Do you ever find it difficult to unwind in the middle of a stressful day? Learning to relax is a skill set that takes time to hone. But thankfully, there are some fairly easy methods you can use to get started. Many of them work in five minutes or less.

Featured Image VIA

5 Simple Relaxation Techniques

Stress is a normal bodily reaction to anything your mind perceives as a threat to the body’s health, safety, or well-being. When you experience stress, your muscles tighten, your heart pounds faster, your blood pressure increases, breathing hastens, and all of your senses become sharper. In other words, you’re ready for “fight or flight.”

“Relaxation is the absence of tension in muscle groups and a minimum or absence of thoughts and worries that constantly go on in our minds,” National Jewish Health explains.

Relaxation is the inverse of stress. It’s a state of being where your mind and body are at ease. And while there are certainly times when it’s beneficial to have stress in your life, chronic stress is never healthy. 

Learning how to bring about prolonged states of relaxation will help you live happier and healthier. With this in mind, here are a few simple relaxation techniques:

• Get Some Exercise

Want to manage your stress? Mayo Clinic suggests getting up and moving. Exercise is one of the most effective forms of stress relief. It helps boost feel-good endorphins (which counteracts stress), enhances mood, and strengthens your cardiovascular health. 

The great thing about exercise is that you don’t need to run a marathon in order to enjoy some of the stress-busting benefits. Something as simple as walking your dog around the block, attending yoga class, or playing golf can provide the perks you’re seeking. 

• Journal

Journaling has therapeutic effects. It allows you to process your thoughts and get things off your mind. And here’s the best part: You don’t need to write a novel. Spending just five to 10 minutes writing down your thoughts in a journal or on a notepad can curb stress and instantly help you feel better. The more you make this a habit, the better the results become.

• Take CBD

Researchers are discovering the amazing benefits of CBD, including its ability to relieve anxiety and reduce stress levels in the body. And while there’s still a stigma associated with CBD, the fact is it doesn’t get you high. It simply has a mellowing effect that mitigates pain and makes you feel slightly more comfortable. 

While there are plenty of ways to take CBD, you should try CBD suppositories as an alternative. This may improve how fast you experience the effects.

• Listen to Music

Research shows that listening to your favorite music provides a wide range of benefits – stress reduction being one of them. 

Music passes through your ears as tiny vibrations. The inner ear then translates these vibrations into electrical signals. These signals get further transmitted by neurons to specific areas of the cerebral cortex. Parts of the brain detect different elements, including rhythm, tone, and pitch. All of this information combines to create a musical experience. 

Everyone’s brain is structured differently, which means we all have tendencies to prefer certain types of music. When you hear music that you like, PsychCentral says it reduces cortisol levels, helps you fall asleep, mitigates depression, and might even reduce burnout in professionals who are stressed at work. 

• Pet Your Dog

Did you know that something as simple as petting your dog could actually induce a state of relaxation?

“Research has shown that simply petting a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol , while the social interaction between people and their dogs actually increases levels of the feel-good hormone oxytocin (the same hormone that bonds mothers to babies),” Hopkins Medicine explains.

Data shows that 84 percent of people with PTSD who are paired with a service dog experience a “significant” reduction in their symptoms, while 40 percent are able to decrease the amount of medication they take. The act of petting a dog lowers blood pressure, improves physical activity, boosts heart health, and eases feelings of loneliness and depression. 

Ready, Set, Relax

Don’t let stress control your life. By practicing some of these relaxation techniques regularly, you’ll find it easier to de-stress and avoid living in such a heightened state all the time. You don’t have to practice them all at once, but definitely put a couple into action as soon as possible!