Why You Need Relaxation for a Healthy Life
Photo by Hamza Bounaim on Unsplash
Everyone needs some relaxation in their lives. It’s a task that’s crucial to living a healthy life. But many people neglect it. They overwork themselves to the point of burnout. Or they do things that they think are relaxing but are actually stressing them out. And some people over-indulge in relaxation, never striking a balance between activity and relaxation.
You need some relaxation, but how much is enough? And how much is too much? Why do you even need relaxation?
Let’s dig into these questions and more.
What is relaxation?
Relaxation is the removal of stress. It is the state where you’re free from tension or anxiety.
During this state, you just exist. You’re not thinking, over-thinking, worrying, stressing out, or longing for the past.
It’s the state of being present.
Relaxation is not where you’re stimulated, stressed, or focused on a difficult task. Most people have a misconception about relaxation. Things like watching TV, playing video games, entertainment, and so on are not relaxation. They are actually things that stress you out. These things require your brain’s focus and energy. They may take your mind off of your thoughts, but they aren’t taking your mind off of thinking.
Relaxation is a meditative state that helps you recharge your mental energy.
Why do you need relaxation?
You need relaxation because stress kills.
Stress puts your body into the “fight or flight” state. It causes the body to produce hormones such as adrenaline, which raises your blood pressure. This “fight or flight” response to stress can lead to hypertension, which can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Stress also negatively impacts your mental health. It can cause you to feel anxious or depressed. And this stress can also cause you to engage in bad habits.
Bad habits such as drinking, smoking, doing drugs, and over-eating are common. People use these bad habits as coping mechanisms to try and relieve their stress. But they don’t actually relieve stress.
You need relaxation to manage your stress effectively. If you don’t regularly relax, your quality of life will be reduced. And your lifespan could also be shortened due to disease or the consequences of a bad habit triggered by stress.
Your brain is responsible for many tasks. It gets overworked when you don’t give yourself time to relax.
Not only is the brain responsible for the intaking information, but it also has to process and store that information.
Your brain needs time to do all of these tasks. When you’re constantly taking in stimuli, you aren’t giving the brain time to process and store information.
Relaxation gives your brain time to do its thing.
How much relaxation is enough?
You should plan to do something that’s relaxing every day.
The exact amount of relaxation you’ll need depends on your circumstances. Lifestyle habits, exercise regime, work stress, diet, and so on will influence the amount you’ll need.
At the very least, plan some time for relaxation every day. Even a quick 5-minute meditation session can have a massive impact on your well-being.
Try adding just a few minutes of relaxation to your daily routine. Notice how good you’ll feel physically and mentally after.
Relaxation boosts your mood and can even boost your energy.
You’ll never regret taking a few moments to unwind. Relaxing always makes you feel better after you do it.
How much is too much?
There is a limit to how much relaxation you should do every day. You can’t completely avoid stress in your life.
You need some stress in your life to make it meaningful. What that stress is and how much you endure is up to you.
Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can actually be good for you.
In fact, there are 3 different types of stress. These types are called eustress, neustress, and distress.
Eustress is a good form of stress. It’s the stress you feel when you experience something inspiring.
Neustress is a neutral form of stress. It doesn’t have a negative impact on you, but it doesn’t have a positive one either. It’s the type of stress that goes in one ear and out the other.
Distress is the bad type of stress, which we simply refer to as “stress”. This is the type you want to reduce in your life. And this is the type of stress that relaxation helps to relieve.
Strive to find balance in your life between stress and relaxation.
Don’t try to create a life without stress. You won’t be able to be productive if you avoid stress completely. Stress can be good for you, inspiring you to pursue and achieve your goals.
Do things every day that challenge you. Push yourself to become better than you were the day before.
Then, spend some time relaxing at the end of the day to recharge. Or stop and relax in the middle of your day for a quick mental energy boost.
After you relax, reflect on the things you accomplished during the day.
Let your brain unpack this information. And let it prepare you to start the next day off right.
What are some things you can do to relax?
There are many things you can do to relax. These things are called relaxation techniques. They calm you down and reduce your stress.
Here are some relaxation techniques you can use to help you relax:
Meditate
Write in a journal
Stare at your wall
Go for a walk
Get out in nature
Yoga
Get a massage
Take a bath
Take deep breaths
Aromatherapy
The key to using these relaxation techniques effectively is to be mindful. Don’t try and multitask, play on your phone, and so on while using the techniques.
All of these ideas help you to be present. You become engaged only with the relaxation technique. You get into a flow state where your thoughts, troubles, worries, etc melt away.
Being present in the moment calms you down. Notice how your breathing becomes slower and deeper.
In addition to planning daily relaxation, make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night. Plan at least 8 hours for sleep each night. Your body needs this time to recover. And your brain needs this time to process and store the information you’ve learned throughout the day.
Wrapping up
Getting away from it all can be tough. Especially considering how much we use our phones every day. But make the effort to get away from everything. Use a relaxation technique to calm your mind. Clear your thoughts. And let your worries drift away.
You’ll feel relieved after you relax. Enjoy that feeling. And let it motivate you to find time to relax every day.
Relaxation helps you live a long, healthy, and happy life.
References:
https://www.wellbeingpeople.com/2019/04/15/why-relaxation-is-so-important/
https://liveboldandbloom.com/10/self-improvement/relaxing-things-to-do
https://eatliftsleep.com/how-much-relaxation-do-you-need-per-day/