14th August 2017
Happy #RelaxationDay!
We all have busy lifestyles which means that our own health and well-being gets put on the back burner quite often, making it hard to relax. Anxiety and stress are becoming increasingly common due to our fast-paced lifestyles and poor work life balance. Regular relaxation has been proven to have many health benefits, and its easy too!
Why not try these 5 simple steps to de-stress, relax, and re-focus, whether you’re at home or at your desk?
- Breath –Try sitting up, with your feet flat on the floor. Close your eyes, and begin to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on every breath or even count to 5 with each breath. Continue this for 3-5 minutes. Try to clear your mind of any negative thoughts; deep breaths can re-focus your mind and get you back to the task at hand!
- Take a break away from your desk or even just look away from the screen; aim to do this every 20 minutes. It has been shown that looking away from your screen and focusing on a distant object relaxes the focusing muscle in your eyes to reduce strain and fatigue.
- Drink water – keeping hydrated keeps the body functioning at its optimum and therefore a clear mind. Health experts advise you to drink between 1.5-2.5 litres of water per day; even mild dehydration can cause irritability and restlessness.
- Use the stairs instead of the lift or, alternatively go for a walk on your lunch break instead of sitting at your desk to refresh the mind. Recent studies have shown, those who meditate or simply count their steps whilst out on a low-intensity walk induced more feelings of relaxation and reduced levels of stress more effectively than those who did not.
- Listen to calming music (if you are allowed) – quiet classical music has been proven to have a positive effect on reducing your heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of stress hormones.
So, have a go and take your pick, find which method works for you to relax your body and mind.
Happy relaxing!
