The Dangers of Stress
Looking to improve your overall quality of life? Peace of mind isn’t the only benefit of relaxing. It also helps reduce stress in your day-to-day life. High stress increases your chances of developing serious health problems. The longer your level of stress is sustained, the worse your health can become. Most people will experience some sort of stress in their life. But when you are stressed out, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. A stress response is triggered when your body detects a threat to your well-being or life. The body responds by sending a flood of hormones and chemicals into the bloodstream.
Studies show that a variety of relaxation techniques can alleviate many chronic health concerns, restore energy, and promote a more positive outlook on life. When you are being calm you feel like you have more control over your emotions in your life. You can hear your own thoughts, communicate more effectively, and feel better in general!
But how do you get there? How do you practice calm?
What is Relaxation?
Relaxation is defined as:
“an active state of ease or rest, as derived from the Latin word mass, meaning “body.”
One of the best mental health benefits of mindfulness is increased emotional intelligence (EI). It’s what allows you to feel comfortable in your own skin, and improve your interpersonal relationships with others.
How to Practice Mindfulness?
Breathing and Meditation
Meditation is a great way to decrease anxiety, stress and improve your overall well-being. It helps to lower your heart rate, lower blood pressure and get you in a state of calm.
Photo by Olya Kobruseva from Pexels
Here are two simple breathing techniques you can try right now!
- Mindfulness Meditation: Close your eyes and notice your breath. Notice how it feels in your body and in your mind. Keep your attention on your breath for 5-10 minutes, focusing on each breath. Then, pause and simply enjoy this moment.
- Grounding: This technique helps to ground you in your body and get you in touch with your emotions. You can close your eyes and simply relax and pay attention to your breathing and heart rate.
Yoga and Stretching
It’s easy to know the physical benefits of yoga but did you know it’s even good for the mind? Yoga has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and pain. Many people are sedentary because they don’t know any other activities that are easier on the body and less draining on the mind. Yoga can teach them different breathing and meditation techniques.
Another great benefit is that it’s very relaxing. It increases strength, balance, and flexibility so you can enjoy a more active lifestyle without the pain. It will also help you relieve anxiety and depression because the relaxing movements increase blood flow to the brain.
Dance or Sing
Dancing or singing is a great way to feel calm, give yourself a break, or show your body some love.
Quieting your mind is the best way to live your life. It helps with stress and depression and makes you feel more relaxed and calm in your day-to-day life. Make it a regular habit, and it will improve your overall quality of life!
