10 Relaxation Techniques You Can Learn From Your Pet

[Guest guest]

10 Relaxation Techniques You Can Learn From Your Pet

by Eunice Beck, RN (ImmuneSupport.com)

I am a cat lover. Actually, I'm an animal lover. Over the years, I have always

had pets, from parakeets and canaries, to rabbits, lambs, chickens, and of

course, cats and dogs. If my life had gone only slightly differently, I probably

would have been a veterinarian instead of a nurse. I think pets are good for

us, and there are studies which show this to be true.

I'm writing to you about an article from Cat Fancy. I get it because I enjoy

reading about cats. But this article struck me as helpful for all of us. The

article

is titled " Relax " and was written by Arden . It looks at 10 techniques " we

learned from our cats. "

" When it comes to boosting a person's inner feel-good hormones, pets are

super " says Dale L. , a board-certified surgeon trained in holistic

medicine. He continues, " I've often told some of my more highly stressed

patients to spend more quiet time with their cats and dogs. A vet concurs,

" Cats have the ability to raise the level of serotonin, the feel-good hormone,

in

their owners, much as Prozac does. We can measure the chemical changes

occurring in the brain, " says Rolan Tripp, DVM.

So, here are " 10 ways cats can help their owners swat away stress inducers.

Assess your situation and apply what your cat mentor is showing you. "

1. Cats are natural yoga teachers. Cats know and show us the value of

stretching. Our tight and achy muscles welcome a good, soft stretch anytime,

but especially in the morning before we get up. Muscles are warm from bed,

and it's a great way to start the day. Try it.

2. Cats know the therapeutic value of touch. So do dogs and other animals.

They know when they need a cuddle, and usually when you need one as

well. You may find, that although the times when they ask for attention may be

an interruption for you, the relaxation and touch will be a therapeutic

time-out.

3. Cats know the value of solitude. Few of us in this world spend any time

alone. The phone is ringing, or we are on the computer. The family is in need

of our presence. Try finding 5 or 10 minutes a day to spend by yourself

without interruption. We need quiet and solitude to recharge our batteries.

Those of us who run on low energy as it is probably need it even more.

4. Cats know the importance of power napping. Any of us who have pets

know that they sleep a good part of the day. If you are tired or sleepy, it

makes

sense to nap. But we are so conditioned by society that it is " lazy " to sleep

during the day, we do ourselves the disservice of struggling to stay awake

even when we are exhausted. Could we learn from our pets?

5. Cats know the value of eating right. Cats are picky eaters. They eat small

amounts when they are hungry. They love fish, which is high in good fatty

acids. There are many studies that show that humans would be wise to eat 5

or 6 small meals a day instead of 3 large ones. Yet most of us continue to

follow that routine, even when it is not necessary.

6. Cats walk away from irritating scenes. When faced with the option of

sticking around or leaving screaming children, noisy vacuum cleaners or

loud-talking visitors, cats usually retreat to quieter places in the home. They

aren't being rude; they recognize they don't need to subject themselves to an

unpleasant situation.

" Cats will walk away from irritation situations rather than be confrontational,

which requires a lot more energy, and a lot more stress. " says,

" They go to places where there is better chemistry. We can't always leave

unpleasant situations, but when we get the opportunities, we should take a

lesson from our cats and walk away. It is far healthier on our bodies. " For

those of us who suffer with CFIDS/FM, this is very important advice. We need

to make more opportunities to walk away, and save our energy for positive

things rather than irritating or confrontational situations.

7. Cats live in the present. How many of us, me included, find ourselves

stressing about what we should do in the future, or what we should have done

in the past. We spend time worrying about what will happen if a particular

event occurs. All of our stress and worrying just decreases the amount of

energy we have to do what we need and want to do in the present.

8. Cats are candid. They will ask for what they need and want. We worry

about whether we should expose our need and ask for help - or if that request

will inconvenience another person. We don't want to be a burden. But if it is

something we truly need, it certainly takes less energy to ask than to hint and

hope the request will be understood. In addition, we save ourselves the

aggravation of not having the need met.

9. Cats practice good hygiene. For some of us, simply taking a shower is all of

our energy for the day. But we feel better, and more relaxed when the shower

is over. Taking care of one's self is important. I know I certainly feel better

about the day when my face is washed and my hair combed. If I can get

through that, I can tackle the rest of the day. After I rest, of course!

10. Cats are not materialistic. Many of us have learned this by buying toys for

our pets, which sit and do nothing, while the pet chases shadows, or plays

with piece of lint on the carpet. Trying to `keep up with the neighbors' is

stressful, both emotionally and financially. Especially for those of us on fixed

incomes, learning to use our money wisely, for our comfort, is more important

than the image we present to others. Cats simply don't care. Why should we?

Can we learn from our pets? I think we can. Although this article focused on

cats, other pets can teach us many of the same lessons. I used the article

because it was a cute way to point out some things which all of us can do to

make our lives more comfortable and enjoyable. And now, since I have been

getting a leg massage from my cat for the last 10 minutes, I think I'll go pet

him. Take care and be well.

Yours in Health,

Eunice