The psychological burden of our daily life can be too much sometimes, so it is vital we find ways to relax and unwind. Our bodies need as much rest as our minds do. This is why creating a toolbox of calming exercises are crucial in alleviating tension in our whole being. Whatever resources we can access can help us build up a strong foundation for resilience and perseverance for the days to come.
PMR (otherwise known as progressive muscle relaxation)
This technique is a deep muscle relaxation that also allows the mind to focus and let go of tension along with the body. The best practice for this exercise is to be in a place where you can lay down flat on a bed or yoga mat. Take in deep breaths, monitoring your breathing, and then start holding tensing in fixed places in your body, starting from your toes to the top of your head. You hold the muscles for about 5-10 seconds while taking a deep breath and then releasing on the last count. By focusing on the tension in each of these groups as you move up your body, you train your muscles to be more aware of the stress that you are holding in your body so you can make adjustments in how you carry yourself throughout your day. PMR also helps to reduce blood pressure and can help increase healthy circulation in the body. Many people who try and go to sleep with racing thoughts find PMR helps them calm down and set their mind and body at ease.
Guided Meditations
There are many guided meditations that focus specifically on helping you relax and reduce stress. One reason many people find guided meditations easier to relax is that they are guided, so it forces your mind to focus on the words. If your thinking tends to get easily distracted, this will help keep your attention and give you a clear path to serenity when you allow yourself to sit back and listen. Make sure to fully listen to the meditation to make sure it is the right one for you to use. Sometimes we start listening to a guided meditation and get rattled when a word we hear triggers anxiety in us. It happens. For this reason, I always suggest reviewing it before making a purchase.
Self-hypnosis
Another fantastic technique to help you relax is practicing self-hypnosis. In some ways, this can be similar to a guided meditation as both use vocal guidance as to the primary method of reaching its' audience. However, with self-hypnosis, you can dive deeper into the subconscious if you like and work through any kind of issues you are having and relieve anxiety right at the root. You can even use a form of self-hypnosis to help you with sleep and program your mind and body to feel like you've gotten more sleep than you physically have. Many people who use this self-hypnosis technique find they can accomplish more throughout the day and not suffer any detriments from lack of sleep.
Binaural Beats and Isochronic Tones
Both types of sound healing music formats can help reduce stress. They can offer you distraction as well as focus, depending on the meaning behind your stress. If you are dealing with too much, you may require binaural beats to distract you from wayward thinking. However, Isochronic tones can soothe you at a deep level, allowing you to entrain the brain in the best way for you. If you need to focus intensely on a subject, then isochronic tones might be an excellent choice for you. As with any kind of sound therapy choices, make sure the sound level isn't too much and that you're not overdoing it.
Conclusion: there are many methods to relax that one can apply to one's life. Try the ones that seem to fit within your lifestyle and what you need at the moment, but keep notes on one's to try. Build that toolbox and find yourself relaxing when you need to.