Many of us may not have an interest in seeing a therapist or the time or money to do so. That doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t take a few minutes out of our days to do a little something to relax our minds, though.
There are some strategies that you can employ if you’re looking for a way to de-stress and rejuvenate in the middle of your day. We’ll highlight five of them below.
Do some breathwork
Breathwork has become increasingly popular in recent years. Individuals engage in breathing exercises with the goal of achieving improved mental and physical well-being as well as a spiritual awakening.
The goal of breathwork is to become more conscious of your breathing and to regulate so that it’s less fatiguing and more restorative.
There are a variety of benefits associated with breathworth. It can:
- Reduce your heart rate and thus your blood pressure
- Calm your brain and help you overcome intrusive thoughts
- Minimise adverse symptomology of post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, anxiety, and trauma
Keep yourself hydrated
You’ll often hear about the importance of keeping hydrated. In fact, most advice that you read will recommend that you have at least eight cups of water per day.
Not all water is created equally, though. It’s important that what you drink is high-quality, like the kind that a berkey water filter produces. Filers like these remove a significant amount of pollutants that may adversely impact your mental and physical health, including minimizing dehydration, a factor in causing memory-related disorders and headaches. The latter can cause sudden shifts in mood.
Take time to exercise
When many people hear the word exercise, they envision having to put in 30 minutes or more on a cardio machine, doing abdominal work or lifting weights. While all of that is ideal, and can definitely energise you and boost your mood, it’s not the only thing that can.
Even a situation where you get from your seat and stretch can be rejuvenating for the mind and spirit. Dancing can introduce a ray of sunshine into your life, and thus may you happy. Yoga movements can calm your anxiety and help you focus better. A brisk walk in the fresh air can get your blood flowing, help you regulate your breathing and help you get back to work with a newfound focus.
Take notes
It can feel overwhelming juggling everything in your head. Knowing that you have a lot to do and limited time to do it can make you anxious and put you on the verge of a panic attack. One of the best strategies to help you get a hold of your day is to write down everything you need to do and prioritize what has to happen.
Also, if your thoughts are more along the line of you needing to make a decision, and needing to weigh the pros and cons associated with different choices, then you may want to make a side-by-side listing of the positives and negatives. This approach will allow you to better visualize your options.
Having any thoughts, positive or negative, clouding your mind can feel overwhelming, make you depressed or anxious and is distracting. Putting them on paper will free up some bandwidth so you feel like you’re in a better mind space to make decisions and let your creativity flow.
Consider taking a bath
There’s nothing like water when it comes to trying to relax. When you’re planning to drink, you need to ensure that you are consuming safe drinking water. When you’re preparing to take a bath, you want to make sure that your water is at the right temperature and well-scented using aromatherapy, bath salts or bubble bath.
Scents play a large role in how we feel. They can help you relax and boost your mood, depending on which aromatherapy options you select. Winding down your day with a nice soak in your tub may be the ideal way to decompress from a long, stressful day and prepare for the next.
While certain factors outside of your control may result in you facing a stress-filled day, you don’t have to allow those feelings to linger. Employ one or several of the five steps above to enjoy a more relaxing rest of your day. You’ll be glad that you did.
Adam Mulligan did his degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He is interested in psychology, mental health, and wellness.
