Relax, take a deep breath

Renee Singh

The exact counterpart of stress is of course relaxation. There are so many ways to reach a level of relaxation so that stress doesn’t us.

In today’s day and age, stress is triggered through everyday situations at work, at school, at home and in relationships. 

The stress response vs the relaxation response

In order to counter the pervasive stressful demands, we need to slip into a relaxation mode through meditation and yoga. These are the best ways to counter stress. I personally believe very strongly in the mind, body and soul connect. I know that a relaxed mind leads to a healthy body.

 Yoga as a stress reliever

Dating back to 5,000 years, yoga is perhaps the oldest self- development practice. I want to talk about this great stress relieving practice at length today. The yoga techniques work to relax mind and body both simultaneously. 

Classical yoga...

Is of course the most popular form of yoga. It includes ethical discipline, physical postures, meditation and breathing. 

 Yoga is fast gaining popularity in the Western world despite being an Eastern practice. Most fitness programmes initiated by schools, colleges, business houses etc include yoga sessions in their fitness regime, as they feel that a calm, healthy mind and body condition leads to better creativity flow and increases productivity in all areas of life.

What does it involve... 

1. Postures

2. Stretching the body

3. Visualisation

4. Physical movement

As we practice various yogic exercises it is only natural that we reach a state of calm and relaxation. There are various styles involved in yoga, some are like aerobics, others are slow movements with a spiritual angle where one concentrates on breathing.

Physical effects

• Lowers ageing
• Tones the body
• Improves blood circulation
• Lowers blood pressure
•  Lowers heart rate
•  Increases strength and flexibility

• Relief from allergies and asthma
• Guarantees sound sleep
• Reduces cortisol levels
• Reduces stress immensely

Several mechanisms in Yoga affect stress levels

Psychological effects

• Lifts mood
• Improves concentration
• Gives us space within our thought stream to relax
• Encourages a positive attitude

Spiritual effects

• Easy way to connect to the divinity within.
• Improves concentration, and helps you to enhance meditation skills and reach higher levels within.

(Singh is a Chandigarh-based psychotherapist)