Why Relaxation Is a Performance Tool (Even If It Feels Uncomfortable at First)

Carl Morton
Nov 20
4 min read

Updated: 7 days ago

In environments focused on performance, whether in physical training or in professional life, the idea of lying down, closing your eyes and “doing nothing” for a few minutes can feel counterintuitive.

Some participants admit: “I’m not really comfortable with the relaxation part of the class.”

Interestingly, many of those same people later say it has become the most valuable moment of the session.

So what changes? And how can simple guided relaxation boost both physical and mental performance?

Guided Relaxation ≠ Meditation

One of the misunderstandings comes from associating guided relaxation with meditation. The word meditation can feel intimidating or suggest that the goal is to “empty the mind”, which often creates pressure or even a sense of failure if thoughts continue.

Guided relaxation does not aim to control the mind. It’s simply the process of gradually releasing tension from the body, using the breath and gentle guidance. When the body begins to relax, the mind naturally calms down, not because we try to silence it, but because we give it space to do so.

Why so many people struggle to relax

A cognitive behavioural therapist once told me that many of his clients cannot maintain even ten seconds of stillness without their mind spinning. This happens particularly among high-performing or competitive individuals. They tend to feel that if they cannot immediately relax, they are “not doing it correctly”.

There are several reasons for this discomfort:

A constantly active mind leads to discomfort in moments of stillness.
High performers often expect immediate results and can feel they're failing if it doesn’t work straight away.
Many people are more accustomed to action than recovery.
When tension and mental overload are deeply rooted, relaxing can initially feel unsettling.

Ironically, the people who resist relaxation the most are often those who need it most.

Benefits of guided relaxation

For the mind:

Reduces stress and anxiety
Improves focus
Lowers mental fatigue

For the body:

Accelerates muscle recovery
Reduces unnecessary physical tension
Activates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and recovery mode)

For overall performance (sport and work):

Supports access to flow states
Improves clarity of decision-making
Enhances resilience and stamina

Relaxation is therefore not a passive act, it is an active strategy for optimisation.

From resistance to realisation: the evolution of participants

Many people initially join sessions for the physical benefits only, with comments like:

“I’m here to work out, not to lie on the floor.”

After a few sessions: “Actually, this is the moment that recentres me. I perform better after this.”

This shift happens not because they suddenly became interested in mindfulness, but because they experienced, physically, the value of slowing down.

When the body restores balance, the mind follows.

Many participants initially resist the relaxation part, in fact, I did too. The idea of pausing felt counter to a high-performance mindset. But over time, I experienced (and now repeatedly witness) that it’s precisely this moment of release that opens the door to deeper strength and clarity

A step toward focus

During guided relaxation, attention naturally moves from one area of the body to another. This gentle focus slows the mental noise without forcing it, creating the foundations for mental clarity..

It is also a potential gateway toward future exploration of focused attention and deep meditation. An even more powerful tool for performance, though that is for another chapter.

Conclusion

Relaxing the body is not about doing less, but about enabling more.

When we create space for the body to recover and the mind to settle, we optimise physical performance, mental clarity and overall efficiency.

In a world that constantly demands action, the ability to recover becomes a competitive advantage.

Sometimes, the most powerful work happens in the moments when we allow ourselves to stop

Evidence & Research Supporting Guided Relaxation

While guided relaxation may appear simple, its effects are widely supported by scientific research across physiology, neuroscience, and performance psychology.

Stress Reduction & Mental Clarity

A study conducted at the University of California showed that even 10 minutes of guided relaxation following physical exertion can successfully lower cortisol levels and restore focus and working memory.

Breathing & Recovery

Slow and controlled breathing (around six breaths per minute) has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping the body reduce stress and improve heart rate variability (HRV), a key indicator used by elite athletes for tracking recovery.

Focus and Productivity

Research from Stanford University indicates that task-switching can reduce productivity by up to 40%. Practices that train attention, such as guided relaxation, help reset mental patterns and encourage single-pointed focus, which is linked to higher performance in both sport and work.

Mind–Muscle Connection

Scientific studies in resistance training demonstrate that intentionally focusing attention on the working muscle can increase muscle activation by more than 20%, highlighting the role of awareness and concentration even in physical performance.

Why High Performers Struggle to Relax

Neuroscience findings suggest that individuals with high cognitive drive or strong ambition often become accustomed to constant mental stimulation. As a result, they may perceive stillness as inefficiency or even discomfort. Guided relaxation gently retrains the nervous system, teaching the mind that letting go is not vulnerability, but recovery.

In Essence

Guided relaxation is not merely the end of a session, it is an intentional method of recovery that enhances physical performance, supports mental clarity, and builds long-term resilience.