Relax Your Body: Relax Series Part 1

Sink into the softness of your bed. Soothe your frazzled nerves. Relax your body. With stress levels through the roof for a lot of people right now, I decided to write a 4-part series on relaxation, the first of which focuses on relaxing the physical self.

Our body is an amazing thing which allows us to express ourselves, get things done, and basically function. It only makes sense to take care of it not just by exercising and eating healthy, but by also allowing it to rest. There are many ways to relax your body, and some may be more effective for you than others. The important thing is to make sure you’re making time for it. Read on to find different ways to wind down.

Breathe

The simplest thing we can do anytime and anywhere, to give our bodies a little rest, is to breathe. Taking 5 or more mindful, slow, and deep breaths can relax us instantly. In fact, there’s a 4-7-8 breathing technique which Dr. Andrew Weil, its teacher, calls a “natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.” Below are the steps to do it:

• Exhale completely through the mouth.
• Breathe in through the nose for 4 counts.
• Hold your breath for 7 counts.
• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of 8.

You can use this whenever you feel stressed, triggered—whenever you want to relax your mind and body. Deep breathing has many known benefits, some of which include decreased stress, reduced anxiety, and reduced hypertension.

To help remind you to breathe deeply, I created a free mobile and desktop wallpaper as a gift. If you like it, sign-up to download it now!

Stretch to relax that body

If you’ve got an 8-hour job staying still, a quick thing you can do to relax your body is to do some stretches. Get off your seat or move around for a few minutes. There are hundreds of free guides if you do a quick Google search online. Here’s one from Hamilton Health Sciences:

There’s even an office yoga workout that you can do for just 2 minutes from Darebee. So even if you’re swamped with work, you can still squeeze in a few stretches to relax yourself. If you’ve got the time however, you might want to do longer stretches or even yoga, which I discuss further below.

Yoga

Whether it’s after a long day of work or in the morning when you’re still sleepy, yoga can help relax your body by stretching out muscles and getting your blood flowing. You can also calm down and exhale the stress away by settling into the breathing patterns. In fact, there are some yoga poses that feel like a massage!

You don’t need to go to yoga class if you’re not up for it and can do it at home instead. Just pop into something comfy, roll out a yoga mat (if you have one at home), and search online for a routine. Here are some of my favorite relaxing flows from Yoga With Adriene and Boho Beautiful.

Nap

If you’ve got an hour-long lunch break and have some extra time, you might want to consider taking a nap. Taking 10- to 20-minute power naps has been shown to boost productivity and health. Remember not to take longer than that as it might lead to negative effects.

Foam Rolling

This I’m still trying to do more often, but my partner (a marathoner), swears by it. It loosens and relieves any tension in the muscles, which to me sounds really relaxing especially after a whole day of sitting down. This article, showing 8 foam-rolling moves to remove stress in your body, calls it a type of self-massage.

Some people even foam roll to relax their body before bed. If you’re not in the mood to get down on the floor, you can try muscle roller sticks instead. They also relieve tight muscles and increase blood flow, but are more portable. You can massage any sore spots while sitting on the couch watching your favorite series.

Related: Start Exercising And Stick To It: 10 Tips For Beginners

Get a massage

I have to admit this is one of my favorite ways to relax my body. There’s just something so soothing about lying on a bed with peaceful music playing while someone massages your tired body with warm hands and oils. Just thinking about it makes me want to get a massage so bad!

Since a professional one might not be an option right now, you could ask for a back rub or head massage from family or close friends living with you. Or you can try these 8 Easy Yoga Poses That Feel Like A Massage. Unless you’re really lucky and live with someone who knows how to give good massages, you’ll have to make do. Hahaha.

Take a bath or shower to relax your body

After the end of a long day, taking some me-time in a nice, warm bath with scented candles and spa music can really wash the stress away. Benefits include improved blood circulation, heart health, and better sleep, among others. If you’re not a fan of baths, then take a shower. Showers have been shown to reduce stress (for both temperatures) and have a lot of good effects—such as soothing migraines and reducing muscle tension—for your body too.

Whatever floats your boat, below are some relaxing playlists to listen to while giving yourself a good scrub:

• Peaceful Retreat by Spotify
• Bath Music: Soothing Music for Bath, Spa Music, Massage Music and Deep Relaxation by Bath Music, Spa Music Relaxation, and Amazing Spa Music.
• SPA Nature Sounds by Spotify

Sleep early

The best way to relax a tired or sore body would really be to catch some z’s. Wear your comfiest PJs, get to bed early, call it a night. Remember, no phones or TV! If you have trouble sleeping, try drinking a warm beverage like milk or decaf tea. You can also take a warm bath and try some lavender aromatherapy. After these, sleep will hopefully come momentarily.

Related: 11 Ways To Create A Relaxing Evening Routine For Quality Rest

Time to relax your body

I hope you enjoyed reading these tips and maybe learned new ways of relaxing. If you have other ways to wind down, please comment below! This is only Part 1 of the Relax series. Read more tips on how to relax your mind, heart, and soul here.

And if you feel like you don’t have enough time for self-care, it’s time to learn the art of pausing.

Related:
Relax Your Heart: Relax Series Part 3
Relax Your Body: Relax Series Part 1
Relax Your Soul: Relax Series Part 4