Health
Kick Back: Five Reasons Relaxing Can Improve Your Health
Guest Blogger: Dixie Somers
Everyone is busy, stressed, and struggling to find time for rest and relaxation. However, it is very 
important for you to take the time out to relax. Relaxing not only helps you feel good, but it offers a number of other health benefits. Here are the top five reasons your body wants you to relax.
1. Boost Your Immune System
You can boost your immune system by relaxing. There was a study done by Ohio State University on cancer patients. The subjects were asked to practice progressive muscular relaxation. The results of the study showed that the subjects were able to significantly reduce their risk of breast cancer recurrence.
In another study done by Ohio State University, elderly people were asked to perform relaxation exercises for a month. The results of the study showed that the subjects were able to boost their immune systems to better protect against tumors and viruses.
2. Lower Blood Pressure
Relaxing is perhaps one of the simplest things that you can do to lower your blood pressure. There was a study performed by the British Medical Journal. The researchers found that meditation changes the way that the body responds to stress hormones. This is very similar to the way that high blood pressure medications work. There was another study done by the British Medical Journal that showed that people who are trained to relax can lower their blood pressure significantly. Relax in the pool or hot tub to get your blood pressure down.
3. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Relief
Irritable bowel syndrome is a painful condition that causes constipation, diarrhea, and bloating. A team of researchers at State University of New York asked patients to meditate two times per day. The subjects noticed a significant improvement in their symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
4. Boost Fertility
A group of researchers at the University of Western Australia discovered that a woman is most likely to conceive during the times that she is relaxed. In another study performed by Trakya University, researchers found that chronic stress can lower sperm motility and count. The study suggested that men can boost their fertility by relaxing.
5. Reduce Inflammation
Chronic inflammation can lead to psoriasis, heart disease, asthma and arthritis. Stress is one of the many things that can trigger or worsen inflammation. Relaxing helps switch off the body’s stress response, which can help treat and prevent those conditions. There was a study done by McGill University that showed subjects who participate in meditation on a regular basis can improve their psoriasis symptoms.
About the Author
This article was written by Dixie Somers on behalf of bullfrogspas.com. Click here to learn more about how you can relax in a hot tub.
