"Easy Relaxation Techniques For Busy People" by Tarun Patel

Do you feel stressed and tired most of the time? Are you suffering symptoms of stress and fatigue? Learning some easy relaxation techniques can improve your health, reduce your stress and relieve anxiety. If you are constantly tired then learning relaxation skills may improve your sleep patterns. But how do you find the time if you are busy person?

Learning the basics of relaxation is not difficult if you practice regularly. There are several key skills that are common to almost all relaxation methods. These are:

Learn To Notice Physical Signs Of Tension

Start paying attention to your body and how it feels at different times of the day. Take a few moments and just notice how your body feels. Is there any tension anywhere? Is your breathing fast or slow? Is it shallow or deep? Do you have a headache or a clenched jaw? Do you feel relaxed or tense? Describe the feelings in your body. This is called a ‘body scan’.

Each person experiences tension in their own way. Doing a body scan several times a day will help you get to know your body better. Recognizing signs of stress and tension early is an easy relaxation skill.

Learn To Control Your Breathing

All relaxation techniques include different breathing techniques. Start to pay attention to your breathing and learn to slow it down to 10-12 breaths per minute. Learn how to breath deeply and slowly, using your abdomen. Yoga and meditation are two methods of learning relaxed breathing styles. Slowing the breathing down is one of the fastest relaxation techniques. It works because it changes the oxygen concentration in your blood. Slowing the breathing rate helps to relax tense muscles.

Notice your breathing during the day. Is it shallow and fast? Does your chest and throat feel tight? Or is it slow and deep? Try to change your breathing and see what effect it has on your level of tension. Don't take big deep breaths or you may hyperventilate or become lightheaded which will increase tension.

Learn to slow down your mind

Is your mind always busy and thinking of all the things you still have to do? Do you worry a lot? Many people have trouble "switching off". Begin to notice when your mind feels more active and when it feels calmer. Practice letting the thoughts come and go without getting ‘hooked’ into them.

It is a common myth that when learning relaxation your mind should be empty of thoughts. This is not true. Even when deeply relaxed most people have thoughts. The difference is that when relaxed you can let them float by and not have to put effort into them. It is a like sitting at a train station. Trains come and go, you notice them but you do not have to get on every train that goes through the station.

Learning to notice body signs of tension, controlling your breathing and slowing down your mind are the basic skills of all relaxation methods. If you practice these each day your ability to relax will quickly improve.