National Relaxation Day on August 15th encourages us to slow down and unwind. It’s a day to focus on taking care of ourselves and to take a moment to relax.
National Relaxation Day is important because we all need a break from the fast-paced, often hectic lifestyles we lead. Taking time to recuperate and rejuvenate our tired minds and bodies may help prevent many health risks, too. As the founder of this day suggested, too much work can make us sick, run-down, tired and that’s just wrong.
- 1908 – Dr. Edmund Jacobson studies relaxation. Starting at Harvard University and then moving on to Cornell and the University of Chicago, with research aimed toward improving the general well-being of humans.
- 1920s – Jacobson’s Relaxation Technique is introduced. In helping patients deal with anxiety, Dr. Edmund Jacobson believes that relaxing the muscles can help to relax the mind as well.
- 1975 – The book “The Relaxation Response” is released. Offering meditation practices that can be connected to daily activities, this book by Benson & Klipper became very popular among patients of clinical psychologists.
- 1983 – Frankie Goes to Hollywood releases the song “Relax”. Though popular with young people, this song doesn’t sit well with the sensors and BBC ends up banning it. The song remains in the top 40 charts for 37 weeks.
- 1985 – The first National Relaxation Day is celebrated. Proposed by Sean Moeller, a nine-year-old from Michigan, National Relaxation Day is first observed.
- 1986 – Ferris Bueller takes it easy and skips school in the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
- 1988 – Alex Carswell patents the modern stress ball.
- 1990 – Established in 1990 in New Albany, Ohio, Bath & Body Works is a global retailer of home fragrances, body care, and beauty products. Their extensive aromatherapy line is particularly popular for creating a relaxing home environment.
- 2009 – Mika releases his hit single ‘Relax, Take It Easy.’
- 2010 – A study revealed how brain relaxation neurons work together to improve memory. The study found that people’s brains form more explicit, lasting memories when completely relaxed.
- 2012 – Founded in 2012 by Michael Acton Smith and Alex Tew, Calm is a popular meditation, sleep, and mindfulness app.
- 2025 – According to the American Psychological Association’s 2025 ‘Stress in America’ survey, approximately 77% of adults reported experiencing physical symptoms of stress, highlighting a widespread need for relaxation.
- One thing to do today is to have a digital detox. Use this day to put away your mobile phone, unplug from the computer, and avoid social media.
- This is the perfect day to reduce stress, minimize anxiety, and just generally chill out and enjoy life for once!
- Stress can be a serious problem and wreak havoc on your mind. Relaxation can be a great way to reduce stress and improve your mood.
- Stress makes it more likely to get you sick. You can reduce the number of trips to the doctor by keeping your cool.
- We have discovered that regular relaxation can reduce blood pressure. Recent research showed that 64% of those who meditated lowered their blood pressure sufficiently after three months.
- For many people, simply listening to calm music is enough to lower stress levels.
- Numerous scientific studies have concluded that regular relaxation can improve mental health and reduce stress-related symptoms. These conditions include anxiety, depression, headaches, pain due to fibromyalgia, insomnia, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
- Another study concluded that relaxation techniques such as meditation or Tai Chi could improve a person’s movement and can contribute to psychological well-being.
- Relaxation improves a person’s emotional state and that can lead to a better overall mood.
- Many people swear by the power of meditation to reduce stress and improve well-being. The best thing is that you can meditate anywhere! A good place to start is to download one of the many apps that guide beginners through meditation practice.
- Learning to breathe more deeply can help you feel a lot calmer. It takes just a few minutes and can be done anywhere
- A study reported that 40% of people don’t take out time for relaxing, while 45% of people just don’t know how to relax.
- Spending time outside and in green spaces can be great for your physical and mental health.
- Those stress-induced chocolate cravings may be justified after all.
- Studies show that eating dark chocolate may lower stress hormone levels.
- Cocoa is rich in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids, which have been linked to many health benefits.
- Researchers also say that dark chocolate appeared to have beneficial effects on participants’ metabolism and gut microbial activity.
Sources:
National Days Today
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