Today is National Relaxation Day!
In a world where we are constantly on the go, especially with children and work, we put our health last. Stress affects us in many negative ways with insomnia, high blood pressure, headaches, obesity, depression, it could even increase your sugar levels like A1C, ease muscle tension and lessen pain, as well as so many other health risks.
Here’s a list of some easy ways to relax:
- Breathing exercise: Breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds. Hold for 3. Exhale through your mouth for 5 seconds.
- Color: There are many adult coloring books, but you can also use children’s book. Many coloring books can be found at dollar tree as well. If you don’t like using crayons or colored pencils, there are coloring by numbers apps, like Zen Color.
- Try Autogenic Relaxation: This is where you focus on a peaceful setting or other visual location that calms you. Then create a bodily awareness to feel yourself relax. Such “relax your breathing.” “Feel your arm relax.” “Slow your heart rate.
- Visualization: Much like the visual part of autogenic relaxation, you create yourself a visual location that’s peaceful. You then include all of your senses to bring yourself into that location. Like an ocean, can you feel the breeze. Smell the ocean. Touch the sand. Hear the seagulls. Taste the salt in the air.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: this is where you focus on each part of your body. Tighten the muscle, then release the tension. This will help you learn to release tension when you’re in stressful situations so you don’t end up with pain.
- Aromatherapy: common essential oils for relaxation are: lavender, bergamot, chamomile, ylang ylang, frankincense, rose and lemon balm. Be sure to do your research on dilutions.
Other techniques include: listening to music, looking at art, massages, meditation, yoga, tea, reading, watching a movie, playing with a pet, scrapbook/journal, writing, and so many more.
Your goal is to get your heart rate down and do something you enjoy. Breathing exercises and yoga may not be for everyone. Visualization may not be for everyone. Drinking tea, may not be for everyone.
But learning how to relax, is important for your health. What better day to start than National Relaxation day?
