Time Out: How to Relax Like a Pro

Stress has its uses. In the right amount, it can spur us on to do our best and get through even the toughest of days. However, most of us are subject to more than a healthy dose of stress in our lives, and that definitely is not a good thing.

Stress is one of the biggest health issues we face because so many of us suffer from it and it has been linked to many more severe conditions, including depression, obesity, headaches and even Alzheimer’s disease. So, it is vital that we take the time to relax, and here’s how you can relax like a pro:

Breathe

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Quite possibly the easiest way to relax is to simply take several deep breaths, taking time to notice the pauses between in breath and out breath. Not only will this slow your heart rate, but it will also help you to clear your head of the troubling thoughts that are putting you under so much stress.

Meditate

Meditation can be used for everything from gaining meditative wisdom to losing weight, but where it really shines is in the stress-busting stakes. Even a few minutes of meditation each day can help you to feel happier, calmer and more peaceful. Mindfulness meditation, in particular, can help you to stop focusing on the negative, which does the world of good for getting rid of stress.

Walk

Sometimes, all it takes to relax is to get out of your present surroundings and into nature. Even a quick walk around the park can make all the difference to your stress levels. Think about it, when you go for a walk, you’re breathing in fresh air, you’re getting some light exercise, and you’re well out of the way of any sources of tension. Walking is quite simply brilliant!

Journal

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If you’re the kind of person who is forever ruminating on a particularly problem in your life, write it down instead! The act of journaling your problems, allows you to free the thoughts from your mind, so that you can relax and get some breathing space. Writing things down can also help you to get some perspective on the issues that are bothering you most.

Take a Magnesium Bath

Magnesium is a wonderful element, which is why it is so sad that so many of us are deficient in it! One way to ensure total body relaxation is to take a hot bath in magnesium salts. As the magnesium enters your system, you will instantly feel calmer and more together. The hot water helps with that too!

Get an Early Night

Sleep is vital to a number of bodily functions, and is of particular importance to the brain, so it makes sense that a lack of sleep could lead to more stress, as we find it harder to think, process and put things into perspective! In order to combat this, it is important to set and stick to a sleep schedule.

With these new relaxation tools in your arsenal, it’s only a matter of time before you’re able to maintain zen like calm most of the time!