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Why relaxing is so important
There’s no doubt that today’s modern lifestyle can be stressful. Between work, family, and social obligations, it can be hard to make time for yourself. But it’s important to find the time.
Relaxing can help keep you healthy, in both your body and mind, helping you recover from the everyday stresses that life throws at you. Luckily, no matter how busy you are, it’s simple to learn how to create time for chilling and also how to best relax.
Easy ways to relax
When it comes to relaxation strategies, the easier the better! If you can find five minutes of your day for yourself, you can easily slip in a simple relaxation strategy. Here are some easy ways to help relax:
- Breathe it out. Breathing exercises are one of the simplest relaxation strategies, and can effectively calm your stressed-out body and mind anywhere at any time. Sit or lay down in a quiet and safe place such as on your bed or the floor in your home and put one of your hands on your belly. Breathe in to a slow count of three, and then breathe out to the same slow count of three. Feel your belly rise and fall as you breathe in and out. Repeat five times, or as long as you need to feel relaxed.
- Release physical tension. When we feel mentally stressed, we often feel physically stressed as well. Releasing any physical tension can help relieve stress in your body and mind. Lay on a soft surface, such as your bed, a carpet, or a yoga mat. Tense up one part of your body at a time, and then slowly release your muscles. As you do this, notice how your body sensations change. Many people start either with the muscles in their face or those their toes, and then work their way through the muscles across their bodies to the opposite end.
- Write down your thoughts. Getting things off your mind by writing them down may help you relax. When you feel stressed, take a few minutes to write down some short notes about how you’re feeling or how your day is going. You might do this in a notebook or in a notes app on your smartphone. Don’t worry about being poetic or spelling everything correctly. Just focus on expressing yourself to help release some of your stress.
- Make a list. Making a list about what you’re grateful for can help some people feel relaxed. Experts say that when we’re stressed, we tend to focus on the negative parts of life rather than the positive. Thinking about the positive parts of your life and writing them down may help you chill out. Try to think of three good things that happened to you today and write them down, even if they’re small things like getting to work on time or eating a delicious lunch.
- Visualize your calm. Have you ever heard the expression “find your happy place”? Sit in a quiet and safe place, such as your bedroom, and begin to think about a place in the world where you feel most calm. Close your eyes and imagine all the details linked to that place: the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile feelings. For example, if you think of the beach, you might imagine calm waves, the sound of children playing in the sand, the smell of sunscreen, the taste of cool ice cream and the feel of gritty sand under your feet. The more you get into your visualization, the more you can relax.
- Connect to nature. Spending just a few minutes in nature when you feel stressed may help you relax. When you’re feeling stressed, take a step outside and go for a short walk, or simply sit in nature. But you don’t necessarily need to be in nature to feel its stress-reducing effects. Scientists have found that simply looking at images of nature with greenery for five minutes on a computer screen can help calm you down. So, thanks to technology, even people living and working in big cities far from nature can still experience its calming effects.
Relaxation isn’t just for adults: It’s important for kids and teens too. If you sense your child needs to relax, help him or her through these exercises. Better yet, get involved in these easy relaxation exercises with your child. This can help encourage self-regulation and relaxing behavior in your child.
Benefits of relaxing
There are many benefits to keeping your brain and body relaxed. Relaxation balances out the negative mental and physical effects of stress that we all experience every day.
Positive effects of relaxation
- the ability to think more clearly and make better decisions
- the power to better resist future stressors
- a more positive outlook on life and your experiences
- a healthier body, with a slower breathing rate, more relaxed muscles, and reduced blood pressure
- a reduced risk of heart attack, autoimmune disease, mental health disorders, and other stress-related illnesses
Children who are encouraged to take up relaxing behaviors tend to be better focused and have an easier time learning than children who are more stressed. They may also be more cooperative and experience fewer social and behavioral issues in school.
Risks of not relaxing enough
Stress is a part of everyday life. It can be a helpful thing that motivates people to act, and can even save your life in a dangerous situation. Most stresses we experience are small, like getting caught in traffic on the way to a party or losing an earring on the train to work.
The same helpful “fight-or-flight” instincts we get from these small stressful events in our life can backfire on us if we don’t take time to relax. Relaxation doesn’t just feel good, it’s also important for good health.
