For some people, the ability to relax is simple. For others, it’s like trying to find the ever-elusive off switch to their spinning thoughts. People live fast-paced lives, and when the body has been going nonstop all day, the brain struggles to pause, and if the brain can’t slow down, it is hard to relax. Fortunately, here are a few easy relaxation tips to help put that brain into a relaxed state.
Relaxing is a Necessity, Not a Luxury.
Read that again. Relaxation is a necessity. That means, for a person to be happy, healthy, and functioning at their best, they need to take time to relax. It is the ultimate self-care—schedule time to settle into your daily routine. Your day might start with reading a book, listening to quiet music, or closing your eyes and thinking about all the things for which you are grateful.
Beware the Screen at Bedtime
Bedtime is a great time to get in some extra relaxing. Try crawling between your sheets twenty minutes earlier than usual with relaxation as your goal. But resist the temptation of being in front of a screen. Exposure to blue light, which emanates from your screen, tricks the brain into staying awake.
Exercise
Exercise always seems to be the answer to everything, even relaxation. That is because activity is fantastic. When you move your body, you get an endorphin boost—these are feel-good chemicals in the brain. And when you feel good, relaxation is easier to achieve.
Understand Your Cells
Optimum health starts at the cellular level. Everything from hormones to energy production to fat storage begins with cells. When the cells achieve homeostasis, they function correctly, releasing the right chemicals and hormones. Eating foods rich in antioxidants promotes cellular health. Taking a daily vitamin also helps keep the cells working right, and when cellular health is achieved, the whole body works better.
Learn Relaxation Techniques
There are many of these, so explore them and see what works for you.
- Mindfulness: This is the practice of focusing on whatever is happening at the moment.
- Muscle relaxation: Focus on your body, starting at your head, and imagine every muscle group, all the way down to your toes, turning soft and heavy.
- Muscle tensing and relaxing: Start with your feet. Flex the muscles in them and then feel them relax into heaviness. Move up your calves, your thighs, your entire body until you get to your head. And then focus on the feeling of every muscle being saturated with heaviness.
- Guided meditation: Meditations can be found on YouTube, podcasts, or in the App Store. Search for meditations or relaxation on your favorite platform and see what you find.
- Practice and patience: No one is good at anything without a bit of practice. Be patient with yourself. After a couple of weeks of practicing relaxing, you’ll be able to see a difference.
Yoga
This ancient, low-impact form of exercise has been around for thousands of years. It uses repetitive, meditative movements to help focus the mind, reduce blood pressure, and ease stress. You can do it in the privacy of your home with videos or Youtube, or go to a guided class.
Learn to Control Your Breathing
Breathing is possibly the easiest relaxation method, and it is free. If you are new to breathing techniques, a great place to start is box breathing—the process of breathing in for four seconds, holding that breath for four seconds, breathing out for four seconds, and then holding your lungs empty for four seconds. And then repeat.
Spend Time in Green Space
Spending time in green space simply means being outside. Spending time outdoors has been proven to reduce blood pressure and boost mood. And while you’re out there, practice being present by focusing on what you feel, hear, and smell at the moment.
Self-care is essential, and relaxing is a big part of self-care, so take the time and steps you need to give your body what it deserves. You are worth it. Learn all you can, and then implement that wisdom into your daily life. Figure out what works, take care of your cells, and be the best you.