Leisure and Relaxation

Question 1

What is leisure?

Answer 1

Leisure can be differentiated from work and also domestic chores. Leisure time is also the period of time before or after necessary activities, such as eating, sleeping, attending school and doing homework.
The search for balance between time for compulsory tasks and time for freedom and relaxation is NB in the role of leisure in achieving well being.

Question 2

Why is leisure important?

Answer 2

Many people find their leisure more satisfying than their work.

Major source of pleasure and sense of achievement

We have more leisure time now than in history

Many people who have spare time fail to find satisfying forms of leisure.

Question 3

What are some of the benefits of having leisure time?

Answer 3

1. Association between leisure and health.
2. Reduce stress and leisure helps people cope with stress.
3. An increasing awareness of the importance of leisure as a coping and therapeutic too. Leisure can contribute to health, well-being and work-life balance.

Question 4

List 5 benefits of Casual leisure.

Answer 4

1. Creativity and discovery
2. Edutainment [mass media]
3. Regeneration or recreation
4. Leisure relationships
5. Well-being and quality of life .

Question 5

List 5 costs of casual leisure.

Answer 5

1. Boredom
2. Lack of identify formation and failure to promote self esteem and self development.
3. Less time for serious leisure
4. Superficial pleasure
5. Failure to contribute to society other than economically.

Question 6

Define serious leisure.

Answer 6

The systematic pursuit of an activity that is sufficiently substantial and interesting for the participant to find a career in the acquisition and expression of its special skills and knowledge” (Stebbins, 1992)

[e.g Professional sportsman]

Question 7

Leisure experiences that require—- and — to overcome obstacles are more likely to yield more positive benefits.

Answer 7

Personal effort and Perseverance

Question 8

What are the features of serious leisure?

Answer 8

Occasional perseverance.

Career-like quality – stages, histories, turning points.

Significant personal effort related to the application of acquired knowledge, training and, skill.

durable benefits (self-actualization, self-enrichment, self-expression, enhanced self-image.

-Strong identification through their involvement.

Question 9

what are the durable benefits of serious leisure?

Answer 9

1. Self-actualization
2. Self-enrichment
3. Self-expression
4. Enhanced self-image

Question 10

what constraints are found in serious leisure?

Answer 10

Leisure constraints: Also contains tensions, dislikes and, disappointments that must be negotiated.

Question 11

how do cultural differences contribute to different [how long] leisure times and different leisure habits and different prioritization of leisure time?

Answer 11

Time for leisure varies from one society to the next, although anthropologists have found that hunter-gatherers tend to have significantly more leisure time than people in more complex societies.

Capitalist societies often view active leisure activities positively, because active leisure activities require the purchase of equipment and services, which stimulates the economy.

Question 12

What is a workaholic?

Answer 12

Workaholics are people who work compulsively at the expense of other activities such as socializing and engaging in other leisure activities. Many see this as a necessary sacrifice to attain high-ranking corporate positions. Increasing attention is being paid to the effects of such imbalance upon the worker and their family.

Question 13

Leisure in India

Answer 13

Consumption of food an important part of leisure.
Meal times are social occasions.
Collective rituals such as celebrations – weddings and religious festivals

Question 14

Leisure in the middle east

Answer 14

Leisure opportunities constrained by the pressure of everyday existence on both time and money.
Socializing with friends and relatives: meal times and religious activities.
More affluent urban middle-class with the gradual increase in the western pattern of leisure.
Cultural barriers restrict women’s access to leisure time and activities.

Question 15

Aboriginal context of leisure

Answer 15

Aboriginal writers talked about sewing, craft circles, story-telling, poetry, painting and humor, and laughter, which provide a collective space for affirming self-worth, autonomy, pride, and strength, for releasing stress and tension, and for gaining community spirit.

Question 16

Leisure does not necessarily mean relaxation. make an example.

Answer 16

Eg. A coffee break might elevate the stress response through the stimulating effect of caffeine.

Question 17

Define relaxation and discuss

Answer 17

Relaxation is the mental and physical freedom from tension or stress.

It is a state that may be present or absent throughout the body, affecting skeletal muscles, skin conductance, visceral functions (heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure) and cerebral activities (thoughts, perceptions and emotional states).

Question 18

Theories of relaxation

Answer 18

The human organism possesses a strong drive towards homeostasis

The relaxation response was hypothesized by Benson to be the body’s natural and innate protective mechanism to counter the potential harmful body effects of the stress response.

Question 19

What is the relaxation response? Theory by Benson.

Answer 19

The stress response (‘fight or flight’) has well-documented physiological components: inc blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood flow to the muscles, and secretion of adrenalin.

Relaxation response – physiologically a generalized decrease in sympathetic nervous system activity and a possible increase in parasympathetic activity.

Question 20

Relaxation is an essential element in the maintenance of — and — health.

Answer 20

physical and mental

Question 21

The physical state of relaxation is usually recognized by the absence of —, measured by physiological changes.

Answer 21

tension

Question 22

The stress response vs relaxation response.

Answer 22

The stress response (‘fight or flight’) has well-documented physiological components: inc blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood flow to the muscles, and secretion of adrenalin.

Relaxation response – physiologically a generalized decrease in sympathetic nervous system activity and a possible increase in parasympathetic activity.

Question 23

1. wherein the brain is the relaxation response activated?

2. the relaxation response is the protective mechanism against what? tel system

Answer 23

1. Anterior hypothalamus

2. Overstressing

Question 24

discuss Jacobson’s progressive relaxation.

Answer 24

Pioneer of relaxation training.

Jacobson concluded that tension involves the effort manifested in the shortening of muscle fibers, that an individual experiences tension when he/she feels anxious, and that removing the tension can eliminate the anxiety.

Basically, the state of muscular relaxation is incompatible with anxiety.

Question 25

Jacobson observed that responses to danger are reflected in — as well as —.

Answer 25

Perception and Musculature

Question 26

state Hans Selye’s 3 stages of the general adaptation syndrome.

Answer 26

alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Question 27

Our stores of adaptation energy are limited, — and — can restore resistance and adaptability.

Answer 27

Sleep and rest.

Question 28

differentiate between cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety. knowing this difference helps us better recommend a relaxation technique that will help the specific anxiety.

Answer 28

1. left hemisphere (racing thoughts, preoccupation – cognitive anxiety)
2. right hemisphere (visual and spatial images – somatic anxiety)

Question 29

In contrast to Jacobson’s early hypothesis that the mind is relaxed when the body is relaxed, David & Swartz maintain that there is a distinction between —and — relaxation, and one may not be necessarily dependent on the other.

Answer 29

Muscular and Mental

Question 30

Discuss the clinical applications for relaxation training: Anxiety, Hypertension, Insomnia.

Answer 30

Anxiety: The autonomic effects of deep relaxation are diametrically opposed to those characteristics of anxiety.

Hypertension: reduction of blood pressure readings with relaxation therapy. Benson suggests the relaxation response has same action as some hypertensive drugs, by interrupting sympathetic nervous system activity.

Insomnia: Research shows successful application of progressive relaxation, visual imagery, and autogenic training in treatment of insomnia

Question 31

Pain and cancer

Answer 31

Pain: Secondary anxiety and muscle tension can cause an increase in the perceived intensity of pain and in the individual’s tolerance for pain.
Relaxation can enhance the effectiveness of many different types of pain relief measures.

Cancer: Used to counter negative conditioned response to chemotherapy and reduce distress associated with chemo.