IMPORTANCE OF RELAXATION TRAINING IN BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE?

Almost everyone faces stressful situations throughout their lives, ranging from minor annoyances like traffic jams to hearing devastating news. When our emotions overwhelm our nervous system, our blood becomes flooded with chemicals that prepare us for fight or flight. Although the reaction is necessary for our defence, if constantly activated, it can wear our bodies down and take a toll on our emotional and physical health.

Relaxation technique is any method, process procedure or activity that helps a person to relax; to attain a state of increased calmness; or otherwise reduce levels of pain, anxiety, stress or anger. Relaxation training is an important tool in behavioral medicine. Relaxation training produces a response which when activated causes the heart rate to slow down, breath rate to decrease, blood pressure to drop, muscles to relax and blood flow to the brain increases.

Apart from the calming physical effects, the relaxation response also increases energy and focus, fights illness, relieves aches and pain, increases problem solving abilities and boosts motivation and productivity.

Relaxation is generally thought to be safe for a lot of people but quite difficult to do when it comes to finding a place to practice. Relaxation training becomes easier when one meets a specialist (such as a clinical psychologist)

Researchers have evaluated relaxation training and have found it to be helpful in the management of health conditions such as anxiety associated with illnesses or medical procedures, insomnia, labor pain and chemotherapy induced nausea. Relaxation training has also been studied for other conditions but either they have not been shown to be useful, research results have been inconsistent or the evidence is limited.

Regular, frequent practice is particularly important if you’re using relaxation techniques to help manage a chronic health problem. Continuous use of relaxation techniques is more effective than short-term use.

Stress Management Training and Techniques (eHow.com)

Relaxation techniques that are known to effective include the following:

1.    Autogenic training: where one learns to concentrate on the physical sensations of warmth, heaviness, and relaxation in different parts of their body. It is effective in the management of stress and anxiety

2.    Mindful meditation. This practice involves sitting comfortably, focusing on your breathing, and bringing your mind’s attention to the present moment without drifting into concerns about the past or the future. This technique has gained popularity in recent years and research suggests it may be helpful in anxiety, depression and pain.

3.    Deep breathing or Breathing exercises. This technique involves focusing on taking slow, deep, even breaths. As you breathe, you gently disengage your mind from distracting thought and sensations. You should note that this technique may not be appropriate for those with health problems that make breathing difficult such as respiratory diseases or cardiac failure. This technique is more common with Asian culture.

4.    Guided imagery. For this technique, people are taught to focus on pleasant images to replace negative or stressful feelings. Guided imagery may be self-directed or led by a practitioner or a recording. Guided imagery may help you reinforce a positive vision of yourself, but it can be difficult for those who have intrusive thoughts or find it hard to conjure up mental images. It is helpful in the management of pain.

5.     Progressive relaxation. This technique, also called Jacobson relaxation or progressive muscle relaxation, involves tightening and relaxing various muscle groups. Progressive relaxation is often combined with guided imagery and breathing exercises.

6.     Self-Hypnosis. In self-hypnosis programs, people are taught to produce the relaxation response when prompted by a phrase or nonverbal cue (called a “suggestion”).

7.    Yoga, tai chi and qiqong are cultural practices that are thought of as relaxation practice. These three ancient arts combine rhythmic breathing with a series of postures. The physical aspect gives mental focus that can help distract you from racing thoughts. They also enhance flexibility and balance. This technique is useful in the management of stress.

Instead of choosing just one technique it is recommended that you sample several to see which one works best for you

Author: Yeboah Adjei-Mensah

    REFERENCES

1.      Dusek JA, Benson H. (2009). Mind-body medicine: a model of the comparative clinical impact of the acute stress and relaxation responses. Minnesota Medicine.;92(5):47–50

2.      Posadzki P, Ernst E. (2011). Guided imagery for musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review. Clinical Journal of Pain, 27(7):648–653.

3.      Vickers A, Zollman C, Payne DK. (2001). Hypnosis and relaxation therapies. Western Journal of Medicine, 175(4):269–272.

4.      health.havard.edu