5 Best Relaxation Techniques That Can Help You Sleep Better
Stress is one of the most significant factors for sleep deprivation. When you are stressed or anxious, your mind will continue to grind, even past the sleeping time. Insomnia and other sleeping disorders are also attributed to chronic stress as well.
Achieving a relaxed state before you head to your bedroom is one of the most effective means to counter this problem. You don't need to take any sleeping pills or tire yourself off just to get a nice evening rest. Being relaxed and calm is already enough.
Now, I know that you are pretty curious as to how you can make yourself feel relaxed. Fortunately, getting this thing done is not a rigorous task. Various relaxation techniques are useful and straightforward at the same time.
Here are some of them.
Playing Soothing Sounds
Your brain can be conditioned by the things that it listens. That's the very reason why we felt stressed and pressured if we hear our bosses mumble about deadlines and additional task loads. Of course, cacophonous sounds--like buzzing of cars or voluminous playing of guitars--can also cause this problem.
It would be best if you can avoid this predicament. Otherwise, you will never get a hold of a good evening sleep.
Making your room noise-proof is one of the optimal solutions for this. However, the installment noise-dampening amenities is quite a challenge since it comes with a cost.
The most affordable way to eliminate the noise is through counter it with soothing background sounds. It could be recorded natural sounds--such of the sea or the forest. You could also opt for white noise.
Playing these audios to a speaker can be a good thing. With a pillow speaker, you can listen to music straight from where you're laying on.
Alternatively, you could also prefer the use of headphones that have noise isolation and noise canceling features. These are the ones that can give you comfortable listening experience.
Either way, soothing sounds can relax the body and mind so that you can sleep better.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises, such as those that are practiced in yoga, are another way to make yourself feel relaxed and comfortable. Many people are not aware that by proper breathing techniques, you can eliminate the stress and pressure around you.
Specifically, deep and slow breathing patterns have potent effects on the body. They can relieve both tension and stress if done before your bedtime, these breathing exercises that prevent you from staying awake all night.
Accordingly, deep breathing provides holistic physiological benefits. It can release the strains of your muscle, regulates your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and of course, improved metabolism.
Fortunately, breathing exercises are not really challenging. Even if you don't have experience in yoga or meditation, you can accomplish such a feat easily. Just slowly inhale and exhale repeatedly until such time you are already seated.
You can also practice breathing techniques even if you are not sleeping yet. If you are stressed at work or in your home, proper breathing can elevate your mood and focus.
Imagery Guidance
Relaxation through the use of visual images is entirely possible. You see, the things that we experience throughout the day usually plays during the night. If your daylight activities are filled with problems, inevitably, you will think about them while you are attempting to sleep.
Of course, it is not a nice thing to have your imagination be cluttered with these negative thoughts. They can cause stress and anxiety, that would eventually lead to a sleepless night.
Take into account that you always have the power to control whatever you are thinking. Your brain must not succumb to the negative things that you experience. Instead, it should be guided to think with optimism and delight.
Guided imagery is merely forcing your brain to focus on things that are something nice. It could be a happy memory or the dreams that you have finally attained. Alternatively, you can also think of beautiful scenery such as the beach.
If you were suddenly distracted, just let your brain return the previous images that it had. Just repeat the process until you can fully master this simple yet effective relaxation technique.
Meanwhile, the art of mindfulness can also help in alleviating insomnia and other sleep disorders.
Don't Lie On Your Bed Troubled
Going directly to your bed even if you are troubled with problems is never a healthy thing. It is like conditioning your body to think that your bed is not a place for repose.
Doing this routine is harmful because it breaks the idea that your bed or bedroom is meant for relaxation. Many of us are doing this unconsciously and repetitively. In the long run, you will never find any comfort to your bed at all.
One of the relaxation techniques that you should do is merely avoid your bed if you are not yet sleepy yet. Just take a warm bath or read a book. These things can help your mind get calm and ready for sleep.
Write Your Worries
Maybe the reason you are stressed is that you cannot vent your problems out.
Are you a recluse person? Do you have no other person to share your problems? These factors can elevate the anxiety and pressure that you feel.
Being able to connect and open up to others is a great way to relieve your stress. This act is similar to pouring all the things that burden you out.
Sadly, not all of us have someone where we can share our problems. But don't fret yet. You can always tell all your worries about your diary or notebook.
You could relax better if you are able to write all the stuff that runs in your head. It has been found out that writing in journals can help fight depression, too.
The most significant advantage of this is that all the things you used for writing will never judge you at all. Isn't that great?
Wrapping It Up
These techniques that we mentioned here are among the key practices that can help you establish a relaxed state. Doing any of them will ensure that your body and mind will be free from all the worries and stresses that are troubling you. By that time, sleeping will never be a problem for you at all.
That's it for now. If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.
by Layla Parker in Health & Fitness