Relaxing from Stress – Where Do You Start?

Modern life can be stressful, and the events of the past two years have only accentuated the importance of relaxation. Prolonged exposure to stress can lead to any number of physical and mental health issues, which are far easier to prevent than they are to cure. Leaving those stress feedback loops can be difficult; in this article, we take a look at how to start with your relaxation journey, with some practical advice on how to de-stress.

Focus on your breath-work

Breathing exercises are one of the most simple yet effective ways of de-stressing. There are countless tutorials to help you along, on youtube and other health sites. Once you’ve got a method you’re comfortable with (box breathing is a popular choice) find yourself a quiet and comfortable space. 

Spending just ten minutes on breathwork can make a massive difference to your stress levels, both mentally and physiologically. Carving a little time out of your day to complete breathing exercises before you get overly stressed is a great way of maintaining a healthy, capable mind!

Exercise

Regular aerobic exercise is not only amazing for your overall physical health, it’s also a key factor in reducing stress. Exercising reduces the concentration of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, and leads to the production of endorphins, the chemicals which act as the body’s natural pain killers and mood stabilisers. 

Even something as simple as walking for 30 minutes each day can be enough to see positive effects, although more intense exercise like jogging, cycling or swimming may bring about more pronounced effects. Making time in your day to exercise also gives you some time when you’re not surrounded by work, or whatever else might be causing you stress!

Try journaling

When we get stressed, it can be easy to amplify whatever we’re stressed about in our minds. Writing down your thoughts brings them back to reality, and can make your issues seem far easier to tackle. 

It can also help you to understand how you’re feeling; often stress builds up slowly over years and we don’t quite understand what the underlying causes of that stress are. Journaling each day also means that you’re taking time out of your daily routine to focus on self-care, which has its own benefits!

Spend time in nature

While it might seem intuitive that spending time in natural spaces can help you to relax, it’s now backed up by scientific research. 

The effect is so significant that one study found that individuals only had to look at a picture of a forest to experience benefits. Ideally, you would spend time in nature physically; going for a walk in a forest or park also counts as exercise, and if you leave your phone at home (which we would certainly recommend) you’ll also be leaving some of the environmental factors causing you stress. You could even consider complementing your walks with something from https://perfectplantmarket.com/collections/thca-vapes to elevate your relaxation and senses further.

Spending time away from technology (and with its opposite – nature) can do wonders for your mental health and stress levels.

For taking stress management to the next level, companies such as GREENHAUS specialise in providing wellness products and natural therapeutics to those looking for that additional step towards an optimised relaxation routine.