Unwind your mind

GOOD HEALTH & WELLBEING MAGAZINE

Does your brain switch to your never-ending to-do list when you sit down to relax? Trudie McConnochie looks at why this happens and how to prevent it.

What does the word ‘relaxation’ bring up for you? Does it prompt a softening of your muscles and a sense of peace, or does it result in a racing heart and a vague sense of panic? If you fall into the latter camp, you could be experiencing relaxation-induced anxiety.

It sounds like a contradiction – after all, the whole point of relaxing is to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety – but trying to relax can actually make some people anxious. Researchers have estimated that relaxation-induced anxiety may affect between 17 and 53 percent of adults. And unfortunately, those who are most likely to experience it are typically those most in need of relaxation.

Read the full article here.