Effectiveness of Relaxation Techniques in Reducing Stress Levels by Measuring Heart Rate Variability

Stress can be defined as a phenomenon that occurs when people feel they are unable to manage the demands placed on them . It occurs when the demands of a situation outweighs the body's ability to cope with it. Experimental evidence for an association between a propensity for lethal arrhythmias and signs of either increased sympathetic or reduced vagal activity has encouraged the development of quantitative markers of autonomic activity. Heart rate variability (HRV) represents one of the most promising such markers.Mind-body medicine is the most widely used domain of complementary and alternative medicine for treatment of medical conditions. Examples of mind- body medicine include meditation, yoga, relaxation, visual imagery, biofeedback, cognitive- behavioral therapies, support groups, tai chi and spirituality.