anh; Roettger, Claire; Dixon, Kiara; Offenbächer, Martin; Kohls, Niko; Hirsch, Jameson; Sirois, Fuschia (2021). "Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Deep Breathing, and Guided Imagery in Promoting Psychological and Physiological States of Relaxation". Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2021: 5924040. doi:10.1155/2021/5924040. ISSN 1741-427X. PMID 34306146. 
  8. ↑ "Take a mental break (meditation can help ease stress)". Benefits Canada 20 (3): 7. March 1996. ProQuest 224308859. 
  9. ↑ Carrero, Milton D. (13 November 2012). "Is hypnosis for you? Therapeutic hypnosis has been shown to help patients reduce stress, quit smoking, lose weight and more". Morning Call. ProQuest 1151633865. 
  10. ↑ Matsumoto, Mia; Smith, Jonathan C. (December 2001). "Progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, and ABC relaxation theory" (in en). Journal of Clinical Psychology 57 (12): 1551–1557. doi:10.1002/jclp.1117. ISSN 0021-9762. PMID 11745596. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Sudimac, Sonja; Sale, Vera; Kühn, Simone (November 2022). "How nature nurtures: Amygdala activity decreases as the result of a one-hour walk in nature" (in en). Molecular Psychiatry 27 (11): 4446–4452. doi:10.1038/s41380-022-01720-6. ISSN 1476-5578. PMID 36059042. 
  12. ↑ Irvine, Katherine N.; Warber, Sara L.; Devine-Wright, Patrick; Gaston, Kevin J. (January 2013). "Understanding Urban Green Space as a Health Resource: A Qualitative Comparison of Visit Motivation and Derived Effects among Park Users in Sheffield, UK" (in en). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 10 (1): 417–442. doi:10.3390/ijerph10010417. ISSN 1660-4601. PMID 23340602. 
  13. ↑ Sahlin, Eva; Ahlborg, Gunnar; Matuszczyk, Josefa Vega; Grahn, Patrik (June 2014). "Nature-Based Stress Management Course for Individuals at Risk of Adverse Health Effects from Work-Related Stress—Effects on Stress Related Symptoms, Workability and Sick Leave" (in en). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 11 (6): 6586–6611. doi:10.3390/ijerph110606586. ISSN 1660-4601. PMID 25003175. 
  14. ↑ Olafsdottir, Gunnthora; Cloke, Paul; Schulz, André; van Dyck, Zoé; Eysteinsson, Thor; Thorleifsdottir, Björg; Vögele, Claus (April 2020). "Health Benefits of Walking in Nature: A Randomized Controlled Study Under Conditions of Real-Life Stress". Environment and Behavior 52 (3): 248–274. doi:10.1177/0013916518800798. 
  15. ↑ Gladwell, V. F.; Brown, D. K.; Barton, J. L.; Tarvainen, M. P.; Kuoppa, P.; Pretty, J.; Suddaby, J. M.; Sandercock, G. R. H. (1 September 2012). "The effects of views of nature on autonomic control" (in en). European Journal of Applied Physiology 112 (9): 3379–3386. doi:10.1007/s00421-012-2318-8. ISSN 1439-6327. PMID 22270487. 
  16. ↑ Sheikh, Knvul (13 June 2019). "How Much Nature Is Enough? 120 Minutes a Week, Doctors Say". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/health/nature-outdoors-health.html. 
  17. ↑ White, Mathew P.; Alcock, Ian; Grellier, James; Wheeler, Benedict W.; Hartig, Terry; Warber, Sara L.; Bone, Angie; Depledge, Michael H. et al. (13 June 2019). "Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing" (in en). Scientific Reports 9 (1): 7730. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3. ISSN 2045-2322. PMID 31197192. Bibcode: 2019NatSR...9.7730W. 
  18. ↑ Kemper, Kathi J.; Danhauer, Suzanne C. (March 2005). "Music as therapy". Southern Medical Journal 98 (3): 282–288. doi:10.1097/01.SMJ.0000154773.11986.39. ISSN 0038-4348. PMID 15813154. 
