Why “Just Relax” Fails

Stress is a part of life
Imagine a time when our ancestors lived on the savannah and imagine a caveman who is completely fearless in front of the approaching lion.
Instead of living long enough to be hailed as a hero (and passing on his genes), he’d soon be the lion’s lunch!
Automatic process
In the face of imminent danger, our physiological response gives us extra energy for action. Also known as the fight-or-flight response, this reaction is immediate and intense. And it is meant to be short-lived.
Trouble begins when this response to danger, which is meant to be temporary, becomes more or less a constant state for many of us.
We stay over-stressed and that has negative consequences for our health.
What Actually Works?
Telling yourself to “just relax” doesn’t work.
As someone put it, ‘Telling yourself to relax when your nervous system is in overdrive is like trying to stop a speeding train by asking it to stop nicely.’
We cannot go from a heightened state to a relaxed one immediately, we don’t have a switch that we can flip on and off.
What we can do is learn ways to bring our nervous system to a more neutral state. In that state you can evaluate your situation instead of merely reacting to it. You can choose an appropriate response and can either become more active or more restful, depending upon what is needed.
Ways To Ease Stress
We will explore lessons from the Feldenkrais Method® —using slow, gentle movement and mindful breathing to help you notice how your body holds stress, often without you realizing it.
You’ll leave with simple, bite-sized tools to help you:
- Regulate your nervous system
- Ground yourself in the middle of holiday chaos
- Move through stress with more ease and awareness
At this time of the year, many of us face extra responsibilities while preparing for the holidays.
Join my upcoming workshop Ways To Ease Holiday Stress and learn ways to calm yourself during this time so that you can stress less and enjoy more!
Date: Saturday, Nov 14
Time: 02:00 PM – 04:30 PM
Cost: $ 65
You May Also Like...
How Standing Affects Sleeping
If you were here for the first two installments on choosing your pillow, you know by now that there is no one-pillow-fits-all solution out there....
The Fastest Way to Understand Anything
by Jeff Hawkins The Body Knew First — Part 2 of 4 (Four short reads on the neuroscience of movement, and what it means for how you live in your...
FAQ – What is the Best Pillow?
One of the questions I frequently hear in my practice, especially from people dealing with neck, shoulder, or back issues, is, “What pillow do you...