As one of Dr. Craig's teachers, Dr. Rick Hanson, Ph.D,, has written:
"Most people these days feel pretty stressed. Plus often worried or angry about one thing or another, such as finances, their job, the health of a family member, or a relationship on the rocks.
When you get stressed or upset, your body tenses up to fight, flee, or freeze. That's Mother Nature's way, and it kept our ancestors alive to pass on their genes.
But today - when people can live 70 or 80 years or more, and when quality of life (not mere survival) is a priority - we pay a high price for daily tension. It leads to health problems like heart disease, poor digestion, backaches and headaches, and hormonal ups and downs. And to psychological problems, including anxiety, irritability, and depression.
The number one way to reduce tension is through relaxation. In fact, studies by Herbert Benson and others have shown that relaxing routinely actually improves the expression of genes that help control the fight-or-flight stress response; somehow the effects of soothing and calming your body sift all the way down to affect tiny atomic units within your molecules of DNA: amazing!
Besides its benefits for physical and mental health, relaxation of course feels great. Just recall how nice it feels to soak in a tub, curl up in bed, or plop on the couch after the dishes are done and the kids put to bed.
Whether you're stuck in traffic, wading through emails, having a tough conversation, worried about your bills, or frustrated at how little support you get, being able to relax your body at will, even a little bit, is a critically important inner skill."
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