Relax

This book will introduce you to simple techniques that can be used to offset the effects of the stress response by putting your body into a relaxed state. Relax, as a line of defense against stress works by putting your body in a relaxed state that is incompatible with the stress response. The whole purpose of practicing the activities in this book is to put your body into a relaxed state on a regular basis. These relaxed periods do two things: (1) they stop the stress response in its tracks, and (2) they induce a relaxation response. This both stops the stress response and offsets its negative effects. In a sense, it is like taking a mini-vacation from stress. Hans Selye, the father of modern stress research, believed that all living organisms have a finite amount of energy to adapt to stressors. He believed that adaptation energy is stored in the cells of the body and is drawn on during the resistance phase of the stress response. One way to understand adaptation energy is to compare it to another energy source that is finite, the energy in your car battery. Most car batteries have life expectancies from 36-60 months. If treated with care they last from three to five years. If you leave your interior car light on overnight and try to start your car the next morning your battery may fail. If you do this and run down your battery, you can jump-start your car and recharge it. If you do this too often or subject your battery to too much abuse and too many recharges it will not last three to five years. You will use up all of the reserve energy and it will die prematurely. As an American, you can expect to have over 80 years of adaptation energy. If you take care of your body and remove or cope with stressors before they result in long periods of resistance you can look forward to a full life span. If, however, you don't eliminate or cope with stressors effectively this can result in long periods of resistance followed by physical or mental exhaustion. In extreme cases this can result in premature disability and death.