Relaxation allows us to be present in the moment (not worrying about your to-do list or fretting over a conversation you had yesterday). It is the counterbalance to the fight-or-flight sympathetic nervous system response we experience when under stress. Relaxation allows the body to shift to a parasympathetic nervous system response, which allows the heart rate and blood pressure to normalize, digestion to function smoothly, hormones to work optimally, and the body to prioritize many housekeeping functions put on hold when under stress. The more we practice relaxation, the easier it becomes, so one day, even when faced with daily stressors, we can address problems without them wreaking havoc on our mind or bodies.

Step 1: Make A Plan

Relaxation doesn’t have to be hard or take a lot of time, but only you can make it happen for yourself. Considering how hard it can be to fit something new into an already packed schedule, most of us do well at first to plan how and when to fit relaxation in. You can try tacking relaxation on to a habit you already have, such as right before you brush your teeth, as soon as you set your keys down when you get home from work, or right after you tuck the kids in. Or schedule and commit to it just as you would an important meeting. It doesn’t have to be long at first; even committing to just a few minutes a day is enough to get started. Remember, the goal is to build the habit of relaxation so it can become a regular part of your routine. Don’t hesitate to enlist the support of family and friends or invest in classes or a trained professional to help you on your way to finding relaxation.

Step 2: Find Your Relaxation Style

Relaxation is not a one-size-fits-all thing and can look different to different people. It doesn’t have to mean sitting like a pretzel and meditating—but it can!

Meditation

Meditation aims to achieve physical and mental relaxation and an emotionally calm state by training the attention and focusing the mind. Through the practice of meditation, we are able to induce our body’s relaxation response (the parasympathetic nervous system) and to incur the numerous benefits that come with it. There are hundreds of different meditation techniques, but the most popular ones in the US tend to either concentrate the focus on a single point, such as the breath or a mantra (a single word repeated over and over), or encourage mindfulness through observation of thought. There are thousands of resources available to teach and guide you through meditation.

Movement

Regular exercise is one of the best methods for reducing stress. Numerous studies demonstrate that exercise reduces the intensity of stress, shortens the time it takes to recover from stress, and can support a healthy immune response when under stress. On the other hand, overdoing exercise can be hazardous and even increase tension and stress. Moderation is key. If you engage in more vigorous exercise, balance it with mild days and rest days and always keep it fun!

For those who are interested in the benefits of a movement practice specifically focused on relaxation consider one of the following:

• Qigong is an ancient Chinese mind-body practice that integrates posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound, and focused intent to cultivate chi, the vital life force. There are many different types of Qigong.
• Tai chi is another ancient Chinese mind-body practice that helps to stimulate the flow of chi. Often described as “meditation in motion”, it is characterized by soft, flowing movements that stress precision and force.
• Yoga is an ancient Indian philosophy that restores balance and harmony to the mind and body. Most modern yoga aims to boost physical and mental well-being through the use of asanas, postures that build strength and flexibility, and breathing techniques. There are many different styles of yoga, so try a few different styles to discover the yoga that works best for you.

Breathing Techniques

Most of us breathe in short shallow breaths, expanding only the chest – especially when feeling stressed. This is termed thoracic breathing and is not the proper, most healthful way to breathe. It does not allow the lungs to fill and empty completely, which can actually increase muscle tension. Breathing from your abdomen allows more oxygen to enter the body and relaxes the muscles. Practice abdominal breathing at least once a day so that it becomes natural. Here’s how:

1. Inhale and exhale fully through your nose.
2. Inhale very slowly and push out your abdomen as though it was a balloon inflating. Move your chest as little as possible.
3. Exhale slowly and allow the stomach to flatten.
4. Repeat the pattern—on each “in” breath, let the belly inflate and, on each “out” breath, let it flatten.
5. Each “out” breath is an opportunity to rid the body of tension.

Laughter

The simple act of regularly laughing can have surprisingly profound effects on our health. Research has shown that “laughter therapy” reduces the stress hormone cortisol and increases our natural production of feel-good endorphins.¹ It improves our immune function and supports a healthy mood and outlook.^{2 3} It even supports heart health and healthy blood pressure, likely by increasing nitric oxide.⁴ We laugh all the time as children, but the giggles tend stop when we’re adults. To get your giggles back try reading funny books or comics, watch funny videos or movies, spend time with people who make you laugh, be silly and goof around, go to a comedy club, and/or search out laughter yoga or laughter therapy groups near you.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Through the successive tightening and relaxing of the muscles, progressive muscle relaxation aims to create mental relaxation as a natural outcome of physical relaxation. No special skills or conditioning are required, just a commitment to practice. There are numerous free progressive muscle relaxation guides and videos available online.

