Relax, Its Good For You

5 relaxation techniques to ease stress From Women Health Magazine

By Alice Head

1. Relax with: Breathwork

Sounds easy, right? In for four and out… for… fouuuuur. And whilst breathing is easy (you do it 23,040 times a day, on average), breath work is a little different. Richie Bostock, Breathwork expert for FIIT and @thebreathguy, explains that it can change your state of being—yes, really.

He expands: ‘Any time you use a technique involving your breath to change your physical, mental or emotional state, that’s Breathwork. Understanding and using the breath purposefully can reduce stress and anxiety, increase energy levels, improve sleep, improve creativity, increase athletic performance and cardiovascular health.’

So, Bostock encourages you to use your breath daily as a tool to shift energy. Not sure where to start? Try the following box breathing method, aptly named as the breath is broken down into four equal parts, like the sides of a square.

• Start with empty lungs and breathe into your belly through your nose for a count of 5 seconds,
• Hold your breathe for a count of 5,
• Exhale for a count of 5
• Hold your breath for a count of 5
• Repeat this pattern for at least 3 minutes or until you have felt yourself fully calm down.

2. Relax with: Yin yoga

Yeah, yeah, you all know yoga is zen-inducing, and several scientific studies from the journal Int J Yoga have found this, too. But what exactly is it about Yin that classifies it as a relaxation technique above, say, Hatha or Bikram?

Taking it back to basics, Yin yoga is a form of practice where postures are held for longer, stereotypically for two minutes or more. This slow-paced style is important for connecting to your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and in turn relaxing, explains Kim Hartwell, certified 200 hour trained yoga teacher and level four personal trainer (@kimhartwell).

And this is important why? Well, she expands: ‘By accessing your PNS, you reap benefits like a reduction in stress levels and tension in the body. Plus, allowing the body to be in a more relaxed state allows your digestive and recovery systems to work more efficiently.’

*Cancels circuits for yin class* 

And, Hartwell maintains that—you got it—by becoming conscious into the present moment, you become more balanced overall. See, easy. Now, downward dog…

3. Relax with: Illustration

Grab your pens and pencils: doodling, no matter how good or bad you are, can reduce your cortisol levels, according to studies in the journal of American Art Therapy and Art Therapy.

Which is why it’s no coincidence that last year saw an influx of colouring books for adults hitting supermarket shelves and former WH cover star Fearne Cotton release her adult colouring book, ‘Happy’.

Illustrator at @tinkoutsidethebox Octavia Taylor started drawing as a way to alleviate severe anxiety and clinical depression. Now, two years on, she runs her own business drawing for people all over the world.

So, how can you start using drawing as a relaxation technique? She explains: ‘If you feel at a loss for what else to do, start drawing—it’s what I did. A lot of people talk about trying to be mindful, to be present, in the moment, but a lot of the time your head can be so full of stress that you’d rather do the opposite. Drawing is the perfect way to completely lose yourself. It’s freeing to just sit down and draw the cup of tea you’re drinking, and not worry how it turns out.’

Her top tip? Grab a pad, a paint brush or whatever tools take your fancy and get stuck in—don’t worry what others may think. ‘I think a lot of people don’t do art because they’re worried about being judged on their skills. Learning to draw just for yourself can be liberating.’

4. Relax with: Creativity

Drawing not your thing? Don’t panic—there’s plenty more (art-loving) fish in the sea that’ll leave you as stress-free as channelling your (non-existent) inner Monet. Studies from Psyhol Res Behav Manag and Behav Sci found calligraphy, dance, music and drama all to be effective stress-relievers.

Suzy Glaskie, functional medicine certified health coach at Peppermint Wellness, swears by her weekly creativity sessions in keeping her calm and collected in a mad world of stress.

Her tips? ‘Get in the flow with something—anything—creative. Even if you have no flair for it, give yourself the chance to get lost in some art and you’ll thank yourself for it. I love my weekly ceramics class, the soothingly repetitive rhythm of knitting and pottering around my veg patch. If I arrive there stressed, I leave there not being able to remember what I was stressed about.’

Creative stress-busting suggestions:

• Calligraphy
• Dancing
• Listening to or making music
• Watching or making drama
• Pottery
• Knitting
• Gardening
• Cross stitching
• Fiction writing
• Sewing
• Collaging

5. Relax with: Meditation

Okay, so not the most novel of relaxation techniques, but meditation has been hailed as one of the oldest and simplest ways to obtain tranquility in your everyday life.

Science from the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Healthmaintains that not only can meditation calm the mind and help with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, it also promises to reduce blood pressure and alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Not bad for a bit of stillness.

Want to know more about how to meditate? Click for the apprehensive WH guide.