We all know how much better we feel after we’ve had some quality time to relax and rest but many of us don’t know exactly why relaxation is so good for us.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best health benefits of regular relaxation:
Improves oxygen levels
Many of us, when we take the time to relax, will do so by breathing deeply or practicing yoga both of which can help to get more oxygen into the body. This is particularly good for your blood pressure, which is likely to stabilize when you have adequate levels of oxygen in the body, but it is also great at relieving anxiety and slowing the heart rate too.
Boosts heart health
If you want to save money on the cost of healthcare, comparing Medicare is a good way to do that, but taking time to relax may be even better. Why? because when you’re relaxed, your blood pressure naturally becomes lower and you will typically have fewer stress hormones in your body. Since stress and high blood pressure are two of the biggest factors in coronary heart disease, this means that relaxing regularly could boost your heart health and keep you out of the hospital completely.
Lowers inflammation
Studies have shown that people who relax more are less likely to catch a common cold as often as those who rarely take the time to relax. This is probably because stressed bodies are not very good at fighting inflammation, and since relaxation can reduce stress, it can also help your body to get rid of inflammation and be healthier overall.
Boosts memory
One study has found that chronic stress can impair the prefrontal cortex which is the part of the brain that deals with cognitive analysis and abstract thought, which would seem to suggest that taking more time to relax could help to boost your memory as well as your creativity.
Lowers your risk of stroke
A study by the University of Cambridge found that individuals who are able to cope with stresses in their lives are 24 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those who succumb easily to stress, and what’s the best way to manage stress? That’s right, relaxation, It really is a health wonder drug, so to speak.
Lowers depression risk
As you might imagine, studies have found that lowering stress levels can help to lower an individual’s depression risk, This is probably because prolonged periods of stress will reduce the amount of serotonin and dopamine in the system, which can lead to a very rapid drop in mood for many people.
As you can see, relaxation is not something that should be optional in your life. If you want to be as healthy as possible for as long as possible, you absolutely do need to relax as often as you can in as many different ways as you can from meditation and yoga to simple breathing exercises or even reading a good book.
