With everything that is happening in the world, we often feel so overwhelmed that it affects our overall well being. Because of that, sometimes, we end up pushing through the stressful situation by overscheduling ourselves. We think that if we are busy at all times, we won’t be thinking about whatever it is that is causing us stress, or we drink another cup of coffee just to keep working. But we know all this leads to exhaustion, and it drains our productivity. When stress starts attacking our body and health, that’s when we finally realize that we must slow down. But how do we do that? We must find ways to calm the mind and deal with the preoccupied lifestyle, and we can do that with the help of relaxation techniques. In this post, you will find out several ways to calm the mind and relax the senses and use them to develop your own stress relief plan.
Cleansing the aura with scent sprays
One way of relaxing ourselves is through aromatherapy. Many ancient cultures used aromatic plant components to create different scents, and people have used them for thousands of years as a relaxation technique. Even nowadays, many of these scents are being used, such as the scent of lavender, which is known to be calming and relaxing to the senses. Using a lavender spray can help in cleansing the aura and atmosphere. For example, many studies found out that people who suffer from anxiety slept better after inhaling lavender oil.
What’s more, it doesn’t have to be an essential oil. It can be infused into many bath products that you use when taking a bath or even scented candles. However, these scents aren’t the only ones that you can use to relax. If you like the smell of freshly baked banana bread and hot chocolate, you can use that too as another relaxation technique. Even stepping outside for a moment or going to the mountains to breathe some fresh air can help with stress relief.
Guided imagery using all five senses
While we are on the subject of going to the mountains, guided imagery is another relaxation technique that you can use. This technique is used when you want to cope with stressful situations, and you do that by imagining a scene, time, or place that is peaceful to you. It helps a lot if you have an emotional connection with that place. For this technique to work, first, you must find a quiet place to sit down. This could be a bench in the park, an empty room, or even your office. Then you must close your eyes and start imagining a real or an imaginary place. Remember that when you use this relaxation technique, you are activating all your senses. If you are somewhere in nature, you are seeing the meadow, listening to the light breeze, touching your cozy blanket, drinking your hot chocolate, and smelling the fresh air around you. No matter what you picture, make sure it brings positive emotions because the key is to relax, not to go through another unpleasant experience.
Practicing yoga and meditation
In general, yoga has many benefits. Not only does it help with a decrease in stress, but it also improves flexibility, balance, and teaches us how to breathe better. For that reason, it is recommended that you practice yoga two to three times a week for at least one hour. However, even if you practice yoga for 20 minutes a couple of times per week, you can also experience positive changes. As part of the yoga practice, there is meditation which helps with improving the mental state of the human being. It relaxes the mind and centers the attention on the body and self-awareness. Here is one simple meditation exercise you can use to see how it works. First, you must find a quiet place, get comfortable, and close your eyes. Then, focus on your breathing by taking several deep breaths through the nose and out through the mouth. Make sure that while you are doing this, your mind is completely relaxed. Acknowledge your senses and breathe normally. Repeat this several times, and you will release the tension and it will make you feel more relaxed.
Other alternative relaxation techniques
If you don’t find the ways mentioned above useful, you can always use other alternative methods to relax. For example, many people find doing physical activity, such as running, walking, or riding a bike, very helpful with stress management. By doing an activity, you are basically releasing negative energy and improving your physical condition. Many studies have shown that fatigue is reduced by engaging in any exercise, which about 51% of people have cited as a physical symptom, according to the American Institute of Stress. At the same time, your overall cognitive functions improve. When we exercise, we produce endorphins, which are the brain’s chemical that acts as a natural painkiller, improving our sleep, and reducing stress. If you don’t want to do a physical activity, you can listen to music, get a massage, or even draw. Do whatever you want and think that will lead to stress relief.
Wrapping thoughts
We all know that stress is inevitable, and no matter what we do or which techniques we use, nothing will make it disappear forever. The key is to find whatever works for us and try to cope with it as much as we can. If we find at least one or two activities that help us, we have succeeded somehow. Practicing any relaxation techniques doesn’t only help us with stress management, but also with various health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases and pain. And the best part is that some of these methods are free of charge. All you have to do is explore and get started on destressing your life and improving your health.