Relaxation is a process that decreases the effects of stress on your mind and body. These relaxation techniques can help you to cope with everyday stress and stress-related various health problems.
For many people, relaxation means flopping on the couch and zoning out in front of the TV at the end of a stressful day. But this does little to reduce the damaging effects of stress. Rather you need to activate your body’s natural relaxation response, a state of deep rest that puts the breaks on stress, slows your breathing and heart rate. You can do this by practicing relaxation techniques.
Types of Relaxation techniques
Deep breathing
Progressive muscle relaxation
Body scan meditation
Visualization
Mindfulness meditation
Rhythmic movement and
Mindful exercise
Tai chi
Finding the best relaxation technique for you
There is no single relaxation technique that works for everyone. The right technique is the one that resonates with you, fits your lifestyle, and can focus your mind to elicit the relaxation response. That means it may require some trial to find the technique (or techniques) that work best for you.
Benefits of relaxation techniques
️ Slowing heart rate
️ Lowering blood pressure
️ Slowing breath rate
️ Improve digestion
️ Maintain normal blood sugar levels
️ Reducing the activity of stress hormones
️ Increasing blood flow to major muscles
️ Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
Improving sleep quality
Lowering fatigue
Reducing anger and frustration
Boosting confidence to handle problems
Deep breathing
With its focus on full, cleansing breaths, deep breathing is a simple yet powerful relaxation technique. It’s easy to learn, can be practiced almost anywhere, and provides a quick way to get your stress levels in check. Deep breathing is the cornerstone of many other relaxation practices too. And can be combined with other relaxing elements such as aromatherapy and music. While apps and audio downloads can guide you through the process, all you need is a few minutes and a place to sit quietly or stretch out.
How to practice deep breathing?
1. Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
2. Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little.
3. Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
4. Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.
5. If you find it difficult breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying down. Put a small book on your stomach, and breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.
Progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is a two-step process in which you systematically tense and relax different muscle groups in the body. With regular practice, it gives you an intimate familiarity with what tension, as well as complete relaxation -feels like in different parts of your body. This can help you react to the first signs of the muscular tension that accompanies stress. And as your body relaxes, so will your mind.
Progressive muscle relaxation can be combined with deep breathing for additional stress relief.
Start at your feet and work your way up to your face, trying to only tense those muscles intended. Move slowly up through your body, contracting and relaxing the different muscle groups. It may take some practice at first, but try not to tense muscles other than those intended.
Body scan meditation
This is a type of meditation that focuses your attention on various parts of your body. Like progressive muscle relaxation, you start with your feet and work your way up. But instead of tensing and relaxing muscles, you simply focus on the way each part of your body feels, without labeling the sensations as either “good” or “bad”.
Visualization
Visualization, or guided imagery, is a variation of traditional meditation that involves imagining a scene in which you feel at peace, free to let go of all tension and anxiety. Choose whatever setting is most calming to you, whether it’s a beach, a favorite childhood spot, or a quiet wooded glen.
You can practice visualization on your own or with an app or audio download to guide you through the imagery. You can also choose to do your visualization in silence or use listening aids, such as soothing music or a sound machine or a recording that matches your chosen setting: the sound of ocean waves if you’ve chosen a beach, for example.
Mindfulness meditation
Rather than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, mindfulness switches your focus to what’s happening right now, enabling you to be fully engaged in the present moment.
Meditations that cultivate mindfulness have long been used to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions. Some of these practices bring you into the present by focusing your attention on a single repetitive action, such as your breathing or a few repeated words. Other forms of mindfulness meditation encourage you to follow and then release internal thoughts or sensations. Mindfulness can also be applied to activities such as walking, exercising, or eating.
Using mindfulness to stay focused on the present might seem straightforward, but it takes practice to reap all the benefits.
A basic mindfulness meditation
1. Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted or distracted.
2. Sit on a comfortable chair with your back straight.
3. Close your eyes and find a point of focus, such as your breathing—the sensation of air flowing into your nostrils and out of your mouth or your belly rising and falling—or a meaningful word that you repeat throughout the meditation.
4. Don’t worry about distracting thoughts that go through your mind or about how well you’re doing. If thoughts intrude your relaxation session, don’t fight them, just gently turn your attention back to your point of focus, without judgment.
Rhythmic movement and mindful exercise
The idea of exercising may not sound particularly soothing, but rhythmic exercise that gets you into a flow of repetitive movement can produce a relaxation response. Examples include: Running, Walking, Swimming, Dancing, Rowing, Climbing
For maximum stress relief, add mindfulness to your work out. While simply engaging in rhythmic exercise will help you relieve stress, adding a mindfulness component can benefit you even more.
If you’re walking or running, for example, focus on the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breath, and the feeling of the wind against your face. If you’re resistance training, focus on coordinating your breathing with your movements and pay attention to how your body feels as you raise and lower the weights. And when your mind wanders to other thoughts, gently return your focus to your breathing and movement.
Tai chi
Tai chi is a self-paced series of slow, flowing body movements. By focusing your mind on the movements and your breathing, you keep your attention on the present, which clears the mind and leads to a relaxed state.
Tai chi is a safe, low-impact option for people of all ages and fitness levels, including older adults and those recovering from injuries. Once you’ve learned the basics, you can practice alone or with others.
Tips for starting a relaxation practice
Learning the basics of these relaxation techniques isn’t difficult, but it takes regular practice to truly harness their stress-relieving power. Try setting aside at least 10 to 20 minutes a day for your relaxation practice.
Set aside time in your daily schedule. If possible, schedule a set time once or twice a day for your practice. If your schedule is already packed, try meditating while commuting on the bus or train, taking a tai chi break at lunchtime.
Make use of smartphone apps and other aids. Many people find that smartphone apps or audio downloads can be useful in guiding them through different relaxation practices, establishing a routine, and keeping track of progress.
Expect ups and downs. Sometimes it can take time and practice to start reaping the full rewards of relaxation techniques such as meditation. The more you stick with it, the sooner the results will come. If you skip a few days or even a few weeks, don’t get discouraged. Just get started again and slowly build up to your old momentum.
Upani Omalka
References
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief.htm
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/relaxation
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