Modern life is not relaxing, that’s a fact. Although we have many gadgets designed to improve the quality of life, allowing us to communicate more easily and get more done in less time, the majority of people are left feeling exhausted and stressed, which in turn leads to poor health and even disease.
It is vital for everyone, even those who are not in the ‘fast lane’ to take the time to relax, distress and most importantly, breathe. It sounds so obvious but when stressed or harried, we can fall into a habit of shallow breathing which can perpetuate the tension and even lead to dizziness. Being mindful of this and taking the time out during the day to simply stop and take a deep breath can be most beneficial and can often make us very aware of how badly we have been breathing all along. Being able to get up from our desk (or whatever our environment) and taking a short walk in the fresh air will double the benefit to the body by getting the circulation going and improving blood flow to the brain.
Although it was popular in the seventies and thought of as somewhat of a ‘hippie’ exercise, yoga has become extremely popular among all types of exercisers, young and old alike. Yoga has the benefit of not only being good for the body in terms of strength, toning and firming, but it is also a great way to focus the mind and concentrate on slowing down. Practicing meditation will further increase the ability to slow the mind and focus on the present, something that is often forgotten in the everyday multi-tasking lifestyle.
Carving out sometime especially for relaxation is made even easier if there is a particular place in the home to go that is just for this purpose. It certainly doesn’t need to be a whole room, but just a corner of a room which can be made private and quiet from the rest of the house. Making it comfortable and using certain aromatherapy oils and calming music will further add to the atmosphere and make it even more conducive to relaxation. Sitting in an upright position, it is helpful to place one hand on the diaphragm, feeling the rising and lowering of the body as you breathe in and out. Some experts believe that the most beneficial way to breathe for optimum relaxation and mindfulness is the ‘one minute’ technique, whereby the entire process of taking one breath is split into 20 second intervals, i.e. 20 seconds to breathe in, holding for 20 and then exhaling for 20. Many people will find this hard at first, and may want to start with 10 second periods, but it will certainly get easier with practice.
Mindfulness is actually the key in most relaxation exercises, and when practised overtime will often become second nature even though it will seem strange and unnatural at first. For example, think about how many times we eat whilst performing another task, whether it is watching the television, reading, or even at our desk working By eliminating all other actions while eating, and simply focussing on the process will not only slow it down, but will also have the added benefit of making as feel satisfied sooner, as every mouthful is savored and the body’s ‘full’ signal is noticed, reducing the chances of overeating.
Whatever the individual’s preferred method of relaxation, it can only be positive in terms of our mental and physical health, and the benefits will be felt in all areas of our lives.
