The benefits of relaxation exercises

How do relaxation exercises help?

It is normal to feel stressed and worried after finding out you have cancer. But you can do things to reduce these negative feelings. Taking care of your mental well-being can help you in everyday life. It can also help your cancer treatment work better. You can relax and find inner peace in many ways—for example, mindfulness exercises, yoga and music therapies.

Many studies have proven that relaxation techniques:

• reduce anxiety and depression
• can reduce the sensation of pain
• Improve the quality of life.

Author: Dr. Volker Henn| Reviewer: Dr. Christian Keinki

Sources:

• Mental health and cancer. (2022, November 7). Cancer Research UK. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/mental-health-cancer
• Zhu, C., & Boutros, P. C. (2021). Sex Differences in Cancer Genomes: Much Learned, More Unknown. Endocrinology, 162(11). https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqab170
• Rubin, J. B. (2022). The spectrum of sex differences in cancer. Trends in Cancer, 8(4), 303–315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trecan.2022.01.013
• Cancer and your emotions. (2019b, February 28). Macmillan Cancer Support. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatment/coping-with-treatment/cancer-and-your-emotions
• Managing Distress. (2020, February 3). American Cancer Society. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/emotional-mood-changes/distress/managing-distress.html