Relaxation Techniques and Kava

Technological advances that are supposed to make modern life more convenient have, for many of us, only provided the opportunity to pack our schedules to the brim.. There is often precious little time to restore, replenish, and renew after a long day’s work, and those of us that have sought to maximize this time have made use of a variety of relaxation techniques.

While at first it seems like almost a paradox to seek to use your free time more “efficiently”, practicing just a few relaxation techniques can rid the body and mind of tension and stress exponentially faster than you normally would in the same period of time. Some of these relaxation techniques are more well known than others: Disciplines from the Eastern tradition, such as meditation and yoga, have been steadily creeping westward for decades and have now largely found their way into the mainstream. These have profound benefits but they often require consistency and discipline to really have an effect. And everyone knows that you can relax at the spa—but not everyone has the time or money for such an indulgent treat.

Alcohol is of course what many people choose to imbibe in to relieve stress, but the dehydration, irritability, and addiction that it may cause prevent it from being a true, sustainable relaxant. Kava kava, on the other hand, with its mild, non-addictive, but soothing effects, fits in very nicely with the more modern relaxation repertoire.

Next time you come home after a long day, it might be nice to have some kava kava on hand to help you decompress. Kava is simple to deal with; instant formulas, capsules, and pastes are available and even the traditional preparation is relatively simple—after a hard day’s
work, the last thing anyone wants is one more complex, frustrating task! Once you have your kava in hand, feel free to combine it with any one of a number of other relaxation techniques that you may enjoy—listening to soothing music, sitting out on the porch, patio, or deck on a nice day, or a nice, hot bubble bath.

Once you have consumed the kava, another technique to relax oneself might even be something like meditation. Kava really is the quick fix that alcohol wishes it was; within moments you can feel the stress and tension melt away, but you generally don’t become lethargic—kava has often been cited for its “energizing yet soothing” properties, which makes it a perfect choice for cutting the tension when you still have a few things yet to do before the day is done, or if you simply want to leave the house in a more relaxed state of mind.

While many relaxation techniques require complex equipment, years of training, money, time, or both, kava kava is inexpensive and instantaneous. This is not to say the other techniques are invalid; indeed, all of the methods described here have their uses. While the calm produced by, say, meditation, may take longer to achieve, it is fair to say that you may obtain a more lasting tranquility through such extended methods. But we all need instantaneous relief, especially when its non-addictive and there have been no studies to show consuming kava root has any detrimental health effects. Studies have shown that multiple relaxation techniques employed as part of a comprehensive regimen may increase each other’s effect exponentially, so even if you already have a routine, don’t be afraid to try incorporating kava into it!