6 Simple Ways to Relax and Improve Your Health

Is it difficult for you to find time to relax when you’re living a busy lifestyle? Well, National Relaxation Day is observed every year on the 15th of August. It’s a day that encourages us to take a break from our hectic lives and enjoy some downtime to focus on taking care of ourselves and reducing our stress levels. After all, stress is one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease, so it’s important to take a break from your day-to-day stressors.


If you want to learn more about the benefits of relaxation and ways you can enjoy a stress-free day every day, keep on reading.


What is relaxation?


Before we begin, let’s talk about what relaxation is. Relaxation isn’t just about having peace of mind or enjoying a hobby, it’s the act of relaxing the mind and body and it can physically change the way your body functions.


Why is it important?


There are many benefits to relaxation. It reduces stress and the symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. 


Relaxation also has other health benefits, including:

  • Lowering your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate
  • Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
  • Improving concentration and mood
  • Reducing fatigue
  • Reducing anger and frustration
  • Boosting confidence to handle problems

Ways to include relaxation in your life


Whether your stress is spiraling out of control or you’ve already got it tamed, you can benefit from learning relaxation techniques. Learning basic relaxation techniques is easy and can be done almost anywhere. 


Here are a few techniques you can explore to get started on de-stressing your life and improving your health.

  • Progressive muscle relaxation, where you tense then relax different muscle groups
  • Visualisation, where you create a mental image of a calming place 
  • Deep breathing, where you refocus your attention on your breathing
  • Meditation
  • Mindfulness
  • Exercise

No matter what you choose, find a relaxation technique that works for you and make it part of your daily routine, even if it’s just for 5 or 10 minutes a day.