This is the thing about “relaxation” and stress reduction: it’s not as straightforward as some other fitness goals.  Telling someone to relax is not like telling them to do three sets of five on the chest press.  And there’s no “magic prescription” for stress reduction (regardless of what your doctor may tell you!)  Instead, true relaxation is something you build into your life by “renovating” your routine, just like you would renovate a shabby or falling down house.

If your nerves are just like jumping jacks, and you need to calm down, your doctor and your fitness trainer can both give you some practical guides to identifying stressors in your life and how to alleviate their effects.  While the magic pill still hasn’t arrived on the shelves, there are some general “prescriptions” for stress reduction, and some of the top ones are, you guessed it: diet and exercise!

Of course, our diet and our food intake color our lives by working with our body chemistry to produce moods and reactions to environment.  At the same time, a lot of our chemistry also has to do with how we work our bodies throughout the day.  So, keep the big two in mind for any stress reduction or relaxation plan.

Apart from these, it’s commonly not easy to figure out just what activities will be your “stress-busters”.  Yes, you can get R&R on a beach somewhere...but what if the Blackberry won’t stop beeping?  Or what if you just spend that time worrying about what you left behind (or how to pay for all of those Margaritas?)  Relaxation isn’t as simple as listening to Muzak in an elevator, (in fact, this activity also has the opposite effect on many of us), and trying to find your ‘chilling out’ zone can prove to be difficult.

That’s why those seeking relaxation should go back to the idea of renovation, starting with a “punch list”, a selection of various activities to try, and ways to gradually work relaxing goals into your days.  Then, add and subtract items from your schedule as needed, keeping careful notes and monitoring how your mind and body respond.  Relaxation is really about trial and error, as well as those big goals: good diet and proper exercise, and a third one, which almost got lost in the mix: nature!

Nature can be a great stress-buster, but be sure to “customize” your nature prescription to what makes you feel good.  Some of us like to sunbathe, and others prefer clearing brush.  Get access to the environment you want and the activities that put you in a calmer state of mind.  And never stop striving for a better work-life balance and a better overall plan for health.  You’ll feel the effects, and your “nerves” will feel better, too!

by Justin Stoltz, Fitness Future Correspondent