How to chill the F out

Stress is a very real thing that every single person experiences every day.  The consequences of stress on one’s body is extreme and can be very detrimental to one’s health.  From anxiety and depression to high blood pressure and insomnia, stress wreaks havoc on our wellbeing and makes our body go into a state of imbalance.  We all need to find ways to decompress our lives and relieve our bodies of such a negative experience to feel more whole and in balance. Below are some great ways to help incorporate self-care into your lives and achieve relaxation.  

Breathing techniques

Find a position that is comfortable for you, can be sitting or lying down. Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.  Take one big breath through your nose, feeling the air fill your stomach for about 5 seconds. Breathe out through your mouth slow and deep and feel your hand on your stomach follow the movement.  Repeat this 5-10 times.

Breathing techniques help increase movement of oxygen through your body and helps calm muscles.  Concentrating on your breath helps lower blood pressure and relieves stress. When you focus on your breathing, your body sends signals to your brain to relax and calm down.

Corpse Pose- Savasana

In yoga, corpse pose is the final pose of the practice.  This is the resting pose that allows your body to recover and relax. You don’t need to do yoga to achieve the benefits of this pose, while yoga is another great way to relieve stress. The pose consists of lying flat on one’s back with one’s eyes closed and arms relaxed at one’s sides.

This pose is a great way to connect with one’s breath.  By not focusing on anything other than breathing, you are achieving all of the benefits that are listed above.  If you do this pose after a practice of yoga, you are able to release tension in your body and find a moment of peace.

Sound Baths

A sound bath is a very spiritual and relaxing experience where you are surrounded by the sounds of gongs, singing bowls, chimes, and drums.  There are many places you are able to find an experience like this, but you can also find a similar experience on the internet. Find a comfortable position, you can listen to the sounds of these relaxing instruments.

A sound bath has most of the same benefits as the other ways listed above from lowered blood pressure to a feeling of peace and relaxation.  Another amazing benefit of this practice is its ability to enhance sleep and memory.

Body Work

Body Work can be a multiple of things, from dry brushing to massage.  KHUS + KHUS promotes Abhyanga, a form of Ayurvedic medicine that focuses on massaging one’s body with oils. Taking the oils in your hands, inhale the aroma of the oil and warm up in one’s hands.  Apply the oils in long strokes on one’s body always towards your heart.

Abhyanga

The benefits of Abhyanga are immense. By massaging one’s body, you are moving lymph around the body, allowing better blood flow and helps move out toxins. Also calms down the nerves and creates clarity in one’s mind and body.    

Our lives are so busy it’s no wonder so many of us are stressed out.  Once we make a conscious effort to bring self-care into our lives we are able to slow down and find peace within.