Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Relaxation Drinks!!

Do you sometimes find yourself not able relax or unwind from the day? With hectic lives, stress and no time to relax, it is no wonder we cannot relax. Many turn to prescriptions to manage their anxiety and stress, but there maybe another solution. Relaxation drinks are gaining popularity, since its introduction on the market a few years ago, and have become hundred million industry. 
What are Relaxation Drinks?
Relaxation drinks, are drinks that contain a blend of many supplements, herbs, botanical and amino acids, that have been used before individually as calming agents. Relaxation drinks are a first attempt to blend these ingredients in a liquid form and then both package and market these drinks as "on-the-go" stress solution.
 History of Relaxation Drinks
The relaxation drink concept is not a new idea, the most well-known and widely used relaxation drink is alcohol. Also drinking tea, or having teatime was an opportunity for relaxation, which has long been a tradition in Asia, and England. The reason that makes tea very relaxing is the fact that tea contains theanine, which is an anti-anxiety ingredient.
 Current Drinks
Current relaxation drinks contain a variety of ingredients, the most common being theanime, valerian root, GABA, 5-HTP and Melatonin.  As we stated before these have been used in anxiety management, and some have seen been used for sleep aid.
Concerns:

Due to the fact that there have been no formal studies, we do not really know how well these induce relaxation. Relaxation is subject, but can be measured by lowered heart rate, lower respiratory rate and decreased blood pressure. Relaxation drinks have been shown to induce this response within thirty minutes to an hour of drinking. But the effect may last only a few hours. Another concern is whether the ingredients can work in a liquid and blended form. As with the older drinks such as alcohol and tea, the concern for dependency is a a big concern.

Follow the following Rules to Ensure the Most Effective Results:
  •  Check the Label-Learning to read and decipher labels is an important skill when buying any product, especially relaxation drinks. On the label, the ingredients should be listed. The amounts of each particular ingredient should also be listed. Failure to see this information is a red flag. Pay attention to the serving size listed on the bottle. The drink may have multiple servings, which means it may be easy to overdose if you drink the entire bottle. Also check the label for sugar content. Picking drinks with less sugar lessens the caloric load and prevents the interactions of excess sugar with ingredients meant for relaxation.
  • Don't Drink and Drive-Relaxation drinks should not be taken while driving or operating complicated machinery. Since it is difficult for the consumer to know the exact effects that each ingredient may have physiologically, it is best to avoid these drinks when doing anything that takes concentration and focus. 
  • Don't Be a Mixer-Many of these drinks have ingredients in addition to those listed on the bottle. Herbs and supplements can interact with medications, so check with your doctor to make sure that there will be no negative interactions. Do not mix your relaxation drink with alcohol; we don't know how this will affect each person individually.

The advantages of these drinks are that they are now widely available online and in health food stores, grocery stores and gas stations. There are approximately 300 different flavors and sizes. The drinks are convenient and inexpensive.As with anything that is new to the market, trying a relaxation drink may be a safe and effective way to "relax" if certain precautions are followed. Relaxation drinks may be able to offer that first   step in slowing down our racing minds. True healing and health, however, comes when there are blocked and scheduled times for recovery from stress. 

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