Ways to relax. Five Best Relaxation Techniques

Our world is dynamic, and sometimes it changes too often. Stress becomes a common part of everyday life. It is so familiar that we stop noticing it. But to maintain your own mental balance, you need to give yourself the opportunity to relax and relieve stress. Below are effective ways to help you do this. Many of them are quite ordinary, but some will seem a little unconventional to you. But use them, because you deserve a rest.

1. Keep moving

It will seem strange to you, but it works. Perhaps the only thing you want is to just lie down on the couch and relax, but believe me, movement will energize you and give you a good mood. Take a leisurely walk after a hard day at work and you will feel your fatigue go away.

2. Love tea

Especially green. It is rich in L-theanine, and this substance has been scientifically proven to help fight anger.

3. Use mental visualizations

This method helps you calm down. Just imagine yourself in your favorite place, such as the beach or a quiet cafe, and you will feel a sense of peace.

4. Turn to nature

The green color of leaves and grass is calming, in contrast to the similar shade of pixels on the screen.

5. Keep a diary

Well, or a blog, if this option suits you better. By throwing out your feelings and emotions on paper, you can analyze your actions and understand what to do next.

6. Don't run away from boredom

The next time you feel bored, don't go online to find a new movie or TV series. Think about the real world, your immediate material surroundings. What would you like to change about it? Take action! As you can see, boredom can spark creativity.

7. Make time for your interests

Do you like cross stitch? So do it. Do you like to cook? So bake a pie. Spend time on activities that bring you joy.

8. Take a nap

Sometimes, to calm down, you just need to sleep for an hour during the day. And then you begin to look at all the problems and troubles differently, and they no longer seem so daunting.

9. Get off the Internet

This will help you focus on what is happening here and now. And with constantly pop-up notifications about messages on social networks, peace of mind is unlikely to be achieved.

10. Meditate

This method of achieving harmony with oneself has been known for a long time. And it just works.

11. Do yoga

Yoga is the same meditation, but only supplemented with an important physical component. And it works too.

12. Clean up

Cleanliness and order around will bring harmony and peace to your inner world. It is hardly possible to achieve peace while in chaos.

13. Take a walk

A walk will give you a sunny mood, and at the same time stress will subside. Admire the city, the people around you and recharge yourself with positivity.

14. Read

Imagine an evening, a soft blanket, an interesting book... Is it calming? Then make it a reality this evening. By the way, you have now used the visualization technique described in point 3. Are you convinced that it works?

15. Dance when no one can see you

Sounds stupid? It is so indeed. But dancing helps to cope with stress, not only mental, but also physical.

16. Talk to yourself

Before you doubt the adequacy of the author of the article, just try this. You can talk to your reflection in the mirror about yourself, about the people around you, and even about how your day went. When we verbalize our own experiences and thoughts, it becomes easier to find a way out of difficult situations.

17. Hug your pet

This method will not suit you if you only have aquarium fish at home. And for owners of cats and dogs, such hugs with their pets help them cope with stress. In addition, it lowers blood pressure and calms you down.

18. Listen to music

You just have to like the melody. In this case, the emotions from listening to it will be extremely positive.

19. Chat with friends

Man is a social being. He can't be alone and still be happy. So invite your friends over and just chat.

20. Learn something new

Have you always wanted to learn how to shoot a bow or weave macrame? So why not do it today?

21. Say no

Helping people is okay. Moreover, it is noble and truly humane. But know how to refuse help if this altruism brings negative results primarily to you personally. And don't do anything that is beyond your strength.

22. Stretch!

Stretching will not only help relieve tension, but also gain flexibility. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the health of the body’s circulatory and lymphatic systems.

23. Take a bubble bath

Warm water will help you relieve stress after a long hard day. And the bubbles are soothing.

24. Buy a special ball

A simple small ball is an excellent exercise machine for the muscles of the hands. It also helps relieve stress.

25. Look out the window

This is a great way to let go of worries and calm down in a short period of time for those who cannot get up and leave work right now.

Popcorn, a warm blanket and a good movie are one of the best ways to relax.

28. Eat chocolate

Scientists have proven that dark chocolate actually helps reduce stress levels. But remember to have a sense of proportion when relaxing in this sweet way.

29. Smile

Try to smile more often. Look for reasons for this in everything. Stress goes away if you look at the world with a smile.