  19. ↑ Umbrello, Michele; Sorrenti, Tiziana; Mistraletti, Giovanni; Formenti, Paolo; Chiumello, Davide; Terzoni, Stefano (August 2019). "Music therapy reduces stress and anxiety in critically ill patients: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials". Minerva Anestesiologica 85 (8): 886–898. doi:10.23736/S0375-9393.19.13526-2. ISSN 1827-1596. PMID 30947484. 
  20. ↑ Blanaru, Monica; Bloch, Boaz; Vadas, Limor; Arnon, Zahi; Ziv, Naomi; Kremer, Ilana; Haimov, Iris (1 January 2012). "The effects of music relaxation and muscle relaxation techniques on sleep quality and emotional measures among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder". Mental Illness 4 (2): 59–65. doi:10.4081/mi.2012.e13. PMID 25478114. 
  21. ↑ Dietz, Christina; Dekker, Matthijs (20 July 2017). "Effect of Green Tea Phytochemicals on Mood and Cognition". Current Pharmaceutical Design 23 (19): 2876–2905. doi:10.2174/1381612823666170105151800. PMID 28056735. 
  22. ↑ Mu, Wanmeng; Zhang, Tao; Jiang, Bo (May 2015). "An overview of biological production of L-theanine". Biotechnology Advances 33 (3–4): 335–342. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.04.004. PMID 25871834. 
  23. ↑ Vuong, Quan V; Bowyer, Michael C; Roach, Paul D (30 August 2011). "L-Theanine: properties, synthesis and isolation from tea: L -Theanine from tea". Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 91 (11): 1931–1939. doi:10.1002/jsfa.4373. PMID 21735448. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Weeks, Benjamin S. (November 2009). "Formulations of dietary supplements and herbal extracts for relaxation and anxiolytic action: Relarian". Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research 15 (11): RA256–262. ISSN 1643-3750. PMID 19865069. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19865069/. 
  25. ↑ Salehi, Bahare; Venditti, Alessandro; Sharifi-Rad, Mehdi; Kręgiel, Dorota; Sharifi-Rad, Javad; Durazzo, Alessandra; Lucarini, Massimo; Santini, Antonello et al. (January 2019). "The Therapeutic Potential of Apigenin" (in en). International Journal of Molecular Sciences 20 (6): 1305. doi:10.3390/ijms20061305. ISSN 1422-0067. PMID 30875872. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Sarris, Jerome (July 2018). "Herbal medicines in the treatment of psychiatric disorders: 10-year updated review" (in en). Phytotherapy Research 32 (7): 1147–1162. doi:10.1002/ptr.6055. PMID 29575228. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 Savage, Karen; Firth, Joseph; Stough, Con; Sarris, Jerome (January 2018). "GABA-modulating phytomedicines for anxiety: A systematic review of preclinical and clinical evidence" (in en). Phytotherapy Research 32 (1): 3–18. doi:10.1002/ptr.5940. PMID 29168225. 
  28. ↑ Lu, Yao; Deng, Bin; Xu, Luhua; Liu, Hanjiao; Song, Yinzhi; Lin, Fengxia (7 April 2022). "Effects of Rhodiola Rosea Supplementation on Exercise and Sport: A Systematic Review". Frontiers in Nutrition 9: 856287. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.856287. PMID 35464040. 
  29. ↑ Smith, Stephen J; Lopresti, Adrian L; Teo, Shaun Y M; Fairchild, Timothy J (May 2021). "Examining the Effects of Herbs on Testosterone Concentrations in Men: A Systematic Review". Advances in Nutrition 12 (3): 744–765. doi:10.1093/advances/nmaa134. PMID 33150931. 
  30. ↑ Langade, Deepak; Kanchi, Subodh; Salve, Jaising; Debnath, Khokan; Ambegaokar, Dhruv (28 September 2019). "Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Insomnia and Anxiety: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study". Cureus 11 (9): e5797. doi:10.7759/cureus.5797. PMID 31728244. 
