MONROE, Mich. (Nov. 19, 2009) – Eat the right foods.  Exercise regularly.  Wear sunscreen.  Most of us know these basic components to a healthy lifestyle, but now, doctors have some welcome advice for those who are stressed out about being healthy: take a deep breath, head to your recliner and relax! 

While nutrition and exercise remain key components to a healthy lifestyle, doctors recognize the importance of relaxation to reduce stress.  According to a recent study* of primary care physicians:

·         The vast majority of doctors (94 percent) say daily relaxation at home is important to reduce stress.

·         An overwhelming 96 percent of doctors agree that sitting at home in a reclined position promotes relaxation.

·         On average, doctors recommend about one hour of relaxation each day, in conjunction with other healthy behaviors, to relieve stress. 

“Health consciousness has risen dramatically over the past few decades, but so have stress levels, and many people mistakenly believe that healthy living equals busy living,” said Dr. Dave David, a board-certified physician who has been practicing medicine for more than 30 years.  “Taking time to relax and unwind each day can be very beneficial in many ways, including lowering blood pressure and increasing emotional and mental health.  The reclining position is especially helpful because it prevents swelling and edema, promotes good posture and eases pressure on the joints.”

“It’s great that physicians are recognizing the need for relaxation in our hectic society,” said Doug Collier, chief marketing officer for La-Z-Boy.  “We have always known that reclining helps people relax and relieve stress, and now it has been confirmed by doctors around the country.”

Dr. David recommends using recliners that offer total body and lumbar support as well as varying degrees of reclining, as each person has unique support needs.  La-Z-Boy recliners feature truly customizable reclining comfort with a number of exclusive features, including: a Patented Three-Position Legrest for a choice of locking legrest positions; a Patented Ratcheting Mechanism that allows for 18 incremental tilt positions; Independent Back Recline, for reclining the chair back with the legrest in the closed position; and Patented Full-Body Recline Layout to ensure total body support at all times. 

“In today’s hectic world, where so many people have extremely busy schedules, it’s important to make relaxing a priority,” said Dr. David. “There’s no better place to follow ‘doctor’s orders’ than in a comfortable recliner or reclining sofa.”

For more stress tips from Dr. David or additional La-Z-Boy product information, visit http://www.la-z-boy.com/PrescriptionRecline.

About La-Z-Boy

Headquartered in Monroe, Mich., La-Z-Boy is one of the world’s leading residential furniture producers.  The company manufactures a full line of comfortable products for the living room and family room, including the company’s world-famous recliners, reclining sofas and love seats, sleep sofas, modular furniture and leather upholstery, as well as stationary sofas, love seats and chairs.  It is a division of La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE: LZB), one of the world’s leading residential furniture producers, marketing furniture for every room of the home.  Comfort.  It’s what we do.^SM 

*This survey of 300 primary care physicians (PCPs) in the U.S. was completed for La-Z-Boy by the L.C. Williams & Associates (LCWA) Research Group from July 29-31, 2009.