Simple Relaxation Techniques For Busy People

Friday 10 October 2008 @ 1:44 pm

If you are busy person with tight schedules then you most likely are stressed and tired all the time. You are constantly tired which is affecting your sleeping patterns. What is the way out for you? Learn a few easy relaxation techniques which can improve and reduce your stress. It can remove your anxiety levels as well. Learning relaxation skills will improve your sleep patterns as well. The only question here is that you should find time to practise relaxation techniques.

Most relaxation skills have key skills which are common to all of them. Learning them would be a cake walk if practised regularly. Relaxation techniques are one of the easiest to learn. To begin with, here is what you can do:

Notice any signs of physical tension in your body

Feel your body. Look out for signs of tension. Look out for how your body reacts and feels during different times of the day. Check out how your breathing is. Do you take very deep breaths or are they shallow breaths. Look out for head aches and clenched jaws. Will you be able to describe how your body feels at any given point of time? Looking out for all these just takes a few minutes and this process is known as body scan. A Body scan can easily reveal if you have any built up tensions in your body.

However, it is best that signs of stress and tension be recognized early. This will not only help you combat it effectively, but help you ease your tensions quickly. But it must be kept in mind that each and every person has his or her own way of reacting to stresses. One way of recognizing stress early is by doing a body scan, as described above, several times a day.

Breath Control

Breath Control is a part and parcel of every relaxation technique. If you feel you are breathing fast during a body scan, learn to slow it down. An ideal cycle would be 10-12 breaths per minute. Use abdominal breathing and learn to breath deeply and slowly. In fact, slowing down your breathing is one of the best and fastest relaxation techniques. This is because it changes the concentration of oxygen in your body. It can also help in easing muscle tension. Yoga Exercises do incorporate a lot of effective breathing exercises which can be applied effectively.

It would be good if you start noticing the way you breathe. Is it plain, shallow breaths, or fast? Is your chest and throat feeling tight? Try changing your breath pattern and check if it has any effect on your level of tension. For starters, do not straight away take big deep breaths. You are sure to harm yourself by hyperventilating yourself or become light-headed which will increase your tension.

Slow you Mind

In these busy days, almost every one has their mind occupied with one or other issues. It could be just things to do, or a whole lot of tensions, or it could be just plain worry. Usually, people have serious trouble switching themselves off from the worry mode. One way to get out of this worry mode is by letting go of your thoughts. Also, during the regular body scan, try noticing when your mind is active and when it is calm. That way you are keeping track of how busy your mind is.

As with any other area, even the sphere of relaxation is subject to myths. Most people do think that relaxation means emptying your mind of thoughts. That is next to impossible. During relaxation you can’t let go of your thoughts, but you should just let them float about without attempting to concentrate on them. It is akin to sitting at a bus station; buses come and go and there is no rule that you should climb every bus that comes your way.

The ideal ways to relax yourself is to start noticing for signals. Noticing for body tension, controlling your breathing, as well as slowing down your mind, are the very basics of relaxation techniques. As the adage goes, “Practise makes a man perfect”. Practise more and you will be able to relax much more effectively in a much quicker time.

Get a free Stress Management 7-Part E-Course and receive a free mp3 download of an interview with a clinical social worker (’Coping With Stress’) with your first issue.
Visit http://WillYouRelax.com for details and get loads of great relaxation tips and strategies for coping with stress. Free meditation report also available.

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Easy Relaxation Techniques: The Foundation of Good Health

Saturday 20 September 2008 @ 6:09 pm

In these days of hectic lifestyles, it is rare that people find time for themselves. They are stressed out and badly need a time for relaxation. But their lifestyle ensures that they have no time for relaxation.  Relaxation can not only recharge your worn out batteries but has innumerable benefits for the mind as well as body.  But unfortunately people are too busy to even find time for some simple relaxation exercises.

The key to improving your general health and well being is a regular relaxation time period. This regular practise will allow the body to recover from the daily stresses it faces as well as allow it time to heal.  Even better it is a shield that can help you cope with problems and tensions when they occur. Even better, it prevents the build up of pressure.

How does it feel being relaxed? Various people have had various experiences while relaxing.  But an agreed factor is that being relaxed is like feeling drowsy accompanied by a feeling of heaviness, while some report feeling light.  Essentially, deep relaxation is a state where your body is free from muscle tension and there is a slowing down of your mind.  One thing that can be assured when you are coming out of a relaxed state of mind is that you will certainly feel fresh and alert.

There are numerous positive benefits that relaxation has on the human body, including:

1. Lower Heart rate
2. A slow breathing rate
3. Blood pressure is lowered
4. Muscles get relaxed
5. Requirement of oxygen is much lower when you are relaxed
6. Slows down the number of thoughts
7. Calmness and peace descends on your body

Regular use of relaxation techniques offers many health benefits:

1. Blood Pressure is lowered
2. The regular aches and pains are reduced to a large extent
3. High level of alertness
4. Concentration is improved to a great extent
5. Anxiety and panic feelings are reduced
6. Angry outbursts and irritability are lowered to a tremendous extent
7. Better reaction to pains
8. Emotional reactions to problems is reduced
9. Study Skills are enhanced
10. A feeling of being in control
11. Increased ability to handle stressful situations
12. Immune systems functions at an improved level

Relaxation can benefit all age groups . Though relaxation would mean doing nothing to many people, the body will actually be doing loads of work even in a complete state of relaxation. This is essential for good health. Relaxation can even help when you are recovering from an illness or trying to improve your health.  Maximum improvement is found only when relaxation techniques are part of your recovery strategy.

Relaxation is a very inexpensive way of boosting your health. The human body as such is not designed to be active or in a state of tension all day.  Relaxation is a great way to put your body into peak working condition thereby improving its ability to cope with stress, think clearly and a feeling of being in control during stressful situations.  Set aside some time each day to listen to relaxation tapes without interruptions.  Soon you will be glad to find yourself in a healthy state feeling fit and eager to get going.

Get a free Stress Management 7-Part E-Course and receive a free mp3 download of an interview with a clinical social worker (’Coping With Stress’) with your first issue.
Visit http://WillYouRelax.com for details and get loads of great relaxation tips and strategies for coping with stress. Free meditation report also available.

If you like this post, please buy me a beer for $2 8-)

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!