Relaxation is an important activity. Yes, don’t be surprised! Every new day requires new powers. Without sufficient ‘charging and rebooting’, your body and mind will get tired faster, don’t expect yourself to be high-performing in such conditions.
If you don’t rest, you will experience unreasonable anxiety, nervousness, strained muscles, and the desire to pack up and leave.
If simply listening to chill music, taking a bath, or walking in the park doesn’t help or doesn’t seem appealing to you, here are a few alternative techniques.
Fluffballs
Pet-therapy is an actual thing. Many people notice that stroking a cat or a dog pacifies them, improves their mood, and helps to forget about dark thoughts. The level of serotonin (a happiness hormone) increases, and depression backs down. This is why animals are often addressed when working with emotionally unstable people and in hospices and senior homes where they provide great support to residents.
If you don’t have a pet, you can visit a cat café, a farm, or an animal shelter.
Om…
You can never appreciate the full potential of mediation unless you give it a try. It’s no religion, no quackery. It’s simply a state of mind that helps to clear your thoughts and restore balance.
We suggest starting with the basics. Sit comfortably in a quiet place and set a timer to 1-3 minutes. Close your eyes and start to track the air entering and leaving your lungs as you breathe in and out. Focus on it. If you accidentally think about something else, don’t panic, simply revert your attention back to breathing.
Here’s another option, if you are romantically inclined. Light a candle in front of you (a fireplace or a bonfire would also work) and watch the central part of the flame where it’s the brightest. Make deep and even breaths. In a couple of minutes, your eyes will start getting tired. Close them and imagine this flame inside of your body. Once your eyes feel rested, open them and go back to watching the candle. Repeat it a few times.
Help us grow on Instagram 👇
DIY
If you strive for something beautiful and don’t know what to do with your hands, art therapy will save you from stress and exhaustion.
Anything creative, be it drawing, sculpturing, or making collages, helps to relieve strain and negative emotions, as well as deal with one’s feelings and thoughts.
When it comes to being creative, the sky’s the limit. Decoupage, sand art, coloring books, puzzles, embroidery – the possibilities are endless.
Miss flowers in the middle of the winter? Try oshibana or topiaries. The techniques are different, but the result is the same: you are surrounded with whimsical flowers and bright colors, while your soul is at peace.
Follow the Scent
Using certain types of aroma and essential oils helps to relieve muscle strain, reduce headaches, and restore healthy sleep. The best relaxation scents are lavender, melissa, ylang-ylang, mint, sandal, and bergamot.
There are many ways of using aromas for relaxation, such as an aromatherapy bath or sauna, a fragrance lamp or an aroma stone, adding essential oils to massage creams and diffusers.
Massage
Yes, we know how much it costs these days, we are also saddened by it. But, if you master several simple self-massage techniques, you will be able to relax your body at any moment. A relaxed body is a relaxed conscience.
We suggest starting with the parts that suffer the most from the technical progress, such as head, neck, and shoulders.
First, caress the part of your head covered in hair, ears and around them, then the back of your neck and the neck itself for a couple of minutes.
Then starting rubbing these same places with increasing intensity.
After that, tap your head and neck with the tips of your fingers or knuckles for a minute. Then go back to caressing these areas.
If you want something stronger, you can use spiky rolls and balls, brushes, stones, herbal pouches, or bamboo sticks.
Don’t forget to add some massage oil with your favorite smell to this ritual.
Try to spend at least 5 minutes daily on self-massage (it’s faster than checking Instagram), and you’ll notice how your condition changes.
Revitalising Liquids
A foamy bath firmly holds its position at the top-five popular relaxation techniques. It comes as no surprise, since water helps us to restore energy, health, mood, and washes away all the negativity.
Aside from taking a bath, there are other ‘watery’ options, such as swimming, waterobics, underwater massage, hot tub, hammam, herbal plunge tub, hydropuncture, fan douche. A hydromassage tub for foot soaking, vapor tubs with essential oils for your face, or taking an alternating shower while listening to your favorite songs are some of the things you can do at home.
Water is good on the outside, but it’s even better on the inside. Drink tea with mint, melissa, or thyme. If you aren’t allergic to it and feel nostalgic about your childhood, drink some milk with honey.It’s up to you to choose whatever fits you best. Keep in mind that taking a pleasant rest is a reliable investment into your health and future achievements.