30. Walk barefoot

You might be mistaken for a hippie. But this method really works, because by feeling the soil, grass or even warm asphalt on your skin, you strengthen your own unity with nature. And this is calming.

31. Sing to yourself

Channel your inner Beyoncé and sing along. This method is ideal when used with option 15 (“Dance when no one is watching”).

32. Treat yourself

It doesn’t matter what it is, a chocolate bar or a ticket to a concert of a famous rock band. Just allow yourself something that you really want for a long time.

33. Try aromatherapy

Some scents, such as jasmine or lavender, are soothing and romantic.

34. Find the reason

Knowing how to relax is very important. But sometimes you just need to find the cause of stress in order to cope with it. Do this, but remember: what escapes the gaze may actually be hiding in plain sight.

35. Chew gum

Yes Yes exactly. Chewing gum really helps cope with stress. Just put it in your mouth, what could be easier?

36. Find your relaxation mentor

This could be your colleague who steadfastly endures all the difficulties of work and personal life, or another hero from an American film who remains calm no matter what happens around him.

37. Be spontaneous!

No, this does not mean at all that you should quit your job, home and go to live in Tibet right now. Just add a little surprise to something quite ordinary. For example, take a different route to work or go to a store on the other side of town for something tasty.

38. Forgive yourself

Are you again tormented by incomprehensible emotional stress? Let go of the situation, forgive others and yourself. By staying in the past, we become “missing” in the future.

39. Breathe

This is perhaps the easiest way. No matter where you are, you can always just take a few deep breaths. And this will definitely calm you down.

40. Remember: everything is fine

We all make mistakes. Whatever it is, everything changes, and usually for the better.

How often have you caught yourself thinking that you are tired and cannot fully rest even on the weekend? This is a consequence of constant stress and loads that the body can no longer cope with on its own. To avoid overwork, you need to understand how to learn to relax psychologically and physically without losing performance.

Even in the most difficult and difficult moments, being able to relax means giving yourself the opportunity and a way to build a defense against stress. This will help get rid of many problems of modern people. Insomnia, headaches and migraines, weakened immunity. Each of the points is most often caused by general fatigue of the body.

To understand how to give yourself the opportunity to relax and unwind, you need to understand the causes of stress. This will help you quickly learn to activate your internal forces and be calm more often. To do this, it is not at all necessary to visit a specialist’s office or expensive relaxation salons. It is enough to understand how to negotiate with your own body.

What is the ability to relax

Often people forget how important it is to give yourself rest. The ability to relax physically and emotionally is a useful function of the body, which can be forgotten over time. Especially if you have been under constant stress and conflict for a long time.

Internal problems cannot find a way out if you do not know how to relieve tension without resorting to the help of a psychologist. Nevertheless, there are such ways, and there are many of them. It’s enough to find a suitable option for yourself and remember to use it from time to time.

The ability to abstract yourself from unpleasant surroundings and thoughts is the ability to relax. You can do this almost anywhere where you can retire for a few minutes. Failures, problems and other negativity will gradually recede from you.

Why am I tense?

The reasons why you experience constant tension and fatigue can be very diverse. The most common of them are:

overload at work;
conflict situations on the street and at home;
financial difficulties and unforeseen situations;
stress from unpleasant news;
nervous tension due to constant noise;
frequent negative thoughts.

As a result, a lot of negative energy accumulates inside you. It puts pressure not only psychologically. Instinctively, your body tries to protect itself from the influence of negativity. As a result, you get tight muscles, poor sleep and frequent pain in different parts of the body.

Residents of megacities are more often exposed to stressful situations. This is due to the increased speed of life, which is why it is so important to be able to relax quickly without wasting precious time. Otherwise, your body will not be able to cope even with everyday activities.

How to learn to relax properly

To combat fatigue and overstrain, it is not enough just to sleep or lie down with your favorite book. And most often there is not enough time for such a vacation. However, there are ways to relieve stress in a very short time. It's easy to learn to relax during the workday. At the same time, you do not lose productivity and can quickly return to the ranks of your colleagues.

When you have a lot of free time, you should make the most of it to get back to normal. This way you will not only be able to fully get rid of overload, but also teach your body to deal with stress at any time. The technique of performing actions for relaxation, by the way, does not require special skills. Therefore, you can safely begin to improve your well-being and strengthen your nervous system.

