We all want to be productive and accomplish our goals, but with never-ending to-do-lists and other things that can’t wait, it’s usually hard to make time to just relax. Some days, all I want is to forget about everything and take a vacation. Taking a break and going away would be amazing, but we can’t just pack up and leave each time we feel stressed by our daily obligations. So, what can we do to reduce stress, feel calmer, clear our minds, and access that state of being at our best? Social media and Netflix are a great distraction. However, does your mind feel more relaxed and clear, or more stressed and cluttered after these activities?
What are the activities that help you to really relax and access that sense of clear thinking and wellbeing?
The Importance of Relaxation
When we are overly stressed, we may experience unpleasant physical sensations like headaches, tension, and fatigue. We may also experience more worrying, racing thoughts, poor concentration, and difficulty with decision making. Further, too much stress has been associated with anxiety, depression, aggression, and low self-esteem. On the bright side, moments of true relaxation can help to manage these symptoms and provide various benefits to our wellbeing.
Some of the benefits of relaxation include:
- Improves concentration and focus: Dr. Greg Wells discusses the importance of relaxation techniques, like meditation, to increase our mental energy, motivation, and improve attention to accomplish our goals.
- Boosts creativity: Creativity is the key to effective problem-solving. Dr. Wells reveals how moments of relaxation like seeking solitude away from the hustle and bustle and practicing meditation can boost creativity.
- Increases emotional well-being: The hormone cortisol gets activated when we are stressed. Too much of this hormone in our system reduces the levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are the biochemicals present when we feel pleasure, connection, and happiness.
- Lowers inflammation: When we are stressed, our immune system is more vulnerable to illnesses like the common cold. Relaxation techniques strengthen our bodies to fight illness and inflammation. Further, they help us feel like we’re in the driver’s seat.
- Reduces anger and frustration: A demanding to-do list or difficult peers may increase anger and frustration and cause physical symptoms like muscle tension, rapid/shallow breathing, and feeling irritable or impatient with others. Practicing relaxation techniques can help to reduce that tension, allow for kinder interactions, and build resilience.
- Lowers heart and breathing rates: Stress can increase our risk of high blood pressure, which is associated with heart attacks and other related issues. When we give our bodies moments of relaxation, we protect our heart health.
- Reduces fatigue: Non-stop productivity and stress can sometimes make it hard to fall asleep and cause restlessness. Practicing relaxation every day can help clear your mind and improve your sleep.
6 Relaxation Techniques to Try Right Now
When we give ourselves permission to relax, we give our bodies the chance to recharge and refresh. Moments of relaxation increase our mental agility, which can help us come up with fresh ideas, perspectives, and solutions to our problems. So, find a relaxation technique that works best for you and add it to your daily routine, even for just a few minutes or just a few breaths at a time. Like any other skill, learning how to relax intentionally takes practice. Be patient and kind with yourself as you cultivate this new habit. If a technique is not working for you, consider another one. Here are 6 relaxation techniques that have been proven to help.
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Progressive Muscle Relaxation
This exercise involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups progressively, one group at a time. In doing so, you will become better at identifying how stress appears in your body and dissolve it in the moment. Get the instructions to practice progressive muscle relaxation here.
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Deep Breathing
Simply focusing your attention on your breath for a few minutes offers a variety of benefits. There are several breathing techniques. To start, inhale through your nose counting to 4, hold the breath for 4 and exhale slowly through your mouth while counting to 8. As you inhale, can imagine that you are smelling the beautiful fragrance of a flower, and as you exhale, imagine that you are blowing a candle. Practicing deep breathing calms the body, reduces anxiety, and lowers the heart rate.
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Visualization
Take a moment to imagine that you are in a calm place. This can be a vacation moment when you are lying on the sand at the beach, snuggling up with a pet, or looking at the stars during a summer night. Focus on the details of the relaxing setting, including all your senses. Consider, what do you see, what is the temperature in this place, what do you smell, what do you feel in your body, what sounds are around you, and what thoughts are going through your mind as you are enjoying yourself in this moment of pure relaxation?
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Mindfulness & Meditation
There are many different forms of meditation. Meditation encourages body awareness and inner peace. Mindfulness involves taking the time to be completely present in the moment without judgment. You can practice mindfulness while colouring a book or by going for a walk and being fully aware of your surroundings, such as noticing the trees, snow, clouds. Moreover, practicing guided meditations can help you with your mindfulness journey.
Find out more about the benefits of mindfulness meditation.
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Exercise
Exercise such as yoga often combines movement with breathing exercises, which reduces the stress levels and promotes a sense of peace and relaxation while improving flexibility and muscle tone. But, all exercises create endorphins in our body, which are the hormones that make us feel good, energized, and improve our mood. So, any exercise that you like will be beneficial for your health if practiced regularly.
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Focused Hobbies
Carve out some time every day to focus on a hobby you enjoy. For instance, practicing an instrument, painting, or reading articles about topics that interest you. Try to find a hobby that gets you away from your usual obligations. The goal is to change the scene to refresh and recharge.
See a CBT Therapist
While these tips can help to reduce stress and increase productivity, they are not replacements for professional help. If you find yourself struggling to relax and feel like the weight of your stress is causing impairments in your daily life, making it difficult to relate to others, is more than you can handle, reach out to get help. A CBT therapist can help you develop more effective coping strategies. Remember, a calm and relaxed mind is a more productive and happy mind.
