Stress can make you sick.

The antidote to stress is relaxation.  To relax is to rest deeply.

Relaxation is a state in which there is no movement, no effort, and the brain is quiet.

~ Judith Hanson Lasater

The effects of stress have reached epidemic proportions resulting in dis-ease.  And because of the plethora of modern diseases that have manifested from chronic stress, stress borne illnesses have become a medical specialty.  "I am stressed out," is a familiar phrase in our daily vernacular.  Stress can affect our mood, cause headaches and tight muscles, as well as digestive issues.  Even being around a stressed out person can affect everyone around them including family, friends, and co-workers.  In the short term, stress prepares the body for the obstacle at hand.  In the long term, chronic stress can make you sick.

One of the first studies on relaxation was performed by Dr. Edmund Jacobson.  He wrote, You Must Relax, about his revolutionary relaxation techniques and their benefits.  His new approach successfully treated high blood pressure, indigestion, colitis, insomnia, and what he called "nervousness."  

Edmund Jacobson relaxation technique     

All of us inherently know not only how to relax but that we need to relax.  Part of the issue at hand is......taking the time to relax.  You can take the time now with Restorative Yoga or even Dr. Jacobson's method or later down the road you can see a doctor about stress related health issues.  It may sound harsh, but you choose.  Everyone that attends my Yoga classes if only once or over the course of a decade can attest to the fact that they feel better and relaxed after class.  I have student's husbands and wives that send their loved ones to class knowing that it helps alleviate stress.  I am not saying that Yoga is a panacea but it can be yet another tool to use to help us decompress and recharge in our daily, hectic lives.

Of course, a good night's sleep helps, too.  :-)