Whether it’s deep breathing or leaving the office and heading out into nature, there’s plenty of options to help you unwind that don’t involve emptying your mind and sitting still for hours at a time. If you’re keen to unwind in an easy, quick manner, then here are some science-backed ways to do it.
Make A Hot Cup Of Tea – Or Coffee
In many cultures around the world, a tea ceremony is a sought-after affair. The reverend practice of brewing water, preparing the cups and teapot, pouring the hot water over tea leaves or herbal infusions, and finally serving it with flair elevate an otherwise ordinary experience into something magical.
There’s a reason the simple tea making process has such reverence paid to it. It’s a moving form of meditation as not only does paying attention to each step help you prime your body to relax. A tea ceremony also involves using ingredients which have a calming effect on the body. Most tea has a compound called l-theanine in it, which improves the stress response of the body.
Herbal teas like lemon balm and chamomile are well documented in old wives’ remedies as being calmative, as are things like Passiflora and even lavender. Interestingly, green tea, coffee and the naturally occurring caffeine within it, are documented as a way to help ward off depression. The very act of making a hot drink can be both a source of comfort with a good payoff, as well as a chemical way to relax the brain and de-stress it.
Take A Walk / Time In Nature
Nothing is better than taking time out to walk in nature. Be it going on a hike with friends, walking around a botanical garden alone, or even taking a trip around your block. The movement you do is a form of exercise, and numerous studies prove that spending time in nature, in green spaces, helps to release any held up tension in the body.
Some people like to ground themselves by going barefoot as they walk, which also has proven benefits such as reducing inflammation within the body, healing pain and improving overall sleep quality.
The ability to focus on things of beauty found in the natural world are a way to calm the mind with the inter-play of light and shadows, and the scents of nature. Whether it be a forest you head to, the oceanside, or just a park with grass and trees, the benefits gained are numerous. Thereafter, you’ll feel refreshed and relaxed and can enjoy other relaxing activities like playing live dealer roulette to your heart’s content.
Focused Breathing
While meditation embraces the art of emptying your mind, focused breathing is the art of paying attention to the act of breathing, and the numerous body responses to this. Breathing deeply is a way to ground the body in the present and taking deep breaths in will help to oxygenate the cells of your body. This process and practice is a to center yourself, and you can do it in numerous ways.
From breathing in and out slowly and focusing only on your breath. By deep breathing and centering an image in your mind, or by breathing deeply and focusing on a word or phrase. The very act of taking consciously deep inhalations is the most important part overall. The best part is, this can be done on your commute to work, after an action-packed meeting, or before you go to bed at night.
These are three great ways in which to help unwind a stressed-out body, and overworked mind which are easy enough to implement anywhere and anytime.
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