5 Simple Ways to Relax during the Silly Season

Monday, 29 November 2021

Author - Good Health

Actively taking the time to unwind is often neglected, without the understanding just how important it is to wellbeing. Relaxing helps lower muscle tension and can positively impact digestive health. It can help lower blood pressure, increase blood flow to your brain and lower your heart rate. And it does wonders for your emotional state and general mental health.
Everybody relaxes in different ways. You may practice yoga, meditation or mindfulness or you may prefer to put your feet up and lose yourself in a series or book. You may like to write or cook or walk or run. Any activity that is calming to you and removes you from the daily stressors of your life is a tool you can use to relax.

If you’re looking for some alternative techniques to help you relax, these six tips might also be helpful.

1. Leave your work at work

Stop working! Work belongs at work and your personal life belongs at home. These lines get blurred especially with so many now working from home. Technological advances have made our lives better in so many ways, but mobile devices have also become constant connections to our jobs. When you leave the office (even virtually), leave your work at the door. If you can’t disconnect your emails, at least turn off the notifications!

2. Write down your worries

Treat yourself to an inexpensive, attractive notebook and write down anything that’s making you feel worried or anxious, then set it aside. Research shows that acknowledging your problems by writing them down helps you to separate yourself from them, making it easier to calm your mind while you rest.

3. Use visualisation

Visualisation can be a particularly powerful tool when you begin to feel frazzled or anxious. On a neurological level, you brain doesn’t know the difference between real, watched and imagined scenes. Pathways are developed by your brain, that build connections supporting habitual trains of thought. Regularly visualising yourself relaxed in your favourite place, doing a relaxing activity, thinking about the sounds, the smells and the sights, trains your brain to develop mental and emotional pathways that help you to relax.

4. Get back to nature

There’s some truth in the saying about stopping to smell the roses. Being outdoors and sitting amongst nature quietens a busy mind and is a great way to engage all your senses. Take time to focus on your breathing and listen to your surroundings and observe the sights, sounds and smells.

Natural health supplements can also be the added support your body needs to help relax and de-stress. B Vitamins, 5HTP, magnesium and herbs like chamomile, lemon balm, withania and passionflower are all great remedies for when life becomes a little too busy and overwhelming.

5. Be present

Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique that focuses on the here and now. It is a mental state achieved by being aware and focused on the present moment. Focus on your thoughts and feelings, be aware of what your body is doing and calmly accept it all. It’s choosing not to relive yesterday’s crisis or worry about that big meeting tomorrow, but rather to live in the moment.

Try using these techniques to stay calm and relaxed in the lead up to Christmas, your body and mind will thank you for it!