This is a subject I can relate to, for years I struggled against an undiagnosed sleeping disorder that really affected my health. Sometimes I would go 3-5 days with as little as 2 or 1 hours of sleep per night. It was really difficult to focus on any topic, and I think it caused me to become more anxious and restless.

That was until I learned about deep breathing and relaxation. I learned some techniques that allowed me to develop almost completely normal sleep patterns again and release a lot of pent up anxiety and restlessness.

The topics of meditation & relaxation have been interesting to me ever since. To be honest, I never really valued anything that centered on relaxation until it became imperative that I learn to relax...so I could sleep again!

No sooner did I begin to look into the subject of deep relaxation and breathing, and then I found something really exciting. And not just from one source, I've been seeing it everywhere. Not only does relaxation, prayer, meditation, etc. help with longevity, it also has implications in weight control, appetite control, and weight loss!

Listen to what they said on Good Morning America: - "Thinner thighs just by breathing? It's no myth: Just relaxing, breathing with your eyes closed and clearing your mind, helps you to center yourself and turn off the mechanisms that increase appetite and cause you to gain weight. Sitting comfortably and focusing on the breath is actually a form of meditation. While you won't burn many calories, the practice allows you to filter out toxic chemicals directly related to the thickening of your waistline. When you're stressed, your breath accelerates and races high in the chest, rather than low in your abdomen, where it resides when you're relaxed. In response, your adrenal glands pump out hormones to manage your anxiety, flooding the bloodstream with toxins and increasing muscle tension. The end result: a bigger appetite and buildup of abdominal fat. Ironically, weight-loss plans, including excessive dieting and physical training, also cause stress. Here's what to do: For 20 minutes a day, sit quietly and listen to your breath."

Of course, this is from a TV show, but there are various scientific studies that back this idea. When you send signals of stress to your brain, it releases stress hormones designed to assist you for the stress related "emergency". It's often called the fight or flight response. The trouble is our culture has made being stressed out "en vogue". But that is not how the body is designed to function. These hormones have a long term effect on your overall health ~ it's obvious from the chronic hypertension, heart attacks, and sleep disorders people are suffering from today.

The benefits of prayer, relaxation, & meditation have been known almost forever. And now many of us and those we care about are suffering because we didn't take the time to listen to this 'older than dirt' piece of wisdom.

Even if what they are now saying on Good Morning America is even half true, then we have a whole new reason to RELAX. Some new research indicates that "allowing yourself to RELAX can filter out toxic chemicals related to your bulging waistline and keep you from the level of stress that increases appetite and builds up fat".

Could your busy, stress-filled lifestyle be one of the culprits preventing you from reaching your fitness goals? I know I experienced DRAMATIC improvements in my life and in my health when I learned to deeply relax, and get my sleeping patterns in order. If you have hypertension, a sleep disorder, or get little to no sleep at all...if you hardly know the meaning of the word relax, PLEASE take the time to find the relaxation technique that works for you! You'll be glad you did!

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