Anywhere, we can go.
“The mind should be allowed some relaxation, that it may return to its work all the better for the rest.”
-Senecca
How Relaxation and Unwinding Differ
Often I hear people say “I know how to relax.” But do you really?
What do you mean by “relax?”
Sometimes people may be referring to being practiced in relaxation techniques. Other times they are referring to watching tv at end of stressful day, reading, music, things they enjoy, calming, distracting, or stress release activities. Often people refer to these activities as relaxation.
Yes, relaxation allows you to unwind, and unwinding helps you to relax, but here’s what I mean when I talk about these two activities.
Relaxation is the act of using techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation, to elicit the relaxation response. The relaxation response is the opposite of the stress response and is characterized by lowered muscle
tension, blood pressure, heart rate… several measurable physical changes.
Relaxation is a strategy, skill, something that you practice in order to induce relaxation response and reverse stress response. It is something that you master and takes practice to become good at.
By unwinding, like
reading, TV, hobbies… the leisure activities that we do to decrease stress. Unwinding is not something you have to practice to get good at, it is simply the act of enjoying how you spend your time and engaging in leisure.
Relaxation and unwinding are different – relaxation is not the same as simply unwinding.
One of the key differences between relaxation and unwinding is that with relaxation, the use of specific techniques results in the relaxation response. The positive effects of relaxation occur even if you do not feel any different while you are practicing relaxation methods.
Leisure activities that are used to unwind certainly reduce stress, and can also induce the relaxation response , but they do not as easily or reliably result in the decreased blood pressure, heart rate, and various other physical and
source: https://www.innerhealthstudio.com/relaxation-and-unwinding.html
Lorraine's blog 