Impact of chronic tension and relaxation

Negative impact of chronic tension

When we feel anxious or stressed, our breathing rate increases, as does our blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, sweating, state of mental arousal and adrenaline flow. Relaxation helps to decrease all those things.  Inability to access and mobilize internal coping resources in troubled situations causes chronic tension.   To that end, if we can not relax at all, we would eventually burn out (tension is a high energy state) and be die prematurely

Stress and tension affects and pushes the body, for example: high blood pressure manifest heart disease, kidney and respiratory failure; a high metabolic rate leads to fatigue and cell damage; muscle tension leads to physical pain and injury; and digestive system disruptions leads to gastrointestinal problems (Harrison, 2002).

Positive impact of relaxation

Reduces tiredness – if you can manage everyday life without excessive tension
Improves performance – your performance in work, sport or music can be raised through self awareness and control of tension
Reduces pain – pain occurs as a result of tension e.g. headaches and backache. Relaxation can help you to cope by raising your pain threshold and reducing the amount of pain
Coping with stress – relaxation helps you to reduce the effects of stress and to breathe effectively
Improves sleep – by allowing you to be calm and peaceful
Improves self-confidence – by increasing your self-awareness and ability to cope with daily life
Improves personal relationships – it is easier to relate well to other people wen you are relaxed and self-confident