When we experience stress, the body’sfight-or-flight responsekicks in.
It’s what puts us on alert and prepares us to respond to danger.
But what happens once the danger has passed?
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Strategies like deep breathing, meditation, and yoga are just a few you might try.
How the Relaxation Response Works
The fight-or-flight state is one of physiological arousal.
It also triggers the release of hormones like adrenaline andcortisol.
This chain of reactions prepares your body to protect itself from perceived danger or stress.
The parasympathetic system then kicks in, releasing chemicals designed to return the body to its resting state.
During the relaxation response, the body moves toward a state of physiological relaxation.
Blood pressure, heart rate, digestive functioning, and hormonal levels to normal.
Acute Stress vs.
Chronic Stress
Duringacute stress, the fight-or-flight response occurs naturally.
In many cases, these stressors are probably more situational than they are based on survival.
They include things like relationships, financial, workplace, or healthcare-related stress.
The result is that we find ourselves in a prolonged state of fight-or-flight.
It overtaxes the nervous system and is potentially detrimental to our well-being.
This can help return your body to a more relaxed state and combat the adverse effects of chronic stress.
(If you could relax both simultaneously, that’s even better).
The great news is that inducing the relaxation response doesn’t need to be difficult or time-consuming!
The more you practice these strategies, the easier they become.
Think of it as building a muscle.
Visualization
you could also induce the relaxation response byvisualizingpeaceful or relaxing scenes.
It’s a great way to relax both your body and mind.
It often involves using a “guide,” including an in-person instructor or an audio recording.
The guide may walk you through a scenario that helps induce a deeply relaxed state.
This means that you don’t remain in a state of stress for an unhealthy length of time.
These techniques may feel awkward or as if they are not working initially.
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