Quick ways to relieve stress

Do you understand that you are having a hard time holding back the negative emotions rushing out? This is the first sign of overwork and excessive stress. If you suppress such manifestations in yourself, they can develop into depression and other mental disorders. But you shouldn’t openly express anger and fear, especially in a crowded place. There are methods to quickly deal with overvoltage:

identify the cause of your stress. Awareness of the cause of such an unpleasant state is the first step towards peace.
Try to remove all negative thoughts from your head and focus on any pleasant event in your life.
Do some simple exercises. For example, jumping or flapping your arms. This will help the body fight stress hormones.
Take a deep breath. Inhale air, filling yourself with it from bottom to top (from the stomach to the chest), and exhale on the contrary, from top to bottom.

These simple steps will not completely relieve you from overload, but they will give you the opportunity to calm down for a while. Later, at home in a calm environment, you can use a more effective relaxation method.

Psychological methods

Your subconscious mind is quite capable of coping with any stress. You just need to be able to activate defense mechanisms. Meditation and proper breathing will help you with this. It's not as difficult as it might seem.

Choose a time when you can be alone with yourself. Sit in the lotus position (if you can) or half lotus. It is important to keep your back straight so as not to prevent your lungs from filling completely with air. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and steadily. Try to imagine a calm, peaceful place, such as the sea or a field. Make yourself feel like a light wind is blowing on your face. It brings the smells of the environment, pleasant and unobtrusive.

Dealing with Negative Emotions

Most of our problems are within us. They do not allow you to fully rest and relax properly. It is very difficult to get rid of negative thoughts and emotions. However, it is very important to learn how to do this in order to ensure inner harmony and peace.

Don’t look for the causes of stress in your environment and try not to think negatively even about the most unpleasant circumstances. Train yourself to be optimistic and find the good in everything. Got laid off at work? This is a chance to find something you like. Got wet in the rain and caught a cold? This means there is time to devote the day only to yourself.

Body relaxation and meditation

The opportunity to completely relax can be obtained not only during a massage session. Although this method is undoubtedly very effective. Meditation helps you achieve an optimal balance between inner peace and relaxation of the body. This significantly increases the body’s chances of resistance to environmental negativity.

To fully meditate, you should set aside at least 20 minutes a day. During this time, no one should bother you or bother you. Avoid unnecessary noise, but you can play music. It is worth choosing calm melodies, without sudden transitions. A slow rhythm will help you coordinate your breathing better.

Relieve brain fatigue

As you know, mental work leads to exhaustion of the body much more often than physical work. The reason is that the brain uses too many nerve cells to function. And the longer you don’t give your thoughts a break, the stronger the impact of stress will be. You cannot overload yourself with problems and worries every day, while forgetting to rest.

How to learn to take a break from mental work, without losing the ability to quickly respond to changing tasks? It is worth learning to protect yourself from bad thoughts. Yes, it is quite difficult to do this at first. But by practicing constantly, you will learn to let any negative thoughts pass you by without overloading your brain:

force yourself to switch to positive thoughts.
pick a few of your favorite natural scents and inhale them several times a day for a couple of minutes.
learn to value your opinion above someone else's, you shouldn't depend on what people think.

Three simple steps will successfully relieve your brain of stress.

Overcome the effects of stress

When faced with stress, many people are afraid of new actions and thoughts, thereby dooming themselves to constant fatigue. This problem must be solved very quickly, as it has a destructive effect on your subconscious. Researchers have concluded that females are more susceptible to stress than males. Increased emotionality and a low psychological protective barrier affect.

How can a woman facing stress relax so as not to further injure her nervous system? Give yourself half an hour of peace a day. During this time, you should use breathing exercises, drink warm tea and think about your dreams. It’s about dreams, not goals that can be easily achieved with enough money. Every emotion you have at this moment should be filled with positivity and happiness.

Schulz method

Successful practice in dealing with stress is the Schultz complex. This professor is completely convinced that every person has a certain amount of ability to hypnosis. And with its help it is quite possible to fight fatigue. This needs to be done in several steps.

