Today, ever more people are looking for easy-to-do relaxation techniques for managing stress. Unfortunately, we live in fast-paced, high-stress times, and taking a bit of extra time to manage our stress and improve our relaxation is essential for our mental wellbeing.
In this article, we will be looking at some helpful tips and tricks that can help you get rid of that excess stress and relax better.
Concentrate on your breathing.
Our first piece of advice to reduce stress is to concentrate on your breathing. When we are stressed out, our body tends to take shorter, shallow breaths. By doing this, we are starving our bodies of much-needed oxygen, increasing our stress levels.
With a bit of practice, you can become aware of this fight-or-flight dynamic and prevent it the moment that it occurs.
Take deep, slow, relaxing breaths. The great thing about doing this is that you can do it everywhere. At the office, at home, or even while shopping and commuting.
Design your safe haven.
We all need a safe place where we can let go of the day’s concerns and demands. The best place we recommend is the bedroom. After a long, stress-filled day, there are few things better than to retreat to our private refuge to relax.
Find a mattress that can support your entire body. Yes, even stomach sleepers need to look for a bed that can help support their spines.
Fill your room with soft, warm lighting, and invest in a humidifier with scented oils that can help destress and relax your mind. Try to avoid watching tv in the bedroom as this can keep you up at night.
Learn Tai Chi.
You don’t have to be a yoga master or a bodybuilding acrobat to take up some healthy exercise. Tai Chi is one of those exercises that anyone can do, regardless of age or fitness level.
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that helps improve health and wellbeing. It not only relaxes your mind but also helps to improve your body’s circulation.
Another great benefit about Tai Chis is that you can even do it in your living room. There are plenty of YouTube videos available which you can follow.
Scan your body.
Our final tip for reducing stress levels is to scan your body. With this, we mean that you take a couple of deep, relaxing breaths, then start to focus on a particular spot of your body. Start from the head and face, slowly making your way down to your feet and toes.
As you focus on each part of your body, feel the tension your muscles are holding there. Now, slowly release that tension as you unclench your muscles. Do this before moving on to the next part.
This simple trick will also highlight any sore muscles or tender spots that you can address with a massage or some light exercise.
The journey to mastering your stress levels.
Mastering your stress levels isn’t an easy journey. Your body becomes addicted to the stress hormones and adrenaline it releases. This natural response makes relaxing quite tricky. So, do expect some ups and downs.
The important thing is that you remain focused on achieving your goals. Recognize the stress for what it is. Accept the stress. Only then can you start working on relaxing your body.
Here are some final tips to help you manage better:
Get a good night’s rest.
Eat healthy meals.
Get plenty of sunshine.
Take short breaks during your day to just relax.
Remember to breathe in and out, deeply and slowly.
In no time at all, you will master the techniques to relax your body. What are some of the best relaxation techniques that you use? We’d love to hear them.
