If you’re having trouble unwinding after long days or weeks, you’re not alone. In fact, research suggests that 48% of people regularly lie awake at night, too stressed to sleep. And if the sources of your mental anguish are primarily job pressure, money, and health, you’re also in abundant company – they’re the top causes of stress worldwide.
The bottom line is that hundreds of millions of people could use better strategies for managing stress in their lives. And the simplest way to do this is to get smart about how you relax.
If you can balance stress and relaxation well, you’ll improve every aspect of your life. You’ll be happier, more productive, emotionally stable, and healthier, and you’ll be able to carry much heavier burdens with relative ease.
In this column, I’m going to share some easy and inexpensive ways to beat stress, relax your muscles and mind. Use this list as part of your relaxation routine and you’ll sleep better, feel better, and stay healthier.
Let’s get to it.
Enjoy a pleasant aroma
Aromatherapy is an age-old way to reduce stress and promote relaxation that also has some modern scientific evidence on its side. Specifically, research shows that the scent of certain essential oils, like lavender, bergamot, chamomile and geranium can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep quality.
The easiest way to incorporate this into your relaxation routine is to use a diffuser or light a candle with one of the scents.
Breathe deeply
One the most basic, effective tools soldiers have to keep their cool while under fire is controlling their breathing.
Shallow, rapid breaths drawn into the chest area indicate and increase stress, whereas deep breaths involving the diaphragm (belly breathing) reduce stress and increase antioxidant activity.
The key to deep breathing is that you slowly inhale with both your chest and relaxed belly (don’t suck your stomach in). You want to expand your ribcage and fill the entirety of your lungs with oxygen in each breath. To get the maximum benefit from this technique, hold each breath for a count of four and then release it very slowly.
Listen to classical music
Next time you’re stressed, put on some slow, quiet classical music and before long you’ll be nestled in its soothing embrace.
Research shows that classical music sharpens your mind, engages your emotions, lowers blood pressure, lessens physical pain and depression and helps you sleep better.
Drink green tea
I’m a big fan of tea and its many health benefits and here’s another reason to drink it regularly:
A large study conducted with 42,093 Japanese individuals found that regular green tea consumption was associated with lower levels of psychological distress.
Scientists believe the primary way it accomplishes this is the high doses of the amino acid L-theanine and ascorbic acid, which are effective stress busters.
What do you think about these ways to relax? Have anything else to share? Interact with me via the email above.