Feel the heaviness. You need to lie down as comfortably as possible and close your eyes. Force yourself to feel complete peace and tranquility. Then focus on feeling heavy in your left hand. Bend it at the elbow and take two deep breaths. Then repeat the same thing, but with your right hand.
The next step is the same exercise, but replacing the heaviness with a feeling of light warmth. It is important to really feel the mental projection.
Place your hand on your heart and confidently say in your thoughts that your heartbeat is even and calm. This should be repeated four times.
Control your breathing. Just as in the previous exercise, repeat in your mind that your breathing is calm and easy.
Relax your abdominal muscles and feel the warmth in your solar plexus. After a while you will feel like you are in a hot bath.
To finish the exercise, focus on the thought that your forehead is cool and the breeze is blowing on it.

Breathing technique

It is worth understanding how to properly relax using breathing. Yes, we breathe constantly, but only certain techniques will help cope with overexertion. First of all, remember that deep breathing should not be sharp, you should inhale and exhale smoothly and slowly.

The topic of proper breathing is well known to those who practice yoga. It is in this teaching that it is well explained how to breathe for your own benefit. Take the time to choose a few simple exercises for yourself and perform them daily.

Do a DNA test

Scientists have found that the presence of a certain set of genes provides stress resistance. It is this mechanism that allows you to relax and bypass the critical state of overstrain. To determine your level of preparation for negativity, you can do a DNA test. This will help identify possible problems in the mechanisms of defense against stress and work on strengthening them.

Where to order genetic testing

Our center offers to conduct all necessary genetic studies. Thanks to modern equipment, you can find out the characteristics of your body. Our specialists will help you accurately decipher all the data received. Based on this information, it will be easy for you to determine your strengths and weaknesses and choose the path to developing stress resistance.

Relaxation is a technique that helps you cope with worries, restore strength and stay in great shape. People regularly find themselves in situations that cause them excitement and anxiety. As a result of emotional excitement, muscle tension occurs. A properly selected relaxation technique will help stabilize your emotional state and well-being. The result is muscle tension. To cope with emotions, restore strength and stay in good shape, you need to master a special relaxation technique that helps stabilize your emotional state and well-being.

This procedure is not identical to regular relaxation; it represents deep, balanced relaxation at the level of anatomy and physiology. There are various methods of relaxation that help increase a person’s ability to work.

Relaxation concept

Muscular tension resulting from stress is a protective reflex that primes the body to react. A continuous state of tension does not allow you to eliminate increased muscle tone, which takes away energy and becomes the cause of deterioration in well-being and even many diseases.

A simple method that is easily accessible, effective and does not require material costs helps restore the ability to resist. What relaxation is is useful for every modern person to know. Modern medicine positively assesses its influence on the mental and physical state of a person.

The term "relaxation" is borrowed from Latin and literally means "relaxation." Among its meanings, there are two interpretations: one denotes a state, and the second - an action as a result of receiving the desired sensation. Physiologically, relaxation is expressed in the dynamism of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is called the “relaxation center.”

And indeed, at first glance, relaxation is perceived as simply peace, a respite. However, for the body this is a rather intense, serious and deep process that affects not only the physiological state of a person, but also the psychological one.

Types of relaxation

There are several different types of relaxation. The involuntary and the voluntary are distinguished. Unconscious relaxation occurs when falling asleep and during sleep, and can also be caused by thorough physical, intellectual and nervous stress.

Voluntary relaxation is a conscious action used to replenish strength, energy, psychological balance, and correct well-being. The relaxation method is based on the relationship between physical and mental states, which is the reason for its recognition by modern psychotherapists.

By time

The duration of non-derivative relaxation affects the method of implementation and its result. The relaxation period depends on the method of implementation, which can be:

long-term, occurring during sleep, under the influence of hypnosis and medications (sleeping pills, tranquilizers);

arbitrary short-term, replaceable voltage.

By method of execution

According to the implementation technique, there are muscle and mental relaxation.

Muscular training occurs in parallel with verbal relaxation. The verbal method involves being accompanied by an instructor through instructions and guidelines, or self-instruction. Such experience and skills make it possible to apply relaxation under all kinds of life circumstances.

Mental relaxation increases a person’s perspective and makes the procedure more effective. Its peculiarity lies in the mental representation through fantasy of an attractive sight or image that evokes a positive impression and pleasant emotions. They may be different for all people depending on individual tastes, character, upbringing and mentality. At first, a consultant can help by accompanying the training verbally and offering to imagine the procedure of a relaxing beach holiday on the sea coast under the quiet whisper of light waves rolling onto the shore. Mental relaxation is often carried out after muscle relaxation.

