5 Ways to Relax Your Body and Mind

Do you struggle to relax? Does your mind go into overdrive every time you try to rest or need some much-needed downtime? If it does, you are not alone. Many people have trouble winding down.  Relaxing the body and mind is challenging in the fast-paced world we live in. Work, children, family commitments, and financial worries all fighting for our attention may make relaxation seem like an unattainable luxury. But there are good habits we can incorporate into our everyday lives to help develop a routine of relaxation.

Yoga has seen a surge of popularity in recent times for its variety of health benefits for the mind and body. Yoga was a practice developed in Northern India over 5000 years ago and has evolved over the years in terms of technique and spiritual beliefs. Today it is a practice adopted by complementary therapists as well as mainstream practitioners. You don’t need any special equipment to practice yoga, and you can either attend yoga sessions in any affordable yoga retreats or watch a yoga tutorial on YouTube video.

One of the many benefits of Yoga is the relaxing effect it has on the mind.  Yoga focuses on breath control as you inhale and exhale. It helps calm any unwanted thoughts and enables you to concentrate on the moment. Yoga teaches you how to ‘belly breathe’ a practice that alleviates anxiety and allows you to regain control if under stress. The great thing about belly breathing is you can utilize it whenever you want to de-stress or prevent a panic attack.

Another technique used in Yoga is progressive muscle relaxation. It involves the process of concentrating on each muscle group and tensing individual muscles for 10 seconds and releasing. By doing this one by one throughout your body, you get a feeling of heaviness as the tension starts to disappear. Practising relaxation and body strengthening Yoga is an excellent gift for wellbeing. 

In a world of smart devices and screens, sometimes it seems that reading is a dying pastime. But limiting screen time, and reading an engaging book is beneficial and good for the mind. Reading strengthens the brain. When distracted by negative thinking, getting engrossed in a story takes us out of our minds and into the life/lives of others. Reading before bed is especially useful to prepare us for sleep. Turning off screens and minimising eye strain by using blue light-free bulbs in the bedroom will help alleviate the blue light’s effect which is known to be responsible for blocking melatonin; the hormone released at night that triggers sleep. 

Mindfulness is the act of focusing on the moment and paying attention to the things around you, such as sights, sounds, smells, and textures. How does it aid relaxation? Mindfulness comes from Buddhist practices. If there is one thing that Buddhists are known for it’s their calm and peaceful way of life. Mindfulness helps you become more self-aware, allowing you to choose how to respond to thoughts and feelings as they crop up. It does take a while to master and needs to be practiced consistently, but you’ll find that mindfulness will help you identify troublesome feelings and deal with them appropriately once it becomes a habit. 

Just as with Yoga, Mindfulness practitioners offer classes, but there are also many free guides and demonstrations online that can help you get started.

You may not associate exercise with relaxation, in fact, quite the opposite but regular exercise pumps lots of feel-good chemicals into our bodies, creating an overall sense of wellbeing. Because the body and mind work in unison with each other if your body feels better, so, too, will your mind. Physical activity will also help you sleep better, breaking the cycle of stress, insomnia, and overtiredness. 

You can also combine exercise with the mindfulness techniques mentioned above. Focusing on how your legs hit the ground, the way you’re breathing, and how your arms are moving can keep your mind sharp and stress levels low. This works with all forms of activity.

Journaling is the act of dumping thoughts out of your mind and onto paper. Journaling has a positive impact on mental health. It helps you work through anxious thoughts and stop them from floating around in your head thus causing stress and tension in the body. It allows you to stop ruminating about problems and concentrate on dealing with them, creating a feeling of empowerment. This, in turn, helps you feel calm and relaxed. 

There are many ways to ensure that we look after our mental and physical health. In a world of uncertainty, let’s take back some control and ensure we take excellent care of ourselves, so we are strong and able to face whatever the future has in store. Taking a break every once in a while is important if you want to improve your well-being.