Pain and stress both have similar effects on the body. Muscles become tight and breathing becomes fast and shallow. Heart rate and blood pressure go up. The ability to relax can help you reverse these effects. In addition, feeling relaxed helps you to have a sense of control and well-being that makes it less difficult to manage pain.
Relaxation is more than just sitting back, reading, or watching television.
It involves learning ways to calm and control your body and mind. Relaxation does not come easily, especially if you are in pain. It must be practiced, just like when you learned to ride a bicycle. There is no best way to learn to relax. Try different methods until you find one or two that work best for you.