By Lachlan Haynes
A few good relaxation techniques can really help save our life, because stress is more than just an unpleasant experience - it's also dangerous to our health! Disciplined practices such as meditation can really help relieve that stress for us, but what do you do if you don't have the time or motivation to do some meditation? Below are ten techniques to help you relax when meditation is not your thing!
1. Hug someone. Physical contact with someone works wonders! It sets off hormones in your brain which make you feel good. As long as the person being hugged is someone you trust - it's well worth carrying out. This only works, however, if you hug a living creature - soft toys or your pillow just won't cut it. Alternatively, you can try hugging a pet!
2. Interrupt your daily routine. Taking the same route to the bus stop, buying coffee from your local cafe, or getting the same sandwich for lunch - this may all seem very familiar and fall within your comfort zone, but familiarity breeds contempt, as they say. Try taking yourself out of your comfort zone and try something new. Take the longer route to the bus stop, check out the cute little coffee shop tucked away in the corner, or try a wrap instead of a sandwich. These are the sorts of experiences that will break you out of your habit and open you up to new horizons, and help you to get into a stress free mindset.
3. Take a hot bath. This will grant you the trifecta: physical, emotional, and mental relief! Not only are you providing deep relaxation to your muscles, but also you are granting yourself a nice, quiet session in the tub, away from the world and all about you.
4. Try watching your mind. Spot the stressors lurking just below the surface (hunger, worry, a phone call you need to make), and you can resolve them and feel more relaxed. If you practice this mindfulness exercise, it may become one of your favorite relaxation techniques.
5. Try laughing. The saying 'laughter is the best medicine' is there for a reason! Laughing will help you to relax and unwind. If you're struggling to find anything funny to laugh about, ask a friend for a good joke or a funny story! The internet is always a good source for jokes and other funny TV shows and movies which you can easily watch to get your funny bone going. You can also check out many shows by comedians on YouTube.
6. Use relaxing music. Keep your favorite relaxation music in your iPod, in the car, or wherever you'll need it and are able to use it the most.
7. Leave the room for a while. If there is a scenario or circumstance in a particular room or area that is causing you to stress out, then try taking some time out from that place. Removing yourself physically from a stressful situation can work wonders!
8. Breathe deeply. Deep breathing is a quick fire meditation method, and can be extremely effective. Count slowly to five while inhaling through your nose, and do the same while breathing out. It helps to keep your eyes closed while doing this, as then you are solely focusing on your breath. Repeat this for as many times as you want to until you feel calmer - it works wonders!
9. Sip some herbal tea. There are many herbal teas out there - chamomile, lavender, and Valerian root are just a few. If you don't care for these, just trying a simple cup of non-caffeinated hot tea can be relaxing (add honey if you're feeling fun). Try using a straining ball with fresh herbs for the most flavor and potency.
10. Go for a walk. If you have five or ten minutes to spare, walking is one of the best relaxation techniques. While you're at it, find a pretty place to walk. No point walking near dumpsters or people smoking cigarettes. See if you can find somewhere calming (think trees, flowers, lakes and birds).
Stress levels and how stress is handled varies from person to person. Some people just naturally have a more 'stressed' personality than others. But whatever your personality type is, it's important to deal with stress in the gentlest way possible - rather than forcing yourself to de-stress (because then you might end up getting more stressed than you were in the first place!) Do one thing at a time and at a pace which is comfortable for you. You may find that one of the methods listed above works better for you than another, but by all means, try them all out! Over time, you will find that you have mastered one method of relaxation, and when you reach that stage, try the others.
1. Hug someone. Physical contact with someone works wonders! It sets off hormones in your brain which make you feel good. As long as the person being hugged is someone you trust - it's well worth carrying out. This only works, however, if you hug a living creature - soft toys or your pillow just won't cut it. Alternatively, you can try hugging a pet!
2. Interrupt your daily routine. Taking the same route to the bus stop, buying coffee from your local cafe, or getting the same sandwich for lunch - this may all seem very familiar and fall within your comfort zone, but familiarity breeds contempt, as they say. Try taking yourself out of your comfort zone and try something new. Take the longer route to the bus stop, check out the cute little coffee shop tucked away in the corner, or try a wrap instead of a sandwich. These are the sorts of experiences that will break you out of your habit and open you up to new horizons, and help you to get into a stress free mindset.
3. Take a hot bath. This will grant you the trifecta: physical, emotional, and mental relief! Not only are you providing deep relaxation to your muscles, but also you are granting yourself a nice, quiet session in the tub, away from the world and all about you.
4. Try watching your mind. Spot the stressors lurking just below the surface (hunger, worry, a phone call you need to make), and you can resolve them and feel more relaxed. If you practice this mindfulness exercise, it may become one of your favorite relaxation techniques.
5. Try laughing. The saying 'laughter is the best medicine' is there for a reason! Laughing will help you to relax and unwind. If you're struggling to find anything funny to laugh about, ask a friend for a good joke or a funny story! The internet is always a good source for jokes and other funny TV shows and movies which you can easily watch to get your funny bone going. You can also check out many shows by comedians on YouTube.
6. Use relaxing music. Keep your favorite relaxation music in your iPod, in the car, or wherever you'll need it and are able to use it the most.
7. Leave the room for a while. If there is a scenario or circumstance in a particular room or area that is causing you to stress out, then try taking some time out from that place. Removing yourself physically from a stressful situation can work wonders!
8. Breathe deeply. Deep breathing is a quick fire meditation method, and can be extremely effective. Count slowly to five while inhaling through your nose, and do the same while breathing out. It helps to keep your eyes closed while doing this, as then you are solely focusing on your breath. Repeat this for as many times as you want to until you feel calmer - it works wonders!
9. Sip some herbal tea. There are many herbal teas out there - chamomile, lavender, and Valerian root are just a few. If you don't care for these, just trying a simple cup of non-caffeinated hot tea can be relaxing (add honey if you're feeling fun). Try using a straining ball with fresh herbs for the most flavor and potency.
10. Go for a walk. If you have five or ten minutes to spare, walking is one of the best relaxation techniques. While you're at it, find a pretty place to walk. No point walking near dumpsters or people smoking cigarettes. See if you can find somewhere calming (think trees, flowers, lakes and birds).
Stress levels and how stress is handled varies from person to person. Some people just naturally have a more 'stressed' personality than others. But whatever your personality type is, it's important to deal with stress in the gentlest way possible - rather than forcing yourself to de-stress (because then you might end up getting more stressed than you were in the first place!) Do one thing at a time and at a pace which is comfortable for you. You may find that one of the methods listed above works better for you than another, but by all means, try them all out! Over time, you will find that you have mastered one method of relaxation, and when you reach that stage, try the others.
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