| The relaxation repsonse can be defined as a biological mechanism which is equal to but the exact opposite of the stress response. The relaxation response involves a decrease in those chemicals produced by the body in times of stress, and also affects muscle tension, heart rate, blood pressure, hormonal levels and brain wave activity. The relaxation response can be actively invoked by such activities as mediatation or yoga, but these disciplines require the learning of special techniques and require some dedication on the part of the practitioner. Floatation REST is a passive technique in the sense that it requires no special technique or training and it is sometimes referred to as " lazy yoga" for this reason. |