Relaxation
Everyday life is busy. So RELAX, it’s important!
We all cope differently to life’s demands. However, learning relaxation techniques can improve your general feelings of wellbeing, and they can be helpful to manage stress and anxiety.
Your body responds to worrying situations and anxious thoughts with muscle tension. Progressive Muscle Relaxation involves tensing and tightening different muscles of your body for about 10 seconds, then slowly release that tension, and allow that muscle to relax. Let that feeling of relaxation flow through your body! You can close your eyes, sit or lie comfortably and begin by focusing on your feet and progressively move up your body to your head.
Deep Breathing by slowly inhaling through your nose, holding for a few seconds, and slowly breathe out your mouth, and focused breathing (as you breath out say a positive statement to yourself like “calm down”) can be performed anywhere and can have an immediate calming effect.
Mindfulness Meditation is about focusing your attention on the here and now, rather than getting stuck thinking about the past or worrying about the future. Practicing to stay in the moment can improve your memory and attention, reduce stress, increase resilience and energy.
Different relaxation techniques work better for different people. Try a few out to see what works for you. They don’t take long and best of all you can do them anywhere and anytime you need to calm or refocus.
Don’t forget Fun Stuff! This is usually what gets neglected when things get hectic. It is important to catch up with friends, see a movie, read a good book, listen to music, kick the footy, go shopping! Fun isn’t just enjoyable, it’s part of keeping well!