4 types of relaxation
Relaxation is the calming of body and mind. This is important for stress reduction and recovery. But often we don't feel relaxed. Why? And how can you truly relax?
We often do the same things
How often do you turn on the tv? Do you really enjoy the program you're watching? Or do you just turn it on as a habit? By alternating the different ways to relax, you can get more enjoyment out of it and truly relax.
4 types of relaxation
- physically strenuous
- physically relaxing
- mentally strenuous
- mentally relaxing
1 Physically strenuous
Some examples of physically demanding activities are sports, gardening and walking. Focusing on physical activity calms your mind. But if you exercise too much, your body does not get enough rest. Variety is therefore important.
2 Physically relaxing
Your body can relax wonderfully during a hot bath or a massage. Breathing exercises can also be good for relaxing. Just a few deep breaths can already lower your stress level.
3 Mentally strenuous
What have you always wanted to do? Learning something new is mentally demanding, but you can get a lot of satisfaction from it. Another example of mental effort is playing an instrument.
4 Mentally relaxing
We have to process a lot of stimuli in a day. If you also watch a busy movie at the end of the day or scroll for a long time on social media, you will not get enough mental relaxation. This in turn can have an impact on how you sleep. Reading, listening to music and doing puzzles are all examples of mentally relaxing exercises.
All in all there are a lot of different things you can do to relax. How do you normally relax? Could you alternate more between the different types of relaxation? Try something new and feel the difference.
Reduce stress?
Relaxing is only one aspect of reducing stress. Do you experience a lot of stress and are you unsure how to deal with it? Could you use some help to reduce your stress?
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