Are you really relaxed?

After a very relaxing afternoon I feel, somewhat paradoxically, compelled to write about stress.

I often talk to people who if asked would say they are not stressed or anxious, but whose physical signs and symptoms all say otherwise. I don't think these individuals are trying to hide that they're stressed - they just genuinely don't realise that they are. That's because sometimes it takes being very relaxed to realise quite how stressed you are and highly strung people rarely relax properly.

If you're someone who rarely takes time to chill out and do nothing then imagine that you're somewhere you'd consider relaxing ... maybe the beach, or the countryside or the mountains. Imagine you're there on your own for a break, there's no clock to tell you when to get up or go to sleep, no friends, partners or children to take care of or worry about, no one to impress or worry about your appearance with. You can spend your time as you wish, maybe go for a walk or a swim, read, take a nap in the sunshine, and go to sleep as soon as you feel tired.
There are no bills to pay, no deadlines, no to do list, no rushing, no worries ... imagine how you feel? How often in your day to day life do you feel like this?

Obviously you're unlikely to feel totally relaxed all the time as day to day life is stressful, especially in the city, but if you rarely feel that relaxed then you really should do something about it. Stress is implicated in so many health conditions that it's foolhardy to disregard it ... so go to the spa, put your feet up for half an hour or just have a long lie in ... if anyone questions this say it's medicinal!
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