By differential relaxation we mean the combination of the least starting tension in the muscles involved in the procedure with the weakening of other muscles.

By origin

The etiology of relaxation is divided:

to primary, spontaneously appearing naturally as a result of physical activity;
to secondary, targeted and deliberately created.

According to the speed of formation, relaxation is divided:

for emergency, used in a critical situation with urgent need;

to extended, consisting of long-term training and regular use for therapeutic purposes.

By depth

In the sphere of thoroughness, relaxation can be superficial or deep. Shallow relaxation is likened to a short respite. Deep relaxation lasts more than 1/3 of an hour and occurs with the help of specific techniques. It is the one that has the most effective effect on a person and is distinguished by its healing nature.

Based on the scale of the action, a distinction is made between general (total) and local relaxation, which is designed to eliminate muscle tension by partial enhanced relaxation of individual muscle groups. In the process of applying this method in psychotherapeutic practice, all cycles are completed with the doctor’s massage movements to plastically stretch the desired muscle group.

Relaxation techniques and methods

Relaxation is considered a proven and safe method for quickly restoring one’s own strength and muscle tone, which is used in a variety of situations:

in medical practice;

in yoga;

in spas.

The most productive methods are those that are not influenced by extraneous factors. The best effect occurs in the case of the ability to relax at any necessary moment, regardless of the environment and the existence of a specific motivation.

Breathing exercises

Breathing is considered one of the most simple relaxation techniques, which can be performed at any time and anywhere. The goal is to adopt a comfortable posture while slowing down and regulating your breathing.

Controlling inhalation and exhalation allows you to coordinate most physiological processes, even the heartbeat. Abdominal breathing (abdominal, diaphragmatic) is especially successfully used in the process of relaxation, which consists in using only the abdominal muscles during inhalation/exhalation, excluding the thoracic region.

Self-hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is a conscious, controlled human ability to bring oneself into a hypnotic state and carry out various actions inherent in hypnosis in this position. Self-hypnosis is characterized by the rooting in one's own consciousness of symbolically represented orders and directives in a hypnotic state. This powerful technique allows you to:

master the control of many physiological and mental processes of your body;

cope with difficult situations;

regulate psychophysiological difficulties;

eliminate psychosomatic disorders;

cure even chronic ailments.

Self-hypnosis is completely harmless to health and is considered a very successful way of self-relaxation.

Applied relaxation

The relaxation method is a particular version of quick relaxation used to reduce frustration in a stressful situation. Its distinctive feature is the ability to quickly identify symptoms of anxiety at an early stage of its occurrence, which makes it easier to get rid of it.

The applied relaxation procedure is the final stage of training, which takes place in several stages, and combines the most effective techniques of several techniques. It allows you to quickly relieve stress using deep breathing when you detect the first signs of serious anxiety. This method allows you to relax at a reflex level.

For this purpose, you need to perform several intense, even inhalations/exhalations and calmly continue to do this further, mentally commanding yourself at the moment of inhalation: “Inhale,” while exhaling: “Relax.” Following this, check the areas of the body with muscle tension and use progressive relaxation techniques in relation to them.

Quick relaxation

The reception allows you to relax in half a minute in an everyday situation, restoring energy in a short time and maintaining performance throughout the day.

An essential point of rapid relaxation is an external impulse, which becomes any thing, sound, aroma due to its consolidation in the subconscious. For example, you can train yourself to relax to the sounds of music by your favorite composer, and then relaxation will occur automatically every time this melody is heard.

Medicinal relaxation

This radical method is based on the use of muscle relaxants, which reduce muscle excitation and at the same time reduce motor activity. At the physiological level, this phenomenon is caused by blocking nerve signals to the muscles, stopping their contraction.

The weakness of the method is considered to be many side effects and possible consequences for humans. Therefore, drugs are used only when absolutely necessary.

Physiotherapeutic relaxation

This method involves relieving muscle tension by taking a warm bath, swimming in the sea, special massage or spa treatments. Massage helps relieve muscle tension by focusing on body sensations. In addition, relaxation can relieve certain cosmetic problems based on stress.

