Fitness for Health and Relaxation

Relaxation therapy has a long history in medicine, clinical psychology and psychiatry. According to Benson, Bery and Carol (1974), “The relaxation response appears to be an integrated response of the hypothalamus which is a decreasing overall activity of the sympathetic nervous system and perhaps also an increase in parasympathetic activity. Among the authorities in relaxation techniques are according to the idea that positive changes occur during somatic and cognitive relaxation.

In psychology, one of the techniques most useful is therapeutic to relaxation. With this type of method you may be controlling both purely physiological responses of muscle tension, as those in which the cognitive factor with a high level of anxiety is the main reason.

Relaxation exercises are recommended at the end of active recovery and effectively reduce heart rate, blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmias. Sufficient time should be devoted to active recovery prior to relaxation that is why it is important to the progressive reduction of effort in the last five minutes of exercise.

Relaxation techniques are useful for hyperactive patients. Too often the hectic pace of the day interfere in the training session, because patients are accelerated for the session, usually after having arrived late, and try to “recover” during class, they rush to finish to get in time for the next engagement. It is likely that this behavior negatively affects the benefits of exercise. Relaxation exercises ensure a brief respite from the frenetic activity, and may help relieve stress and improve sleep.

Many and varied are the methods that exist today, they all have a common factor that requires a minimum of 4 elements to help achieve the relaxation response appropriately.
- A quiet environment
- A certain relaxation of muscle tone, using either a comfortable chair or mat.
- Any word, sound or phrase repeated.
- Relaxation techniques are varied and usually depend on the programming of each rehabilitation center.

Patients are turning to Cardiac Rehabilitation in Cardiac Patients Association of Granada and its province, then aerobic exercise bike or tape, perform relaxation exercises twice a week, having them daily at home, two or three times and to any situation of stress. It is used primarily for Shultz autogenic training (as amended).

During relaxation indicated that once his eyes closed and silently, trying to concentrate on what the monitor will say, trying to insulate itself from the outside world and all possible concerns.

The return to the status of activity takes place:
- Opening and closing his fists.
- Bending and stretching the lower extremities.
- Performing deep inhalations and exhalations.
- Finally opening her eyes.