Do you sometimes feel like you’re unable to relax, no matter what you try? Deep relaxation is not just something that has a place on Instagram. You could benefit from it if you live a busy life, are stressed or never seem to adequately “catch up” with yourself. The idea here is to go beyond standard relaxation techniques and reset your body, priming it for rest and recovery.
A lot of people conflate relaxation with laziness. We believe that if we take time to ourselves, we’re somehow procrastinating and losing focus on our goals.
It turns out, though, that relaxation is a biological necessity. Without it, you can start feeling burned out.
Think about how the majority of people would like to arrange their days. Most would like an 8-8-8 split: eight hours working, eight hours resting, and eight hours sleeping.
This routine didn’t develop by chance. It’s a consequence of our biology. When we obey this routine, we’re at our best.
Unfortunately, for most people, the split is more like nine hours working, two hours resting, seven hours worrying about family, and six hours sleep.
That’s why deep relaxation is so essential. It gives your body the time it needs to switch off, unwind, and carry out necessary repair work.
But how do you relax in a deep and purposeful way? Take a look at these hints and tips.
Listen To Soothing Music
Listening to soothing music is one of the most powerful tools you can use to achieve deep relaxation. Melodies have a way of bypassing your higher brain structures and going straight to the pain centres, deactivating them and elevating your mood.
Try listening to something complex too. Simple beats are fine, but you may find that you achieve deeper relaxation when the music itself is interesting.
Find Ways To Relax The Body
The body and mind aren’t two separate entities. Instead, they’re one and the same. Sensations in the body affect the mind, and vice versa. The link between the two is quite extraordinary.
For that reason, it is important to find ways to relax the body. Once you put it in a good place, the mind usually follows.
There are lots of ways to relax the body. You could try Pilates, use vaporizers or simply take herbal supplements, like ashwagandha.
Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is one of the simplest and most potent ways to eliminate the stress from your body and feel better quickly.
The way it works is simple. Lie on a mat or your bed, and then focus on consciously relaxing all your muscles, working your way up from your feet to your head.
When doing this, take your time. Make sure that each body part is fully relaxed before moving onto the next one.
It might sound a little strange consciously eliminating the strain from each of your muscles, but the technique is incredibly potent. You often only realize how tense you were afterwards.
Take A Walk In The Woods
Taking a walk is a great way to de-stress – as is spending time in the woods. Combining both, though, is a surefire way to improve how you feel and totally change your perspective on your situation.