Guided Imagery

This simple relaxation technique is pleasant to do and easy to learn. It’s a quick way to destress and when practiced over time can also help to build resilience to stress. Deep relaxation is gained when a relaxing scene is imagined in great detail with all the senses. Guided imagery can be practiced through widely available audio recordings, through an experienced practitioner or, with practice, using one’s own imagination.

Biofeedback

Using specialized equipment that converts physiological signals (such as brainwaves, heart rate, respiration rate, skin surface temperature, and heart rate variability) into visual and auditory cues, biofeedback practitioners are able to coach individuals to control body processes often thought of as involuntary. Through practice, individuals learn to self-regulate without the specialized equipment.⁵

Even though technology is often a major source of stress for us, we can also use it to our advantage when it comes to learning to relax. Below are some of our Nutritional Health Coaches’ favorite relaxation tools:

• Calm (https://www.calm.com/) is an app that offers daily themed meditations, sleep stories for grown-ups, sleep music, meditation lessons, nature sounds, and masterclasses. They offer a free trial.
• Dr Joe Dispenza (https://drjoedispenza.com/) is an international lecturer, researcher, corporate consultant, author, and educator. He believes each of us has the potential for greatness and unlimited abilities and educates on how to rewire the brain and condition the body for lasting change. Through his website you can buy online courses, teleclasses, books, and recorded workshops. The website also includes a blog, recorded videos, and intro articles. 
• Glo app (https://www.glo.com/) offers unlimited access to 4,000 online yoga, meditation, and Pilates classes. They offer a 15-day free trial.
• Guided Meditations by Lisa Beachy YouTube channel offers a variety of free guided meditations for people on the go.
• Joseph Clough (https://www.josephclough.com/) is an author, international trainer, celebrity coach, and hypnotherapist. He uses a blend of Neurolinguistic Programming with Time Line Therapy™, Hypnotherapy, and his own processes to help people transform their lives and achieve their goals. He has over 400 hours of free self-development and hypnosis content available.
• Headspace (https://www.headspace.com/) is an app that offers guided mindfulness meditation for everyone, but especially those new to meditation. The paid version offers sets of guided meditations aimed at specific problems like anxiety, sleeplessness, or relationships. They offer a free trial and monthly or yearly subscriptions and have student and family pricing as well.
• The Mindful Movement (https://themindfulmovement.com/) provides free guided meditations, hypnosis, affirmations, mindful movement videos, and mindful tips for growing inner peace, positive mindset, and the ability for self-healing.
• The Tapping Solution (https://www.thetappingsolution.com/) is based on Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) which uses the fingers to gently tap on specific acupressure points to stimulate them while you focus on a past trauma, chronic pain, or current stress (fear, anxiety, etc.) to release it and restore the body’s energy balance.
• The Wim Hof Method (https://www.wimhofmethod.com/) is the combination of three pillars: commitment to consistent practice of breathing techniques, cold exposure to stimulate our age-old survival mechanisms, and reconnecting us with our inner power. He offers classes, videos, a book, and an app.
• Waking Up with Sam Harris (https://www.wakingup.com/) app is a guide to understanding the mind, for the purpose of living a more balanced and fulfilling life. It teaches meditation as tool to make “fundamental discoveries in the laboratory of your own mind.”

These are but a few of the ways you can find to relax and reduce stress. If none of these methods speaks to you, don’t be afraid to think outside traditional relaxation techniques. Some other activities that often help to bring a sense of relaxation include gardening, crafting and creative hobbies, listening and/or dancing to your favorite music, laughing, reading, prayer, massage, aromatherapy baths, a home facial, being in nature…the list could go on and on. The most important thing is that you prioritize time to relax and you enjoy doing it!

References

1. Yim J. (2016). Therapeutic Benefits of Laughter in Mental Health: A Theoretical Review. The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine, 239(3), 243–249. https://doi.org/10.1620/tjem.239.243
2. Takahashi K, Iwase M, Yamashita K, Tatsumoto Y, Ue H, Kuratsune K, Shimizu A, Takeda M. The elevation of natural killer cell activity induced by laughter in a crossover designed study. In J Mol Med 2002 Dec;8(6):645-50.
3. Foley E, Matheis R, Schaefer C. Effect of forced laughter on mood. Psychol Rep 2002 Feb; 90(1):184
4. Busarakumtragul, P., & Dusadeemethagul, J. (2016). Effects of Laughing Training on Serum Cortisol and Nitrite Levels in Thai Private Office Workers. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet, 99 Suppl 8, S25–S30.
5. Frank, D.L., Khorshid, L., Kiffer, J.F., Moravec, C.S., McKee, M.G. (2010). Biofeedback in medicine: who, when, why and how? Ment Health Fam Med, 792), 85-91. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2939454/