Breathing Exercises
The breath is the source of life. When you are struggling to find a moment to connect, your breath is the way to go. By bringing your attention back to your breath, you immediately connect to yourself. Usually when you get stressed out you become disconnected. The breath is grounding and helps bring you back to the present moment. Find an app with breathing exercise that help you relax and provide a quick fix for a stressful moment.
Stretch Out
Sometimes you need to get your body moving in order to get your brain moving towards relaxation. In order to break away the tension and stress you have to literally break away the tension and the stress. Stress often lives in the muscles and can build up if you don’t ‘get moving. Stand up, move around, and stretch your limbs. You’ll put your attention in places other than your stress at the moment.
Drink Chamomile Tea
If you are so stressed that you cannot even take the time to make yourself a cup of tea, you probably need one! Chamomile is a natural herb and flower that increases feelings of relaxation and calm naturally. With A bit of honey for sweetness and lemon for helping to zing you awake, a nice cup of tea can be the break you need to relax.
Use Aromatherapy
Essential oils from a diffuser or even straight from the bottle can help you to relax. So can taking a sniff of your favorite perfume, the smell of your coziest sweater, or walking outside to breathe in some fresh air. Your sense of smell is one of your strongest and most quickly changes your perception.
Stay Off Your Smartphone
Though it may feel as though getting lost within the apps on your smartphone is relaxing, it’s more distracting and numbing than everything else. It may dull the sensations of stress you are experiencing but getting lost in your phone won’t actually help you relax. In fact, all the extra exposure to the bright blue light behind your screen will make it more difficult for you later when you try to relax and go to sleep.
Get Calm
The app Calm is one of the few apps you should use when you need to relax. Musical sounds, calming sound therapy, and inspirational messages can be the quick escape you need to get calm and relax.
Visualize Relaxation
When you can’t even imagine relaxing, that is sometimes the most important thing you can do! If you were to be completely relaxed at this moment, what would that look like? Spend a few moments visualizing your ultimate relaxation. Chances are your heart rate will slow down and your brain will produce just enough dopamine to get you through.
LEAD Recovery Center helps clients learn how to manage their lives in practical and clinically proven ways. Through experiential adventure learning and life coaching, our clients build healthy habits for a balanced lifestyle. Call us today for more information on our intensive outpatient treatment programs at 800-380-0012.