Stress from work, family, social obligations, and even exercise will wear you out over time if you don’t set aside time to relax. Some of the negative effects of not relaxing enough include:
Risks of too much stress
- frequent headaches and pain throughout the body
- sleeping problems, such as insomnia or nightmares
- forgetfulness and confusion
- chest pain and heart problems
- stress-related illness
- increased or decreased appetite, often with weight gain or loss
- social isolation and loneliness
- increased use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol
- crying spells and feelings of depression, sometimes with thoughts of suicide
- loss of interest in punctuality and appearance
- increased irritability and overreaction to small annoyances
- poor performance at work or in school
The takeaway
Stress may be a universal part of life, but that doesn’t mean you should let it get the best of you. Take charge and control your stress by learning how to relax.
Reach for a simple relaxation exercise when you feel stressed, and encourage your child to do the same if you notice they’re feeling stressed out. Even if you don’t feel very stressed, practicing relaxation exercises daily can be a good preventative measure for keeping stress away in the first place.
If relaxation exercises are not helping reduce your stress, you should seek the help of a mental health professional. They’ll be able to recommend a specific treatment plan suited to your needs.
Call 911 or the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) if you’re having thoughts of suicide.
Do you feel overwhelmed? Are your days full of stress and anxiety?
Then it’s important you learn how to relax and de-stress yourself immediately with these simple and effective relaxing techniques.
Why do you need to relax?
Between balancing careers, relationships, social life, and family, modern lifestyles have become extremely complicated and stressful. By learning how to relax, you can calm your mind and body, heal from your daily dose of stress, and create some much-needed time for yourself.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), stress levels among American people have increased significantly in the past 10 years. The economy and workplace stress are the major factors contributing to the rising stress levels.
The American Institute of Stress stated, “Numerous studies show that job stress is far and away from the major source of stress for American adults and that it has escalated progressively over the past few decades.”
Unfortunately, chronic stress can lead to a lot of mental and physical health issues like depression, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
This is why it has become more important now than ever that you learn how to relax using techniques that can immediately take the edge off from the moment and help you control your emotions.
So, if you are looking for some helpful tips and strategies to relax, then these tips can make you calm down in less than 15 minutes.
1. Meditate.
There is a good reason why this is on the top of the list. Meditation allows us to observe our thoughts and emotions in a detached, non-judgmental way.
Psychologist Robbie Maller Hartman, Ph.D. says, “Research suggests that daily meditation may alter the brain’s neural pathways, making you more resilient to stress.”
Meditating for as little as 10 minutes every day can significantly reduce your stress and anxiety instantaneously. Studies have discovered that meditation can not only help in reducing stress, regular practice of meditation can also minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Meditation expert and author Light Watkins explain, “Real people living busy lives can meditate successfully on their seven-year-old couch, in bed alone or next to their snoring partner, in the passenger seat of their car, at work, at the kitchen table, in the backseat during a road trip, on a park bench, or in a bus or plane seat.”
All you need is to sit down, close your eyes, and bring your attention to your breath.
2. Breathe deeply.
Therapist Scott Dehorty, LCSW-C says, “Breathing is the number one and most effective technique for reducing anger and anxiety quickly.”
Breathing techniques are incredibly helpful when you are trying to learn how to relax immediately. You can do this anywhere and at any time. All you need is to take 5 minutes off and focus on your breath. Breathe in fresh cool air through your abdomen and breathe out warm air releasing all your tension.
Certified life coach and psychologist Judith Tutin, Ph.D. says, “Deep breathing counters the effects of stress by slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure.”
There are different types of breathing exercises like box breathing, the 7/11 breathing technique, alternate nostril breathing, and many others that can help you relieve stress and balance your mind and body.
Emily Fletcher, the founder of Ziva Meditation, said that alternate nostril breathing “helps to balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain and has immediate energizing and calming effects.”
3. Practice mindfulness.
If you want to reduce stress, anxiety, and fear immediately, then shift your focus from negative thoughts and bring your attention to the present moment.
By becoming aware of the present moment, you will be able to realize the beauty hidden in the present, instead of thinking about your past or worrying about your future. Mindfulness allows you to live in the now, which is actually all we have.
Psychologist Judith Tutin, Ph.D. explains, “Take 5 minutes and focus on only one behavior with awareness.”
It will allow you to pause, slow down, and enjoy the moment. So whenever you are too stressed, focus on your senses to relax immediately. This is one of the best tips to learn how to relax.
According to a Harvard Health Publishing report, mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques and meditation can greatly help in relieving mental stress and anxiety. Moreover, an analysis of studies published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal revealed that mindfulness meditation has proven effective in coping with psychological stress, depression, and even physical pain.
Psychologist Deborah E. Dyer, Ph.D. explains, “Focus on your breath and be keenly aware of where you are. By focusing on your breath and your immediate circumstances, it is a form of focus that pulls you into the present and away from your wandering thoughts, which are likely the primary cause of your stress.”
