Relaxing at Home - 20 things you can do

 

1. Use your breath.

We often forget to focus on the simplest, shortest (and one of the most restorative) activities available to us: our breath. Take five deep breaths. As you do, notice the natural pause between your inhale and exhale, and then between your exhale and your next inhale. Your body has a built-in break — how great is that?

2. Release the tension in your jaw.

Many of us carry tension in our jaw, often unknowingly. To loosen the tension, open your mouth wide for half a minute or so, breathing naturally through your nose. When you feel you’ve stretched a bit, allow your mouth to gently close.

3. Tend to yourself.

Tending is caring with intention. This can take many forms. You can tend to your home by cleaning the sheets, washing windows and getting rid of unused and unloved items. You can tend to your body with a hot bath, self-massage and a dab of perfume. You can also cook up delicious and nourishing meal. Other days you can tend to loved ones by strolling with them in the sun. Tending brings calm, order, and a deep reminder that I’m cared for and safe.

4. Journal.

Some people like to unwind by writing pages in their journal. You can take that notes of your achievements or write a poetry but be careful so it doesn’t turn to a “to-do” task because that will add stress to it.

5. Make a list of the day’s triumphs.

Other people like to write down what they’re grateful for, This is especially helpful for relaxing. When we’re stressed, we tend to focus on everything that is going wrong, which makes it even harder to unwind who

6. Get clear on what you need to do.

It’s hard to unwind when our thoughts keep returning to our endless to-do lists. Get clear by sitting down for a few moments, making a list of what can be done today and in what order and then let the rest go until the next day.

7. Identify what you can and can’t control.

Getting clear also includes focusing on what you can and can’t control.

8. Create a bedtime ritual.

The ritual process brings us renewed balance, empowerment, energy and comfort. This gives you a specific time to focus on nurturing yourself and your needs. The key in creating a daily ritual is repetition.

9. Play.

Play is a wonderful way to unwind, especially for grown-ups. Play is anything that’s purposeless and pleasurable. Everything from finger-painting to playing tag to watching cartoons to digging in the dirt to throwing a Frisbee to going to the zoo to swinging on the swings at a park.

10. Use visualization.

The brain can’t distinguish between reality and imagination, so visualization can be a powerful tool to help you unwind in a snap. Be as specific as you can. Note what’s around you. Are you by the ocean? Is it a calm current or are the waves crashing? Are there kids playing? Are they making sand castles or playing in the water? Is the sand white and smooth? Or is it a sparkling black like the Muriwai Beach in New Zealand?

11. Participate in gentle movement.

According to Guest-Jelley, gentle movement can help to “release any pent-up energy we may be carrying.”. “People tend to think that unwinding means being sedentary but actual unwinding often comes from doing something active and releasing the stress and anxiety that we may have built up over the week.” Taking a 15-minute walk can help.

12. Brush your teeth, and wash your face.

People usually start their days with these two activities. By connecting to something that is part of your ‘start the day’ routine, you give your brain signals that you’re starting fresh.

13. Support someone else.

Sometimes the quickest way to unwind is to focus on someone other than ourselves. For instance, you can call a friend and talk about how they’re doing. Listen intently to their concerns. “What emotions are they communicating?”

14. Be in nature.

Head outside and “sit on a bench or a blanket and let your mind get quiet” while you engage all your senses,”. Engaging your senses is a powerful way to relax,. What do you see, hear and smell?

15. Focus on the present moment.

It’s not only natural environments that engage our senses. “Take the time to listen to the little sounds,” such as a car passing, your computer and someone cooking. If you’re walking by a building, what’s going on inside? What do the window treatments look like?

16. Take a 20-minute catnap.

A short nap can feel like a mini-vacation. But anything over 30 minutes takes you into deep sleep, and makes you groggy.

17. Savor scents.

Engage your sense of smell at home. Showering with lavender or peppermint body wash, applying rose hand gel or burning a scented candle is more like it.

18. Treat yourself like you would a loved one.

Think of one thing you’d do for someone really important to you in your life and take the time to do it for yourself. For instance, this might be anything from enjoying breakfast in bed to going out for lunch. Remember that when you treat yourself well, you’ll be that much better for everyone else in your life.

19. Take a bathroom break.

When you’re feeling stressed at work or when you’re out and about, just escape to the bathroom, close your eyes, breathe in for a count of 3, breathe out for a count of 3. Repeat this three or four times. Breathe normally for several minutes and tell yourself, I am relaxed and energized.

20. Figure out what works for you.

The best way to truly unwind is to really understand what works for you. Some people unwind with a vigorous run and others by sitting on the couch and watching a TV show. Simple trial and error will help you find the best strategies for you. Just remember not to judge yourself for whatever you choose. “Own it, use it, and unwind.”

 - curled from http://psychcentral.com