After discovering that I was grinding my teeth at night, I decided hey, I must be under a lot of stress here and I need to relax. I need to treat myself. I deserve it. A friend loaned me this book and I jumped right in. Some of the techniques (especially the breathing techniques) I knew from yoga but I think this book is great for those who are able to develop their own personalized routine to relax as it offers a multitude of options. I also liked how the book when into why you react to certain stresses ... I think this is key in making tension go away sooner and prevent that stress from returning. The "workbook" style makes it easy to read and user-friendly. Good book, indeed.

Relaxation is essential in stress management, and also plays a big part in helping with anxiety and depression. This workbook is great for anyone who is looking to learn how to relax. What I really liked about this workbook is that it offered so many different relaxation techniques, because what works for one person may not work for another. Breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization are just some of the topics that are covered. In addition, there is a long relaxation exercise in the middle of the book that includes each type of relaxation covered in the workbook. Putting this relaxation exercise on a cassette tape and listening to it a few times is a great way to determine which type of relaxation is best for you. Although some of the exercises sound and feel weird at first, they do help reduce anxiety and stress, and put you in a better frame of mind. The book also discusses the many health benefits of relaxation. I highly recommend it!