5 simple ways to relax and recharge

My wise and wonderful dad has a great bit of advice and here it is ...

As Gandhi also once remarked "There is more to life than increasing its speed" and I wholeheartedly agree with this.

If we are always 'switched on' and overloading our lives we will eventually push ourselves to the point of exhaustion and end up even experiencing burnout. Life is precious and so are we and building relaxation time into our lives will help us to keep our stress levels at a manageable level and ensure that we support our overall wellbeing.

Too much work and not taking enough time out for ourselves can result in physical and mental health problems. Winding down and relaxing is essential if we want to invest in achieving better balance and living a happier and healthier life.

Here are some of the key benefits of relaxation:

• Lowers our blood pressure
• Slows our breathing rate
• Slows our heart rate down
• Reduces the activity of stress hormones
• Increases blood flow to major muscles
• Reduces muscle tension and chronic pain
• Improves concentration and mood
• Maintains normal blood sugar levels
• Improves our digestion
• Boosts our energy levels
• Supports our mental health
• Helps us to be present and appreciate the moment?

So here are five ways that we can build relaxation into our day…

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1.???Prioritise time for relaxation

Setting aside time for ourselves within our busy schedule is all about self-care and establishing healthy boundaries. Making our own personal wellbeing our biggest priority has nothing to do with being selfish and no one needs to feel guilty about this. It is the most responsible approach to living a healthy and productive life.

When we plan our day, it is helpful to allocate time for relaxation and put ourselves on our to-do list. Getting outside at lunchtime for a relaxing stroll or even just taking a few minutes to do some stretching and breathing exercises can make all the difference. If we don’t set the time aside however, we may not get around to doing it, so it pays to be organised and disciplined about this.

2.???Make a habit of switching off technology

It is becoming increasingly obvious that our world is developing an unhealthy attachment to technology and mobile devices. Being able to switch off from technology can help us to relax quite significantly.

Various studies into neurological and emotional wellbeing highlight the importance of taking breaks. Scanning social media is not a break for our brain because our mind will think it is still working. When we relax we really need to switch off and avoid directing our thoughts toward any task at all. Downtime is healthy for the mind and body and almost everything will work again if we unplug it, including us!

3.????And breath…

Breathing has to be the most simple and easily accessible form of relaxation and when we focus on breathing it can really help us to calm down when we are feeling stressed. There are many simple breathing exercises that are very easy and require no equipment and can be done anywhere.

Here is just one example:

???????Sit with your back straight and imagine a piece of string attached to the top of your head pulling you up.

???????Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.

???????Place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth.

???????Close your mouth and inhale through your nose to a mental count of four.

???????Hold your breath for a count of four.

???????Exhale completely through your mouth, slowly, to a count of four

???????This is one breath. Now repeat four more times.

4.????Listen to soothing music

Music is a great way of helping us to relax, relieve stress and ease any anxieties we may have. It can also help us to function better mentally and physically. Music is regularly used for meditation and as an aid for sleep disorders. Some studies have suggested that slow, gentle, soothing music can also improve learning, creativity, and memory.

Here are my 3 favourite pieces of relaxing music …

Alexis Ffrench ( yes two f's it's not a typo!) Bluebird - I always play this at the beginning when I deliver a webinar to help people feel relaxed

Pachelbel - Canon in D Major - It's a classic!

Marconi Union - Weightless - This can really help you to drift off to sleep too :)

5.????Reduce stress with the power of laughter

Having a good laugh can decrease stress hormones and also increase immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. Laughter has so many health benefits and can be such a great tonic, as well as helping us to relax.

Laughter?also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good?chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain, as well as having a very positive effect on our emotional well-being.

Please do visit my website www.liggywebb.com for more tips and advice on wellbeing or email me [email protected]