Sometimes it can feel like the to-do list is never going to end, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take some time to take care of yourself first. Whether you’re running a busy household or rushed off your feet at work, it’s easy to forget that we all need to take time out of our schedules to check in with ourselves.
Stress and anxiety can lead to serious health problems if left unchecked. Relaxation is one of the easiest ways to combat stress and improve mental and physical health. NLP training have created a guide to our favorite techniques that you can practice anywhere and anytime you want, because taking care of your mental health is incredibly important, and relaxation techniques can be a big help.
Here are some tips that you might find useful.
Deep Breathing: Practice deep breathing exercises. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. This can help reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and then relax each muscle group in your body, starting from your toes and working your way up to your head. This can help release tension and promote relaxation.
Mindfulness Meditation: Practice mindfulness by focusing on the present moment without judgment. This can help reduce stress and anxiety.
Yoga: Engage in yoga, which combines physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. Yoga can help reduce stress, improve flexibility, and promote relaxation.
Listen to Music: Listen to calming music that you enjoy. Music can have a soothing effect on the mind and body.
Nature Walks: Spend time in nature. Take a walk in a park or forest, or simply sit outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Being in nature can help reduce stress and improve your mood.
Aromatherapy: Use essential oils or scented candles to create a relaxing environment. Scents like lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood are known for their calming properties.
Limit Screen Time: Reduce your exposure to screens, especially before bedtime. The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with your sleep and overall mental well-being.
It’s important to find what works best for you, as different techniques may resonate more with different people. If you have difficulty with the tips above or don’t find them very helpful, try doing them to relax and reduce stress. Try to think about what might help you to relax. If there’s something that helps you, try to find time to fit it into your day. For example, this could be having a bath or shower. Or going for a walk or listening to music.
Take a break if you need to: If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a stressful situation, try to take a break. A change of scene may help you to relax and relieve feelings of distress, even just for a few minutes.
Do something you enjoy: Try to make time to do an activity you like on a regular basis. This could be cooking a meal, getting in touch with a friend or watching TV.
Try to manage stress: If you’re under a lot of pressure, you may start to feel overwhelmed or out of control. Stress can also cause physical effects on our bodies.
Focus on the present: Paying attention to the present moment or your senses can be helpful. This is sometimes called mindfulness. You can use techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises. Or you can practice mindfulness by paying more attention to your senses while doing things you do each day, for example, while washing up or eating.
It’s been shown that focusing on the present can help people become more aware of their thoughts and feelings. This means that instead of being overwhelmed by your feelings, it may become easier to manage them.
Make a self-care kit: It may help to put together some things that could help you when you’re struggling. A self-care kit is filled with things that normally comfort you and help you relax. For example, you could include your favorites book, pictures or photos, a stress ball or fidget toy and a comforting blanket or slippers.
Or you could make a digital self-care kit on your phone. You could save photos, music, videos, messages or sayings that you find helpful. Or notes to remind yourself how to manage difficult situations.
The takeaway
Being chronically stressed can take a toll on your physical and mental health.
Getting more exercise, practicing mindfulness, spending time with a pet, minimizing screen time, and getting outside more often are all ways that you can reduce stress.
