What is the Relaxation Response?

The "relaxation response" is the term that describes the physiological experience - or what's happening in your body - when you relax.

When you activate it, some things that happen are...

• Your blood pressure decreases.
• Your heart rate slows.
• Your muscles relax!

For me... It feels really good. I get a feeling of calm and letting go - all over.

Would you like to learn how to relax?

What is the fight or flight response?

AKA the stress response

The "fight or flight response" - also known as the stress response - gets activated when you perceive a threat - real or imagined.

When this happens, you produce stress hormones. These include adrenaline and cortisol.

These hormones enable you to run from a dangerous situation or fight off an attacker... your digestive system shuts down, your heart rate speeds up, and your blood rushes to your muscles.

This would be a good thing if you were living in the jungle and fighting off - or running from - a wild animal... The stress response is genetically hard-wired into your body to help you stay alive.

And if you really were fighting or fleeing the hormones would work through your body in minutes...

BUT, since most of us are getting stressed because of what's happening at work or at home, those hormones stay around and reek havoc on our bodies.

Tension builds inside... and the hormones do their thing... and our body's organs literally get stressed out and overworked.

This can lead to...

• Increased blood pressure
• Lowered immune system
• Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
• Poor sleep

The more I learn about the impact of stress on our bodies... the more convinced I am that learning how to use stress reduction techniques and relaxation exercises are essential to health and well-being.

For more information, I've included the following links to web pages that compare the relaxation response with the fight or flight response.

Click here for loads of information about both responses - a must read!

This link gives the information in a chart form - easy to see the difference. Just scroll all the way down past the pictures.

Go from Relaxation Response to Relaxation Exercises.