There are a large number of types of massage techniques that promote relaxation, which are based on Eastern spiritual practices aimed at developing self-regulation skills and adapted to the European mentality. Nowadays, methods are successfully used that abandon the observance of religious ceremonies and changes in consciousness.

Psychophysiological relaxation

This method is considered the simplest: it is convenient to use independently. It lies in the ability of consciousness to control the physiological processes of one’s own body. It is based on creating environmental comfort:

in eliminating irritating moments;

in comfortable clothes;

in creating a pleasant mood;

in the absence of digestive problems.

All these little things have a positive effect on a person’s mental state and improve his well-being.

Progressive relaxation

This technique was developed by Edmund Jacobson, who created about two hundred types of training that affect muscles. Nowadays, exercises that target the 16 most important muscles and are based on a short contraction of a specific muscle group and its further absolute relaxation are popular.

The training should be carried out in a lying position with your eyes closed in a peaceful environment. As a result of perfect mastery of this technique, an individual is able to relax any muscle without first tensing it.

Differential relaxation

The advantage of this method is that there is no need to be alone to perform relaxation. You just have to be aware of which muscles are involved in performing actions and which are simply tense.

For example, in the process of walking, the back and lower limbs are used, therefore, the arms can be given a break. When working at a computer, you should relax your legs. Such relaxation after practice can occur automatically.

Synthetic relaxation method

The technique is a collective method that integrates all known relaxation and relaxation techniques and selects the most effective techniques from them.

In practice, it represents the consistent development of various methods of relaxation and assessment of one’s well-being in order to improve the regulation of the state of one’s own body and its reflexes.

How to finally achieve relaxation

Familiarity with various methods of relaxation allows you to apply them on a subconscious level if necessary and thereby preserve energy, physical and mental health.

Each person selects the most effective techniques for himself and, combining them, achieves complete relaxation with the help of:

creating a comfortable environment;

deep breathing techniques;

soothing massage and hugs;

aromatherapy;

calm music that evokes positive emotions, or natural sounds;

figurative representation of oneself in an attractive place (visualization);

autogenic practice (meditation);

yoga;

motor activity (sports), after which muscle relaxation occurs.

Conclusion

To achieve relaxation, usually all these techniques are used separately, together or selectively, although you can use them to develop your own complex, suitable for a particular person.

The ability to relax helps make life full and fruitful, but this skill must be mastered so that you can always renew energy in a stressful situation, improve your emotional background, improve your well-being, and avoid many health problems.

We need anxiety and stress to protect ourselves from danger. The brain evaluates the surrounding situation. If something threatens our safety, it puts the body into combat mode to fight and run away. But most of the stressful situations we face every day don't kill us. Maybe we're arguing with colleagues, studying for an exam, or going on a first date. In such conditions, the body's reactions only get in the way, we get nervous and cannot concentrate on work, remember information or engage in creativity.

You need to turn off the tension and relax. But how to do this if you are worried? The brain is overstimulated, and self-conviction that everything is fine and you need to pull yourself together does not work.

Do not confuse relaxation and rest. Nobody bothers you to sit and do nothing at the same time, but at the same time worry and worry. So just taking a break from work will not help you relax and calm your nervous system.

The best option is to act from the body, that is, relax the muscles and remove the effects of stress. The brain will decide that since the body is calm, there is no danger, then it can calm down.

To do this, try the deep relaxation technique offered by the charity No Panic, which helps people with anxiety and panic disorders.

Start relaxing

To feel the effect of your first classes, find a comfortable and quiet place where you will not be distracted for at least five minutes. It’s better to practice the technique at home, in cozy clothes, and then repeat it in other conditions.

Turn off the music, turn off the lights if possible and sit in a comfortable position. Breathe freely when doing the exercises, do not hold your breath or try to breathe deeply. Think that you only need to relax, nothing more.

Feel the difference between tension and relaxation

To relax, you need to feel the tension. Start with your hands. Clench your fists as hard as you can and count to 10. Then relax your fists so that your fingers rest freely on your knees or any other surface. Feel how your hands move differently when they are tense and relaxed, remember the moment of relaxation and leave your hands in a calm state.

