Ways to Relax your Mind

Today, we have a hectic lifestyle with busy schedules, deadlines, commitments at work and home. Naturally, we do not have the time to sit back and relax a bit. We have stopped spending time with ourselves. In such a scenario where we have almost forgotten our wants and needs, there is a high chance that we get stressed out. This kind of mental stress often triggers nervousness, panic attack, unnecessary worries, insomnia and a host of other health concerns. If neglected for long time, some serious health problems like high blood pressure may develop in future. For all these reasons, it is important that you learn about ways to relax when stressed.

Relaxation Techniques for Stress

There are some special techniques which when practiced regularly can help you to develop control over a stressed mind. A few such popular techniques for relaxation are discussed here:

Meditation: We all know, meditation has a calming effect on the restless mind. The best time to practice meditation is when you are praying. Or else, you sit in a quiet, comfortable place, close your eyes and focus on any one single thought. Thus you can discard all unwanted thoughts that occupy your mind and you will feel at peace with yourself. A relaxed mind then helps to loosen up your tensed body muscles. Practicing yoga and tai chi are the two most sought after meditation techniques.

Control Breathing: Under the influence of stress, you tend to breathe so rapidly that you do not exhale properly. It creates an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body which often leads to fatigue and depression. For this reason, it is essential to develop a control over your breathing. You can do this with the help of deep breathing exercise. You can sit anywhere and do this simple breathing exercise. Take a long deep breath through the nose, hold it for a few seconds and then release it slowly through the mouth. Repeat it for 8-10 times and you will feel relaxed almost instantly.

Massage: A full-body massage helps to release the tension and pain from the taut stressed out muscles. You can go for a massage on your off day or at the end of a tiring day at work. Deep tissue massage is particularly good as it can release tension from those muscle fibers which cannot be relaxed by any other technique. Make sure the massage is done by a certified professional only. Massaging with aromatherapy oils like lavender or chamomile has a refreshing effect on both mind and body.

Listen to Music: A soothing music relaxes the agitated, tensed mind. Just switch on your favorite music and listen to it once at the start of the day and once before retiring for the day. Slow tempo music is preferable as it helps in slowing down the breathing and heart rate. Many medical experts opine that music therapy can even lower high blood pressure.

Ways to Relax Before Bedtime

When your mind is overloaded with worries, then it becomes difficult to fall asleep. In this condition, you should try out reverse counting to relax the mind. Slowly count from 20 to 1 and you will be able to distract your mind from those thoughts which were bothering you and get a sound sleep. Taking a hot bath before going to bed is an excellent idea to relieve the stress from mind and body. Add some scented bath oil for better results. Write down about all your thoughts and emotions on a piece of paper at night. Thus you can have a better view of your life and the situation around you which will help you to get rid of the burden of worries.

Ways to Relax at Workplace

The schedule, responsibilities, and workload at the workplace can make you really stressed out. Some simple changes in your style of working and work environment can make a lot of difference. If you walk into the workstation and find that your desk is full of paper and other work related items, you are bound to get anxious. Organize all those things in drawers and cabinets and keep your desk free. Give a personalized touch to your desk by keeping some family photographs. This will make you feel good throughout the day. Prioritize your work as per their importance. Then you do not have to juggle from one task to another. Give all your attention to the work at hand which can become a kind of mediation in itself. Thus you can put in your best effort and derive a lot of satisfaction.

These are some simple ways to relax your mind. You can yield maximum benefits out of them if you lead a healthy lifestyle. It involves, eating healthy foods, maintaining physical fitness with exercises, improving physical posture and continuous self motivation. If you drink excessive alcohol or caffeine, then cut down on them and have herbal tea instead.

 Taken at : buzzle.com