Saturday Relaxation

It's Saturday and it's time to relax.

How are you going to relax today?  Talk a walk, read a book, curl up in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine?  What every you choose, it's the right choice for you.  You know what you need, you just have to listen to yourself.

So what are the benefits of Relaxation?  There are many benefits and as nurses we should know most of them, the only problem is we tend to forget to relax because we are so busy taking care of everyone else.

Over the next few weeks I plan to go over some of the benefits of relaxing.  Did you know that relaxing helps decrease hypertension and lowers the risk for heart attacks and stroke.  If you think about how stressful life can be, it is understandable that high stress levels can increase hypertension and the risk for strokes and heart attacks.  There are many papers, and studies out there that discuss stress and the negative affects it has on the body.  Thus as nurses we need to find the time to relax and enjoy life.  We need to keep are hearts healthy.

Think about the last time you went for a massage, how did you feel afterward?  Like Jell-O perhaps, totally calm and feeling great?  I bet you were able to tackle a difficult problem the next day and it didn't even phase you.  By relaxing you are reenergizing yourself so that you can tackle difficult situations and problems.

As Sarah Klein (2014) stated in her article 10 Health Benefits of Relaxation, life goes on, no matter what kind of day it is. But relaxing whenever possible, and in whatever way works for you (whether it's reading a book, taking a walk, meditating, running, you name it!) is healthier for you than you might think.

So take 30 minutes or an hour, or as much time as you need to relax and unwind.  Let the stress of the week go.  Work will be there when you have to return to it.  There are always new challenges and new adventures coming your way.  Never be afraid to do what is right for your body and your mind.

Reference:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/14/stress-awareness-day-relaxation-benefits_n_1424820.html