It is little wonder then that some people turn to relaxation therapy as a way to slow down the madness and to allow them time to catch their breath. In fact what they are doing is a natural and necessary process of the human condition,that becomes for those who want to reduce the stress, like a kind of pressure release valve, or a time-out to re-focus and perhaps change direction, or fine tune what we are doing.

A new thought

Ernest Rossi, an American psychologist studying the minds activities, found that when a person is not under any pressure to do anything during the day, they remain in a conscious state for about 90 minutes and then move into a trance like state for about 20 minutes, and this cycle is maintained, as long as there is no direct pressure to anything in particular.

This trance time, is like a kind of day-dreaming, or a 'time-out' to just catch up with whatever they've been concentrating on or doing consciously.

It is also interesting that this cycle, which Rossi called 'Ultradian Rhythm' also applies to animals. In considering its application in my field of hypnotherapy and psychotherapy, I realise that we can utilise this natural cycle to help us make best use of our time when learning, studying, or making an important decision. If we work consciously at the task in hand for about 90 minutes, and then take a time out to relax and just let our mind wander, daydream, let the thoughts just float past without trying to concentrate on or understand them, then this may help us to reach a speedy and useful resolution to whatever we are attempting to achieve.

Combination and a new therapeutic strategy

Now, if you take this concept a step further and combine the 'time-out' with a good focused hypnotherapy deep relaxation session of the kind I often provide for clients, then the results can be truly spectacular, both in terms of de-stressing, and in terms of creativity and resolution to our task.

This strategy seems to be a worthwhile and highly beneficial tool in the therapist tool box, and also a simple way for those who might otherwise suffer from undue stress and negativity in their day, to relax, have a time to heal, and be creative at the same time.

The message is clear ? take several time outs each day to just relax, let go, and let that super powerful creative subconscious mind of your work as it was designed to do and enjoy a greater sense of achievement in life and a greatly reduced strain.