Relaxation

The average man is generally high-strung and stresses over every little detail -- from paying the rent to taking out the garbage. Advice to relax and take it easy is always rampant, yet tips on how to achieve this state of mind are often overlooked. For those who would love to get into the relaxation groove, but just don’t know how to or think they don’t have time to, here are some ways to relax the mind and body to achieve a more soothing lifestyle.

Six-second breathing
A great way to achieve a relaxed state of mind is to maintain a good flow of oxygen throughout the body and to regulate the heartbeat. The best way to do this -- if not the only way -- is to practice your breathing technique. Considering breathing is a necessity of life, it shouldn’t be too hard to master this one. Simply inhale for six seconds, wait a moment, and exhale for another six seconds. Try to keep your breathing as controlled as possible while focusing on the oxygen filling up your lungs. As you exhale, imagine yourself releasing all your negative energy in one big sigh of relief. The good thing about this technique is that you can do it absolutely anywhere, anytime you feel the need to step back and relax for a moment. This technique is also very helpful at bedtime when trying to fall asleep.

Muscle contraction
A great way to relax tense muscles is to contract and release them until the desired effect is achieved. Whether you’re at your desk or lying down in bed, this exercise is really effective. The key is to concentrate on one body part at a time. The six-second breathing technique will help you achieve this, but this time be sure to exhale as you release the muscle in question.

Learn the tricks of self-hypnosis…
Start by lying flat on your back with your arms and legs shoulder-width apart. If you’re working on your neck and facial muscles, simply lift your head about an inch off the pillow, wait a second, and slowly lower your head back onto the pillow as you exhale. Repeat this step if necessary. Every time you perform this exercise, you should feel your head sinking more and more into the pillow until you are fully relaxed. Use the same technique with your arms, legs and torso. As you become better at this technique, you’ll notice that it literally takes seconds to achieve full relaxation and that it can be a great way to get your body ready for a deep sleep.

Self-hypnosis
Soothing the mind is just as important as soothing the body, which is why methods like self-hypnosis are slowly gaining popularity. When practiced correctly, it can leave you feeling completely refreshed and renewed in less than half an hour. Although there are thousands of variations, here is one way to achieve a deep state of relaxation through self-hypnosis.

Start off by regulating your breathing and relaxing your muscles. The previously mentioned techniques will help you achieve this. Once you have completed these exercises, you are ready to proceed with the next step.

One of the most common techniques of self-hypnosis is the countdown method. This is achieved by simply counting down from 10 to zero. For every count, take a deep breath and slowly release all the air upon exhaling.

This exercise is very similar to the six-second breathing technique. In this case, every time you exhale, you should feel your muscles relax more and more as you drift deeper and deeper into a state of complete relaxation. As you fall into this deep state, you should start feeling extremely limber and at peace with your surroundings. From the tip of your toes to the very ends of your earlobes, you should be in a complete state of relaxation.

Reduce stress by clearing your calendar and living in the moment…
As far as relaxation goes, this is when you would stop and drift into a deep sleep or slowly open your eyes and come back to a fully conscious state of mind. If you want to delve a little deeper and make suggestions to improve yourself, it’s best if you start by knowing exactly what you want to improve and how you’re going to achieve this. Prepare your suggestions before you start the session and make sure they are easy to remember during the moment of self-hypnosis.

The most important part about coming up with suggestions is to remember the purpose. Don’t suggest what you wish you could achieve; instead, suggest a state of mind you want to be brainwashed into believing. For example, if you want to quit smoking, instead of saying, “I wanna quit smoking,” try saying something like, “I don’t like smoking. Smoking makes me feel sick.” This is the key to an effective suggestion. If you are having trouble with this technique, there are numerous self-hypnosis CDs on the market. Find one that works for you.

Live in the moment
People often find their minds cluttered with thoughts simply because they look too far ahead. Focusing on the moment and clearing the mind of thoughts on the future can work wonders on one’s stress level, and can ultimately help achieve a consistent state of relaxation.

To attain this constant level of relaxation, try focusing on the task at hand and nothing more. An agenda can help organize duties a little better, and keep the mind clearer and readily able to concentrate on the moment. Try taking on fewer projects or responsibilities in order to keep some empty spaces in your daily calendar. This way, you’ll never be hard-pressed to meet unforgiving deadlines. Whatever you can do to lighten the load and focus on the moment will only help in the long run.

Take a deep breath
Every man has his own way of letting loose and finding his own groove toward a more peaceful life. Whether you practice these breathing or muscle relaxation techniques or simply find serenity in reading a book on Zen meditation, the method that brings you the greatest inner peace is the perfect path to take.

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