Walking through life without any stress: beneficial for body and mind
Do you also have a full schedule and are you unable to relax regularly? Still, relaxation is very important. If you can't take a moment of rest every day, you undermine your mental and physical health. Stress is exhausting and slowly but surely robs you of your energy.
This can ultimately be detrimental to your health. That is why it is good to make time for relaxation every day. We often think that we are lazy. But relaxation nourishes and helps you recover. Only then can you maintain a busy and demanding lifestyle.
Stress or relaxation, the influence on body and mind
Straining and relaxing, it would be best if these two extremes alternated regularly. But in general, we are much more concerned with exercise than relaxation. At work you are mentally or physically active and the work pressure is often high. You also have to do all kinds of things at home: take care of the children, answer emails, exercise. Effort doesn't have to be bad, because it gives substance to your life. But if you just have to do everything and the pressure is high, it can quickly become too much.
If the tension builds up continuously, you may find that you are no longer doing it right. can let go. Your work keeps haunting you, worries about home or finances plague you during the day and at night. Your emotions run away with you and remain there all the time, like a knot in your stomach. All this takes a lot of energy. Stress puts a strain on your body and mind.
Short-term tension is not a problem, we can absorb that. Your sympathetic nervous system ensures the production of hormones (including adrenaline), so that you can take action. You enter the so-called fight, flight or freeze response. Your body is in a state of readiness and is extra alert. Your muscles tighten and your blood pressure rises. That is good for a quick response that must also be over quickly. But in the case of long-term stress, you remain in this state continuously. And that's not a good thing.
Long-term stress causes physical and mental complaints: you experience restlessness, you are irritated, you sleep badly. Abdominal pain, headaches, and tense muscles can all be caused by stress. These are signs that the pressure is too high. If the tension lasts even longer, you can experience more serious complaints.
Why relaxation is important
Conscious relaxation activates your parasympathetic nervous system. This causes your heart rate to drop and your breathing to rest. Your muscles can relax and both body and mind can get out of the stress response. Relaxation helps your body recover from the heavy burden that has caused stress. It is good for your resistance, your digestion, your brain, in short, all systems that suffer from stress.
The benefits of relaxation
- Rest in your mind
Doing something to help you relax calms your mind. Thoughts that keep spinning and linger in the past or future cause a lot of tension and a negative mood. If you can get out of that vicious circle through relaxation, you will start to feel better. This allows you to concentrate better, think more positively and do more work.
- Positive influence on your health
As mentioned, stress takes a lot of energy. By relaxing you ensure that your body can recover. Relaxing regularly helps to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level (this can also prevent many complaints). You can sleep better and have more energy. Your resistance can also function better, so that illness has less chance.
- You are more productive
Relaxing isn't the same as being lazy. By planning some rest at certain times, you ensure that you can recharge. Relaxation is therefore a way to become more productive. By taking a break, you can end up doing more work than if you hadn't taken that break.
How can you relax?
Relaxation is something very personal, because what one person finds relaxing does not have to be for another. Some people actually relax by being active, for example by going for a run or working in the garden. Another loves to take a bath with quiet music. Meditation, yoga or walking in the forest are also well-known ways to relax. If you want to spend more time relaxing, it is good to find out what works for you.
Below you will find some tips for more relaxation in your lifengen:
1. Time for relaxed planning
Many people say they don't get around to relaxation. But it is so important to give yourself time for rest regularly that it is best to schedule it. If your agenda is very full, plan at least a long walk in the woods at the weekend. Make an appointment with yourself to meditate for 10 minutes every day. Go to the sauna once a week and book that short break next month. Time for relaxation is taking care of yourself, care that you cannot afford to miss.
2. Exercise
Exercise is also a good way to relax. That does not necessarily have to be sports. Walking, cycling or some other form of quiet movement also helps. Think of yoga or tai chi, which provide relaxation for body and mind. You can release well-built up tension in the muscles.
3. Relaxation through meditation or mindfulness
The ghost is a young monkey that keeps jumping from place to place. With meditation or mindfulness techniques you can learn to deal with your thoughts differently. By observing your thoughts from a distance and not going along with the stories, you create space. You bring your attention to the now. This can help you relax more easily, even in times of stress.
4. Relaxation through herbs
Nature gives us plants and herbs that can help us to relax better. Take, for example, Wild Lettuce (Lactuca Virosa). Brewing a cup of tea with wild lettuce will make you feel sleepy, making it easier for you to fall asleep. In case of nerves or anxiety you can benefit greatly from the calming effect. Also Dream Herb has a calming effect. This is good for stress and helps you fall asleep faster. Skullcap is a plant that can improve your mood. If you are feeling down from anxiety or tension, you can drink tea from Skullcap. This herb also has a calming effect. We have a lot more choice in herbs with a calming effect. Take advantage of what nature has to offer and thus ensure more relaxation in your life.
