Relaxation; the act or fact of being or becoming rested, calm, or less tense or severe relaxation of rules a vacation of fun and relaxation. 2 : a way of becoming rested or calm and free from stress I listen to music for relaxation. relaxation. noun.
10 easy ways to relax
Go Swimming. Ok, yes we would say that wouldn’t we, but it happens to be true. Swimming for just 30 minutes, three days a week has be shown to lower stress levels, improve sleep patterns, and lower anxiety and depression. Forget the outside world as weightless embrace of the water carries you along.
Listen to music. If you feel tensions rising play something relaxing, like classical music. Or find a song you like that fires happy memories. Music, like swimming, can lower blood pressure and anxiety. Try a water proof MP3 player and breaststroke your way through a few lengths while listening relaxing tunes.
Visualisation. Find a quiet place, take deep breaths and imagine yourself on a secluded beach. Try to make the visualisation as detailed as possible. Think of smells, sounds, and the way the light breeze feels on your face. it may sound a bit ‘hippy’ but visualisation is used by the world’s top athletes to win medals. If it works for them it can work to help you relax.
Go outside. If your brain feels battered, one of the easy ways to relax is to head outdoors. A simple 10 minute walk breathing fresh air can make a huge amount of difference.
Deep breathing. When we are stressed we take oxygen-poor shallow breaths. Try slowing down your breathing and breathing from your diaphragm (search Google for techniques) or head over to our Breathing to help reduce stress stress article here.
Meditation. Don’t worry, there’s no whale song in sight. It’s about awareness, listening to your own breathing, and clearing your mind of what’s stressing you. This article is a good start to meditation, offering 20 tips for beginners. Try it when you feel stress or as a preventative measure for 5 to 10 minutes a day.
Yoga. You don’t have to do a full hour long workout to appreciate some of the benefits. The NHS has a good section on Yoga here. Many swimmers find that yoga helps them with their swimming. You can out what they have to say here. Yoga is a tried and tested way of relaxing and improving wellbeing generally.
Relax your jaw. No, really. Jaw tension is a big issue for stressed workers in office situations. Many of us carry stress in our jaws. Most of us don’t know it, but we do. Try opening your mouth wide for 30 seconds, breathing through your nose. When it feels stretched close your mouth gently. Repeat this a couple of times.
Take a cat nap. Taking a 20 minute cat nap is one of the easy ways to relax. Anything over 30 minutes and you enter deep sleep. This will make you groggy and can be counter-productive.
Talk it through. We are social animals. Sharing your feelings with a friend is a great way to relax. Phone your mum for a moan or offload onto a colleague or friend.
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