It is a scientific fact that stress increases muscular tension, blood pressure, and the "fight or flight" reaction of the endocrine system through the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system.
So it follows that a reduction in stress will have the opposite effects, and in fact it does.
One of the easiest and the least expensive ways to reduce stress is to sit in meditation.
In this article we will explore the physical effects of relaxing through meditation.
The mental, emotional and spiritual effects will be covered in later parts.
One of the first physical changes that we experience when we become still is that we slow our breathing.
As a result, our heart rate and blood pressure decrease.
The parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system then kicks in.
This is the branch associated with returning the body to a state of rest.
The adrenal glands produce lower levels of cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.
And the hypothalamus in the brain produces more beta endorphins which are associated with pain relief, mood elevation and a feeling of well being.
There is also an improvement in immune system activity through an increase in enkephalins which produces more killer cells.
As we allow our skeletal muscles to relax, blood flow decreases to the muscles we use to fight and run, and increases to our digestive system resulting in better absorption of nutrients.
If one is prone to tension headaches, there is relief from those as well because of the increased production of endorphins and reduction in muscular tension.
In Part 2, we will look at the mental benefits of relaxation & meditation.
Also, in a future article we will explore several meditation techniques.