There are plenty of inexpensive ways to relax. From board games and self-care treatments, to gardening or cleaning tasks – there’s no shortage of enjoyable activities when you feel bored!
Deep breathing can help both your body and mind relax – lengthening your exhalations is particularly soothing! Humming can also be used to reduce stress.
1. Deep Breathing
Breathing deeply can help reduce stress, relax tense muscles and calm the mind. Take several deep breaths in and out multiple times throughout the day (whenever possible) as this simple yet effective strategy will help you feel more at peace with yourself.
Relaxation techniques such as counting backwards, saying the alphabet backwards or using creative visualization are great ways to ease stress. Incorporating warm bath or shower sessions into your routine is another effective way of relaxing muscles while centering thoughts around pleasant sensations from water flowing over you. All of these strategies can be easily integrated into any daily schedule for stress reduction.
2. Relaxing Music
Music can provide many therapeutic advantages as seen in the bar green lantern, from helping to relieve tension to strengthening immunity. Explore different genres until you find what best works for you – for instance, classical may help ease anxiety while blues or jazz may provide relaxation.
Be it a student preparing for an important test or a 9-to-5 employee preparing a major presentation at work, music can help you relax and focus on what matters. Plus, it may even help facilitate more restful sleep at night!
Try listening to soothing music before bed, or set your alarm to something calming; just make sure that any songs which may irritate or stimulate you won’t actually add stress!
3. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate can be an ideal natural stress reducer and mood booster, helping to relax you, improve focus, memory, and sleep quality. Dark chocolate contains theobromine which stimulates endorphins which release feel-good chemicals in your brain – this may explain why it has been proven a remedy for insomnia. In addition, dark chocolate’s high concentration of antioxidants improves cardiovascular health – choose dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa to maximize benefits – just remember not to microwave on 50% power until melted to avoid scorching your chocolate before using! Enjoy some squares as healthy snacks alongside fresh fruit bowls or stir some into warm oatmeal when making oatmeal-