Then you need to take turns tensing and relaxing the muscles throughout your body in the following order:

Forearms. Bend your elbows and try to press your fists to your shoulders.
Muscles of the back of the arms. Straighten your arms as far as you can.
Shoulders. Raise your shoulders towards your ears.
Neck. Tilt your head back.
Forehead. Raise your eyebrows as if asking a question.
Eyelids. Close your eyes tightly.
Jaw. Clench your teeth.
Tongue and throat. Press your tongue onto the roof of your mouth.
Lips. Purse your lips tightly, as if you want to hold something small with them.
Breast. Take a deep breath and hold your breath.
Stomach. Tighten your abdominal muscles as if preparing for a punch.
Hips and lower back. Arch your back and squeeze your buttocks.
Legs. Straighten your legs and pull your toes back.

Tighten your muscles to the maximum for 10 seconds, and then relax them and listen to the difference in sensations.

Let your body get used to relaxation

Sit in silence with your muscles relaxed for a few more minutes to remember how your body feels at rest.

You may not relax completely the first time, but if you regularly practice and struggle with this technique, you will soon feel that five minutes is enough for you to calm down and manage your emotions again.

Subsequently, you will learn to relax even on the go: for example, relax your arms and back when going to work, and your legs when sitting at the computer.

Hello, dear friends!

It is important for every person to learn how to rest properly, so that physical fatigue and nervous tension find a healthier way out of the body than through illness.

When was the last time you allowed your mind and body to reap the benefits of healthy rest? Have you ever completely disengaged from what was happening, turned off your phone, forgotten about things, immersed in the abyss of pleasant sensations?

I think not many people manage to do this systematically without self-flagellation and the belief that the body will last for decades in supersonic mode. But in the pursuit of productivity, the desire to do more, schedules, responsibilities and worries, we gradually turn into robots that, surprisingly, fail.

Relaxation methods are created specifically to allow people to switch from “outside” to inside their states.

Zones of influence

Properly selected methods relieve muscle tightness, accumulated tension and pinching. The reward for this process is the cleansing of the body from toxins, acquired toxins and excessive nervous activity.

Within a few hours after the procedure, a person will feel better than before. Headaches, a feeling of heaviness and tightness in the chest will go away. Full and healthy sleep will return to your life, your appetite will normalize and you will truly be able to feel like a human being, and not a cloven-hoofed animal driven into a corner.

The emotional background will also show a jump upward, thereby allowing you to more productively solve ongoing problems. You will experience difficult life situations and stress more easily, be able to control mood swings, and enjoy what is happening.

It has been scientifically proven that people who have learned to relax use and, most importantly, retain the energy they receive more productively, which is concentrated in the solar plexus. And she, in turn, helps ensure that you have enough strength not only for work, but also for other, no less interesting things.

But how to relax properly? And what relaxation methods exist that might suit you specifically? In order to find out the answer to the question, I have prepared today’s article in which you will learn about the ten most effective practices for bringing yourself “to your senses”!

1. Music and relaxation

Relaxation does not always mean the need to collapse on the sofa like a seal and “sit back.” I suggest you familiarize yourself with this method, which is perfect for both children and adults.

To do this, you need to sit in a room with dim lighting. Make sure that you are surrounded by soft pillows on all sides and cover yourself with a blanket.
Turn on pleasant, calm music that evokes a feeling of harmony and ease. Classical compositions or “indie” music are ideal for this.

After this, say out loud to your body the phrase: “I am relaxed” and feel your body in comfort and warmth. Individuals who have not practiced such an approach before may note that relaxation can be completely different, and not a banal rookery on the sofa.

This is an important and necessary procedure in everyone’s life, but it is worth noting that the method is not designed for a person experiencing stress “here and now.”

2. Nice pictures

Visualization is considered an excellent assistant for eliminating feelings of anxiety and increasing panic. It is used both in difficult life situations and in everyday life.

Take a comfortable seat, being in a comfortable position. It is best to avoid bright light and running around the apartment. Light incense sticks with sandalwood or tea tree and begin to imagine in your subconscious pictures that are most pleasant to you.

It could be a lake, a house in the village, sunrise or sunset, and sometimes even kittens! If you are doing the exercise with your spouse or partner, ask him or her to describe the scene in a calm and relaxed voice, imagining yourself in it. Then repeat the exercise in reverse.

3. Fingers

You can combine massage with the previous tips! Try to touch lightly, stroking your partner's back, shoulders, arms, fingers and toes. Sometimes just 30 minutes is enough and the individual will already feel like he has been reborn!

