What are your ideas of relaxation? Swedish massage? A glass of wine and a novel? Sunbathing at a Hawaiian beach?
All of those are activities or experiences that may give a sense of slowing down and unwinding yourself from all the stress.
But it all comes down to the state of your body that informs you whether you are deeply and truly relaxed.
Yoga practitioner and coach, Baylea Micheli, explains the term relaxation response as an event where multiple systems within your body and brain move into a sedated-like state which prepares the body for sleep and regeneration.
She outlines the ways to know if your body is starting to relax by being aware of the physical signs.
When truly relaxed, the top 5 physiological affects experienced are:
- Decreased local or global muscle tension
- Decreased blood pressure
- Decreased heart rate
- Slower breathing rate
- Normalization of hormones and digestive functions
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Micheli goes on to reveal the secret to induce your own relaxation response. You can do this practice at the end of the day by using a yoga ball, lying face down on top of it and positioning the ball under your diaphragm.
She calls this practice releasing the psoas or the deepest muscles of the core. Watch below how she demonstrates it.
Comment below on what you think of this relaxation technique.