Does the thought of relaxing stress you out? There’s a name for it: stresslaxing.

The stress of finding ways to relax can increase anxiety, leading to a feeling of “stresslaxation” (stress from thinking about relaxing). The term refers to a phenomenon that occurs when people who are anxious or stressed and who force themselves to take a break to calm down and relax become more preoccupied with the idea of ​​relaxing, entering a realm of stress, sometimes endlessly, as Michael Schirripa, a writer and psychiatrist based in Adelaide, USA, explains.

The clinical term for stress relaxation is “anxiety induced by relaxation,” says Deborah Serani, a professor at Adelphi University in New York, USA, and author of an award-winning book. Living with Depression“Research shows that if you already struggle with generalized anxiety or overthinking, you may be more prone to ‘stress relaxation.’ Other data suggests that people who have difficulty relieving stress may also experience panic attacks. And there are others who may become depressed because they can’t relax freely,” the teacher said. Health line.

Michael Schirripa explains that the human brain is designed to be alert and somewhat anxious, “because we are always aware of potential dangers that may threaten us,” the psychiatrist explains. On the other hand, “some people may need to be occupied because, unconsciously, calm, space, and a sense of ease may trigger negative thoughts or memories of traumatic experiences,” he adds.

The reasons most often associated with “stress relief” are external pressures such as work, school, and other commitments that can make people feel like they need to be constantly “connected” to the outside world and to the goodwill of others. “This can lead to them not really being allowed to relax or have a place to relax that is just for them,” Schirripa said.

TO Health line, Deborah Serani argues that the blurring of the line between work and leisure time may be exacerbating the problem. “For a long time, the workday ended at 5pm, weekends were for leisure, and shops were closed on Sundays, helping to separate home time from leisure time. These predictable reference points simply don’t exist anymore,” it says.

“Stress relaxation” may be related to chronic stress associated with hypertension, which can cause heart attacks and strokes, fatigue, ulcers, headaches, back pain, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

Natalie Christine Dattilo, a clinical psychologist and professor at Harvard Medical School in the United States, says it is important to recognize that Relaxation is not as passive as we often think, and it does not come naturally to everyone. In fact, it is an active process designed to trigger the “relaxation response” (the physiological opposite of the “fight or flight” response), which can be achieved through muscle relaxation, massage, breathing techniques, meditation, and yoga.

Here are some more practical tips on how to avoid “relaxation stress”:

1. Practice the Benson relaxation method, which involves sitting in a comfortable position, closing your eyes, intentionally relaxing all your muscles from your feet up to your head, and breathing slowly for 20 minutes.
2. Make a list of things you’ve already accomplished so you can celebrate what you’ve accomplished and thus put those events in the past.
3. Meditate for 5 minutes. If you can do it longer, guided meditation with an app is recommended, for example.
4. To help reduce moments of heightened anxiety, use the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 technique: List 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.