  31. ↑ Anghelescu, Ion-George; Edwards, David; Seifritz, Erich; Kasper, Siegfried (2 October 2018). "Stress management and the role of Rhodiola rosea : a review". International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice 22 (4): 242–252. doi:10.1080/13651501.2017.1417442. PMID 29325481. https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/222320/1/Stress_management_and_the_role_of_Rhodiola_rosea_a_review.pdf. 
  32. ↑ Speers, Alex B.; Cabey, Kadine A.; Soumyanath, Amala; Wright, Kirsten M. (September 2021). "Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on Stress and the Stress- Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia". Current Neuropharmacology 19 (9): 1468–1495. doi:10.2174/1570159X19666210712151556. PMID 34254920. 
  33. ↑ Akhgarjand, Camellia; Asoudeh, Farzaneh; Bagheri, Amir; Kalantar, Zahra; Vahabi, Zahra; Shab-bidar, Sakineh; Rezvani, Hamid; Djafarian, Kurosh (November 2022). "Does Ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on the management of anxiety and stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials". Phytotherapy Research 36 (11): 4115–4124. doi:10.1002/ptr.7598. PMID 36017529. 
  34. ↑ Ivanova Stojcheva, Emilija; Quintela, José Carlos (17 June 2022). "The Effectiveness of Rhodiola rosea L. Preparations in Alleviating Various Aspects of Life-Stress Symptoms and Stress-Induced Conditions—Encouraging Clinical Evidence". Molecules 27 (12): 3902. doi:10.3390/molecules27123902. PMID 35745023. 
  35. ↑ Armario, Antonio; Labad, Javier; Nadal, Roser (1 April 2020). "Focusing attention on biological markers of acute stressor intensity: Empirical evidence and limitations" (in en). Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 111: 95–103. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.013. ISSN 0149-7634. PMID 31954151. 
  36. ↑ Pascoe, Michaela C.; Thompson, David R.; Ski, Chantal F. (1 December 2017). "Yoga, mindfulness-based stress reduction and stress-related physiological measures: A meta-analysis" (in en). Psychoneuroendocrinology 86: 152–168. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.08.008. ISSN 0306-4530. PMID 28963884. 
  37. ↑ Marques, Andrea H.; Silverman, Marni N.; Sternberg, Esther M. (2010). "Evaluation of Stress Systems by Applying Noninvasive Methodologies: Measurements of Neuroimmune Biomarkers in the Sweat, Heart Rate Variability and Salivary Cortisol" (in english). Neuroimmunomodulation 17 (3): 205–208. doi:10.1159/000258725. ISSN 1021-7401. PMID 20134204. 
  38. ↑ Bali, Anjana; Jaggi, Amteshwar Singh (1 October 2015). "Clinical experimental stress studies: methods and assessment". Reviews in the Neurosciences 26 (5): 555–579. doi:10.1515/revneuro-2015-0004. PMID 26020552. 
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 Wachholtz, Amy B.; Pargament, Kenneth I. (28 July 2005). "Is Spirituality a Critical Ingredient of Meditation? Comparing the Effects of Spiritual Meditation, Secular Meditation, and Relaxation on Spiritual, Psychological, Cardiac, and Pain Outcomes". Journal of Behavioral Medicine 28 (4): 369–384. doi:10.1007/s10865-005-9008-5. PMID 16049627. 
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 40.5 40.6 Goleman, Daniel; Gurin, Joel (1995). "The Relaxation Response". Mind Body Medicine: How to Use Your Mind for Better Health. Consumer Reports Books. pp. 233–252. ISBN 978-0-89043-840-4. 
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 Jones, Kenneth R.; Heymen, Steve (1988). "Using Relaxation: Coping with Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders". UNC Center for Functional GI & Motility Disorders. http://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/babc/99851ba72e10090f6be5227e7c1b0f213cda.pdf. 

Further reading




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