Living in a pandemic has its effects on everyone. For many people, the constant feeling of stress results in all kinds of body pains, snappy moods and a general feeling of being at your wit's end. If that's you, it's very important to take some time for yourself and relax a bit. That's important for your body ánd your mind! In this article, we give you three tips on how to destress after a long, stressful day.
1. Stretching exercises
If you pull your shoulders back, what do you feel? If your answer is: tight shoulders or shoulders that feel like they're 'stuck', you're not alone. The general neck and shoulder area is one of the main areas where people hold stress and tension. Doing some stretches while focusing on your breathing a few times a week, might destress you ánd might loosen your muscles, which feels better when you're doing your daily tasks. We recommend shoulder raises, shoulder rolls, rolling your head around and the cross arm stretch as some of the best stretches to loosen up your shoulder muscles.
2. Take a hot shower or bath
Hot water does wonders for your muscles, even the ancient Greek and Romans already knew that! If you feel like your muscles are tight from tension, letting the hot water from your shower hit your body, might feel like heaven. Soaking in a warm bath does the same. If you feel like really treating yourself, getting your own hot tub is a great investment, especially now many fun things are closed and you're stuck at home. There are many hot tubs you can choose, from classic ones to ones that have massage chairs and cosy wood-fired hot tubs (Dutch: houtgestookte hottub). If you're afraid your budget can't handle that, you can always choose an inflatable hot tub, like the Lay-Z Spa. These are more affordable and just as great to relax in.
3. Start meditating
Many people don't think meditating 'is something for them'. And that's possible. But if you've never tried, it doesn't hurt to try! Just like soaking in baths, meditating has been around forever. The oldest documented evidence of meditation are wall arts, which are estimated to be from 5000 to 3500 before Christ. When you meditate, you focus on your breathing and your inner self. Go sit somewhere quiet and focus on your breathing. In and out, in and out, in and out. Sit with your legs crossed, grounded on the floor and try to rid yourself of any thoughts that aren't useful in the moment. Maybe take a look at YouTube, there are tons of interesting videos about meditating!
We hope you're able to relax!
