Anyone who has seen his TVO television show, Beyond Stress, knows that he teaches a series of physical, breathing and mind focus exercises. One is called Progressive Relaxation and begins with tensing up the hand tighter and tighter with the awareness centering on the tension, experiencing it. The tension is released and the arm is tightened and on and on until the entire body has been relaxed in this way. One of the most basic exercises is simply deep breathing. Children breathe right down to the bottom of their lungs -that's relaxed breathing.
Breathing affects the flow of hormones through the endocrine system.
If you want be relaxed, breathe relaxed. About 30 percent of his clients are referred by a physician. Not surprisingly, many are skeptical. A 1983 study conducted jointly by the Addiction Research Foundation and Bay's Relaxation Response company proved that relaxation can he cost effective. It may surprise some that 15 minutes of quiet breathing every day would have such dramatic effects, but it doesn't surprise Eli Bay.