I advise you not to forget about facial and neck massage. The forehead occupies a special place, therefore, self-massage of this area will relieve you of such unpleasant sensations as insomnia, nervousness and fatigue. A head-to-toe massage with a thorough foot massage is also great.

4. Mother Nature

Walking in nature has a super-powerful, positive effect on a person. Fresh air, complete with body movement, tones its systems, feeding it with oxygen.

It is for this reason that when arriving home from an outing, many individuals feel slightly weak and want to sleep like a baby. Make your hikes systematic, choosing a new place each time.

You can also hug a strong and healthy tree. After standing in his arms for 5 minutes, you will definitely feel a surge of new strength!

5. Water

Not many people know that water can take away not only bad dreams, but also wash away negative energy from a person. For this reason, I recommend that you join water procedures.

This could be swimming in the pool, a contrast shower, which is very useful for the nervous system and maintaining the tone of the whole body, as well as a relaxing, hot bath.

Add just a couple of drops of essential oil to it and you can feel how all the problems have left your head. Immerse yourself for at least 40 minutes, but if you have problems with the cardiovascular system, then limit yourself to 15 minutes and a temperature no higher than 40 degrees.

6. Relax through creativity

For many, a hobby means not only passion for a topic, but also a universal means of reducing anxiety. The process of creating something pacifies, replenishing your reserves of mental strength.

Do some gardening, go to the theatre, cinema or organ hall. You can also do handicrafts, play a musical instrument or crafts with your child.

Plus, I would like to mention the rosary. Going through them helps reduce tension and acquire a calm, optimistic outlook on things.

7. Breathe

When a person is in a state of stress or systematic “overload” of the nervous system, his breathing takes on a superficial form. This can be noticed when the individual's shoulders rise when inhaling.

This symptom indicates that the individual has a tendency to breathe only from the upper chest, which leads to a lack of adequate oxygen levels to nourish the organs.

Proper air intake can not only relax you, but also save you during a panic attack while driving, performing, or doing important work.
Abdominal breathing occupies a special place in practice. What is its essence?

And the meaning is hidden in mastering a practice that allows you to relax the muscles that compress the diaphragm, which causes inhalations to accelerate to cosmic limits.

During the moment of relaxation, try to slow down your breathing using the influence of the ribs and diaphragm. It is especially useful to do this before bed. You need to perform at least 10 consciously slowing inhalations and exhalations, clasping your arms around your waist and monitoring the correctness of the process.

You can feel a slight pulsation coming from your body. This is absolutely normal and there is no need to worry.

8. Meditation

This is a great source of calm, which manifests itself in different forms of influence on people. Practice asanas found in yoga classes. Body position sometimes plays a decisive role in the path to harmony between the soul and the body.

There are also special tactics for breathing procedures: super-slowing down or, conversely, speeding up. There is a broadcast of special sounds, syllables and, of course, prayers that are present in transcendental meditative practice.

G. Benson in his book described in detail a phenomenon called “relaxed reaction”, which I definitely advise you to read. People who have been practicing meditation for a long time have already felt its healing effect on the entire body, and especially on the spiritual beginning.

If you decide to dedicate it to your list of daily but useful habits, then the result will definitely please you!

9. Take turns!

Back in 1930 in the United States, a man named E. Jacobson developed a method called “relaxation and tension.” The essence of this practice is training the ability to induce opposite states at your own discretion.

And moreover, be able to determine the current state of affairs! But a deep dive into such a skill requires many hours of practice. Think about it, it takes from 10 to 30 hours just to teach the arm muscles to perform such a trick!

But having mastered and cultivated the “Pavlov’s dog reflex”, you can stop being afraid of suffering from an overabundance of pressure and heaviness.

10. Dark chocolate

Yes friends! Real chocolate, made from real cocoa beans, can be a complete way to relax and give you a huge rush of endorphins.

Just one teaspoon of ground cocoa beans mixed with banana fruit puree or smoothie can loosen the grip of stress, lift your mood and is rightfully considered one of the most amazing methods for quality relaxation.

If you eat chocolate in the form of bars, then prefer it black (without milk) with at least 80 percent cocoa. I used to think that I was allergic to chocolate, but it turned out that I was only allergic to milk chocolate, which contains a huge number of dubious additives.

That's all!

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