Relaxation and Self Awareness

When we relax the parasympathetic system has an opportunity to function fully.
The hormones activated by the sympathetic are deactivated by the parasympathetic, and so the system slows down body processes except those that are suppressed by the sympathetic i.e. the digestive system, the skin functions. The following changes occur when a person totally relaxes;

• Blood to the heart and skeletal muscles decreases and is redistributed to inactive organs such as the gut and skin
• Metabolism slows
• Respiration slows
• Pupils constrict
• Digestion speeds up
• Blood coagulation time is lengthened
• The inflammation response is restored ---- immune system
• The central nervous system is taken out of the arousal state

Our societies set norms of behaviour and standards to which some individuals perceive they are expected to adhere. In this competitive atmosphere of increased activity, and the accumulation of wealth and consumer goods, the wellbeing of the individual can be completely overlooked.

Lowering standards of living and simplifying life is not something that individuals are encouraged to do. Gaining material wealth becomes a priority that distracts the individual mind away from simplicity and whole health.

The importance of relaxation in our society is vital to health and well being and body "ease". A body in a constant state of arousal eventually becomes exhausted and "dis-eased".

The digestive system is unable to do it's job and people suffer from heart burn, stomach and duodenal ulcers, constipation, haemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis etc etc. The thickened blood with extra cholesterol and overworked heart leads to heart disease stroke heart attacks and blood clots. People are more vulnerable to infection, the healing process is prolonged, and cancer increases all the time.

Knowing what is happening to our bodies can greatly improve our awareness of the harm that occurs when we ignore our need to switch off the "fight or flight" response and regain balance.

Activities for Relaxation and Self Awareness

Becoming aware of our attitudes, behaviours, feelings and thoughts brings more choice into our lives. Becoming aware of our bodies and how stress manifests physically enables us to counteract the effects of stress. Knowing ourselves leads to understanding our needs. At differing times we will need different solutions here are some you might like to try. Give your whole self to these activities and observe yourself before, during and after.
J A warm / hot bath with bubbles or oils. Listen to music or read a book or just lie, feeling the luxury.
J Breathing deeply, consciously, feel that on each inward breath you breath in calm, on each outward breath you breath out tension.
J Sit and look out of a window at something in the distance let your attention relax.
J Stretch out from toes to finger tips feel that you are stretching out the tension in your muscles.
J SMILE inside and out
J Put on loud energetic music and dance about or do the "wood chopper"
J Sing along to a record, or on your own at the top of your voice ( this is good on a long journey in the car)
J Go for a walk alone and notice everything, walk somewhere of beauty and stop and stare frequently, slow down inside and out.
J Perform a simple movement very, very slowly with your eyes closed, repeat and each time become slower.
J Sit in candle light and watch the flame with a soft focus
J Be aware of a mundane activity, e.g. washing the dishes. Give the activity all your attention as you would a complicated procedure.
J Have a therapeutic massage
J Spend time looking at an item e.g. a flower, a piece of fruit, concentrate with effort close your eyes and visualise the object.
J Repeat a word over and over to yourself; e.g. calm, strong, relax, smile, or whatever you need.
J Be aware of how people respond when you ask for / take time out for yourself, and observe your own internal and external reaction to this response
J Write a poem / story / paint a picture / bake a cake. Create something for the sake of the activity and not for the end result.
J Write a list of things you would like to do in the next; month, quarter, 6mths, year.
J Start a new hobby / interest
J Be aware of your posture when standing and walking
J Start responding to people as you would prefer to do rather than your habitual response
J Say yes to something you would normally say no to.
J Be aware of being defensive to peoples opinions, experiment with being open and accepting possibilities. "you could be right"
J Look in the mirror and say "I love you"
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Simple Ways to Add Years to Your Life

If flipping the calendar to a new year (or counting off another birthday) makes you anxious, stop fighting Father Time and start working with him. Add 20-plus great years to your life—and help celebrate Health’s 20-year anniversary—by making simple lifestyle changes, like joining an aerobics class or even having sex more often. Ready to start?

Get moving
Adds 2 to 4 years
Dutch and Australian researchers found that women who do moderate- to high-intensity cardiovascular exercise—like running for 30 minutes, 5 days a week—can live 2 to 4 years longer and live 1 to 3 more years free of heart disease. Running seems to strengthen your heart, as well as other muscles, and lower cholesterol. (A great way to start: Join the Health Girls Gotta Move Running Club.) But if you don’t think running is the right exercise for you, just walking 30 minutes a day will lower your heart attack risk by half, says Carol Rosenberg, MD, director of Preventative Health Initiatives for Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Illinois and lead investigator of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). “Exercise is the closest thing to a magic bullet,” she says.

Eat power foods
Adds 4 years or more
A daily handful of dark chocolate and almonds, plus fruits, vegetables, garlic, fish, and even a glass of wine can increase a woman’s life by 4.8 years (6.6 for men), according to research in the British Medical Journal. The foods are rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and other nutrients that can lower your heart disease risk by 76 percent. The age gains also come from a 22 percent drop in breast-cancer risk linked to consuming less fat and fewer calories as you eat more fruit, veggies, and whole grains, the WHI found.

People in other cultures who live to 100 always eat this way, according to John Robbins, son of the Baskin Robbins founder and author of Healthy at 100. “These people,” Robbins says, “wouldn’t recognize a doughnut.”

Quit smoking
Adds 2 to 8 years
The younger you are when you quit, the better. Period. A study in the American Journal of Public Health found that female smokers who quit by age 35 could extend their lifespan by 6.1 to 7.7 years.

Lose the flab
Adds 3 to 4 years
Shed those extra holiday pounds, and you’ll celebrate more holidays. Recent National Cancer Institute research shows that being overweight can increase the risk of death by 20 to 40 percent. Other research links being obese to high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. The reasons are unclear, but obesity can shave 3 to 4 years off your life, says Robert Butler, MD, president of the nonprofit International Longevity Center-USA, an affiliate of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Check your body mass index; 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal, 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and 30 or higher is considered obese.

Play head games
Adds 2 years or more
Many experts believe that mental exercises can keep your brain cells active and more efficient as you age. And they say lifelong learning combined with other healthy-lifestyle habits can prolong your life by at least 2 years. Even one mental boost a week can equal a 7 percent gain in mental sharpness. And the more you do, the greater the percentage, says Gary Small, MD, author of The Longevity Bible. Read regularly, toil over a Sudoku grid, or connect a 1,000-piece puzzle to lower your risk for Alzheimer’s by nearly a third, adds Small, chief of the University of California, Los Angeles, Memory and Aging Research Center.

Get frisky
Adds 3 to 8 years (seriously!)
Having sex two to three times a week can boost your longevity by halving your risk for heart disease and stroke. The trick: Intercourse burns about 200 calories—the same as running for 30 minutes. And it may lower your blood pressure (which offers a 2- to 3-year gain), help you sleep better, boost your immunity, and release heart-protective hormones. Oh, and if the sex is part of a happy marriage, census research shows you’ll get another 5 years. Whoopee!

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