4. Scan your body.
Scanning your own body mentally can help you understand where you are holding tension, how it affects you, and help you release stress as well.
All you need to do is sit comfortably or lie on your back and just scan your body from your toes to your scalp. As you move through each part of your body, gently notice how it feels physically.
Judith Tutin, Ph.D. adds, “Simply be aware of places you feel tight or loose without trying to change anything.”
By simply scanning your body for 2 minutes you can help it relax. Breathe deeply into your body while scanning and imagine fresh breath flowing to the specific body part you are scanning. Be aware of the sensations and repeat the process for each body part.
Wellness coach and author Elizabeth Scott, MS explains, “Body scan meditation is a good way to release the tension you might not even realize you’re experiencing.”
Studies have found that body scan meditation can help with stress relief, improve sleep, enhance self-awareness, reduce pain, and boost self-compassion.
Elizabeth adds, “By mentally scanning yourself, you bring awareness to every single part of your body, noticing any aches, pains, tension, or general discomfort. The goal is not to relieve the pain completely, but to get to know it and learn from it so you can better manage it.”
5. Listen to music.
If you want to know how to relax, then all you need to do is plug in your earphones and listen to your favorite music. Experts have found that music can have an instant calming effect on our mind and body.
According to a 2017 study, “a minimum of 20 min of music listening” can lower stress levels remarkably. Another 2015 study found that listening to music is highly effective in reducing stress.
The research stated, “Results revealed that mere music listening was effective in reducing subjective stress levels. The most profound effects were found when ‘relaxation’ was stated as the reason for music listening, with subsequent decreases in subjective stress levels and lower cortisol concentrations.”
Moreover, listening to your favorite music can also reduce your anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Cathy Benninger, an assistant professor at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, suggests, “Create a playlist of songs or nature sounds (the ocean, a bubbling brook, birds chirping), and allow your mind to focus on the different melodies, instruments, or singers in the piece.”
However, you can also listen to more peppy and upbeat tunes to lift your mood and even sign along. These are undoubtedly the most effective science-backed relaxation techniques that will enable you to relieve stress and anxiety instantly.
6. Try hydrotherapy.
Splashing some cold water on your face and pulse points can help you cool your body temperature and make you feel energized. Running cold water or putting ice on your wrists can help you calm down quickly as major arteries run through the wrists.
7. Get some sun.
Step out of your home or office for a while and feel the warm sun on your skin. Vitamin D from the sunshine can lift your mood instantly.
8. Take a quick walk.
Getting some fresh air and moving your body for just 10 minutes can clear your head and make you feel ready for the tasks ahead.
9. Laugh!
Laugh out loud with your friends and family. Watch your favorite sitcoms or funny videos on YouTube to enjoy a full-on laugh-out session.
10. Chew gum.
Chewing gum can help you keep stress away and enhance your productivity and mood.
11. Practice creative visualization.
Mentally imagine what you want — your goals, objectives, dreams, and think about how you want to feel about it.
12. Massage your hands.
If you want to know how to relax, then simply give yourself a hand massage for 5 minutes, according to research.
13. Eat the right food.
Food and drinks like dark chocolate, honey, and green tea are known to relieve stress and anxiety.
14. Stretch.
Instead of going for an hour-long yoga session, you can stretch certain body parts while on the go to relieve body tension and relax your muscles.
15. Take some alone time.
Spend some time alone and gather your thoughts and emotions. Spending 5 minutes with yourself can help you calm down a lot.
16. Look outside.
Simply stare outside from the window and look at the sky, clouds, tries, park, or even people walking outside. Take a break from the screen and look at life.
17. Sniff oranges.
The citrusy scent of oranges can help to reduce stress and anxiety and boost your mood, according to studies.
18. Pet a furry friend.
Spending some time with your pet can help to greatly reduce your stress and anxiety levels instantly, studies have found. Now you have more reasons to spend time with your furry friends.
Well, there you have it! Relaxing is easy.
Stress has become an inherent part of our daily lives today. This is why it is crucial that we intentionally make relaxing a daily habit as well.
Now that you know how to relax and destress yourself even in the most difficult moments, make sure to deliberately follow these strategies and practice these tips whenever possible during your normal daily schedule.
These relaxation strategies are quick and easy that can be practiced whenever you want. So go ahead and relax your mind and body. You deserve it.
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Theo Harrison is a writer who focuses on relationships, health and wellness, and psychology. For more of his content, visit his author profile on The Mind’s Journal.
