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Rima is a dancer. An hour before any of her dance performances, she is a bundle of nerves. But once she gets on the stage, she is totally relaxed and delivers her best.
This may seem counterproductive, but it has been proven that some amount of tension helps drive people towards their goals and achievements. But if stress stays for a longer period, it causes a lot of damage to our mental and physical health.
Chronic stress triggers negative physical reactions such as increased blood pressure, heart disease, defensive or aggressive behavior, headaches, insomnia, and so on.
Relax and heal
Stress management is a crucial part of well-being. In today’s challenging times, it is imperative to unwind and relax.
Relaxation is defined as the state of being free from tension and anxiety. It is like a whiff of fresh air for the worried mind.
Importance of relaxation
Relaxation brings a host of benefits:
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It increases the blood flow, and you feel energetic and charged
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It reduces blood pressure, slows the heart rate, and relieves tension
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It soothes and clears your mind leading to positive thinking
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It enhances concentration, memory, and decision-making
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It reduces the sustained feeling of depression
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It improves digestion and helps the body absorb nutrients effectively
Relaxation techniques
While some relaxation techniques are scientifically proven, some others may be different for each individual.
Actress Angelina Jolie finds meditative peace when she sits on the floor with her kids around her or when she goes on the trampoline. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger believes that training releases suppressed energies created by stress and tones the spirit, and exercise conditions the body. Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States, puts on her iPod and heads to the gym or goes out on a bike ride to relax.
Here are some relaxation techniques you can try to see if they make a difference. Find a solution that suits you, and relax.
1. Set yourself free:
Unlock those binding shackles and set your mind free. Listen to music. Take a stroll. Unleash the creativity in you and paint that abstract painting you always wanted to. Go and enjoy your favorite ice cream. Take a hot bath. Do what makes you happy
2. Refresh with breaks:
Ravi makes it a point to get up from his desk every couple of hours to meet a colleague in another department. The change of environment and a little chit-chat helps his brain rest. This also helps him concentrate better on his next assignment. Taking breaks is a very effective relaxation technique.
3. Meditate regularly:
“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams, who looks insides, awakes,” said Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology. Meditation is the art of looking inwards, of letting your thoughts go and focusing on the moment. It relaxes your body and mind and restores the lost harmony between them.
4. Visualize:
When Sameer is stressed out, he sits back and closes his eyes. He visualizes himself enjoying the beautiful moments he once spent with his wife and son in the past. These mental images take him to a happy space. Positive visualization is a great and instant relaxation technique.
5. Exercise:
Have you noticed that stress builds tension in your muscles, making them hard and stiff? In such a case, use muscle relaxation techniques. Concentrate on your breathing. Take deep breaths. Lie down and relax your muscle groups. Or go outdoors to stretch, walk, or run.
Some other relaxation techniques are:
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Massage
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Aromatherapy
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Art therapy
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Hydrotherapy
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Dance
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Reading
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Yoga
Conclusion
To live a stress-free life, having a purpose is very important as it makes you persevere towards a goal and keeps you motivated. Harappa Education’s Discovering Purpose course will tell you why it is important to have a purpose in order to have a fulfilling personal and professional life.
Explore blogs on topics such as the importance of stress management, what is a stress cycle, how to relieve stress, and workplace stress in our Harappa Diaries section to learn how to lead a stress-free life.
