Natural
healing time
Relaxation techniques
Nutrition
Think
optimistically
Powerful
relaxation techniques
There is no one, right
way to relax, so find the way that you are most comfortable with.
Whatever you call it rest, relaxation, meditation or self-hypnosis spending just 15 minutes twice a day can have profound benefits on physical and mental wellbeing and add years to your life.
Regular relaxation is key to overcoming stress, anxiety and depression.
It’s best to find somewhere where you can sit quietly without being disturbed.
Most people find that they can relax more with their eyes shut, but that’s not essential.
Breath Your Way to Relaxation
with
7/11 Breathing
A great technique for
relaxing at any time is to use 7/11 breathing – breath in whilst
counting up to 7 in your head, and breath out to a count of 11. If a count
of 7 and 11 is too much count to 5 and 9. The important thing is to make
your out-breath longer than the in-breath. You can do this at work at
home, on a train - anywhere and people won’t know!
7/11 breathing is great for reducing anxiety and stress. Use it before, during or after stressful events and notice how much calmer you become.
The more you do it the more you’ll really start to notice the benefits.
The
Body Scan
The body scan is a simple, yet powerful relaxation technique. Sit comfortably
with your eyes shut. Do it nice and slowly, taking your time.
Make you feet normally comfortable and pay attention to the sensations in your feet. On a big in-breath and a count of 1 bring those feelings up to your knees. Next, on another in-breath and a count of 2, let the feelings float up to your waist; on a count of 3 pull the feeling up to your shoulders and a count of 4 up over your head. Pause for a moment to notice the pleasant sensations over the whole of your body.
Next, and on a big out-breath, and a count of 5 double the feelings down from your head to your shoulders, and on a count of 6 double them down to your waist; a count of 7 to double them down to your knees, and finally on a count of 8 double it down to your feet and imagine all the tension in your body leaving through the soles of your feet.
Like any skill the
more you do it the better it gets and the more benefits you will begin
to notice.
