Resourcing the Revolution

stress relief

How to Let Go and Relax (Even If You Think You Don’t Have Time)

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In this hectic world of to-do lists that stretch on for miles, appointments and meetings that take up too many of our working hours, and the general frenetic pace of life in the modern world, sometimes it can feel impossible to actually relax.

Relax? That’s the thing we do on vacation, right?

But given that somewhere around 50% of vacation days are left unused in the United States and two thirds of those on vacation still do work while they’re gone, it begs the question: when do you actually take the time to relax and recharge?

If our “time off” is no longer relaxing, how do we give our bodies the time they need to recharge?

Confession time: how much time do you actively waste on any given day?

Please note, I’m not talking about the stuff you do for fun, the things you do that you find relaxing, or anything that falls under the category of mindfully enjoying yourself. I’m talking about the “I’m bored and don’t have anything better to do, so I guess I’ll [fill in the blank]” – mindlessly surfing the internet, flipping through the channels, staring blankly at your smartphone…

If you added up that time, I bet that we could all find at least 20 extra minutes every day, or even every couple of days.

So why am I focusing on this seemingly insubstantial amount of time? Because actively using those 20 minutes, even a couple of times a week, can make a huge difference in your stress levels. Yup. You heard me right: changing the way you use a small chunk of your day can actually make a noticeable difference in your overall health.

One of the practices that I learned during my teacher training is a process for deep relaxation called Yoga Nidra. If you followed along while I was at the Ashram, you might recall that I didn’t sleep for the first 19 nights. I am convinced that the only reason I didn’t get really sick or have a complete mental meltdown was the fact that we were doing Yoga Nidra at least once a day.

The numbers vary depending on who you ask, but doing a Yoga Nidra session (which can be anywhere between 15 and 45 minutes long) can provide benefits equivalent to somewhere around four hours of deep REM sleep.

During Yoga Nidra, you don’t actually fall asleep – you hover in a state between waking and sleeping, in conscious awareness. And when you come out of a particularly good Yoga Nidra session, it feels… well, freaking amazing. I find that my experience leaves me somewhere in the middle of completely relaxed but also rejuvenated. You won’t have that same groggy feeling that you sometimes get from taking an afternoon nap, and your brain will be clear and ready to get back to work. Or, if you do a session right before bed, it can help you to fall asleep faster once your head hits the pillow.

Because I’m awesome, I want you to be able to experience the yummy goodness of Yoga Nidra any time you want. I recently recorded an audio version of the practice, and I’m giving it away for free*!

I think by now we’ve all realized that we can find at least 20 minutes a couple of times a week to do something awesome for ourselves. So do yourself (and me) a favor and go grab your copy of the recording. Give it a spin, and then report back. I want to hear the stories about how Yoga Nidra has impacted your stress levels!

 

* Technically for a trade, because we all know that nothing is really free. Sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a copy of the recording! If you join the mailing list, I promise to only send you awesome things, and to never share your contact info with nasty spammers – scout’s honor.

How To Overcome Stress in Only 5 Minutes Per Day

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Are you tired of being stressed and tense all the time? Well, stop what you’re doing. I’m going to give you the answer to everything, the veritable “42”.

Are you ready? You might want to sit down for this.

The answer:

Breathe.

…

And, with that, I’m out. There’s nothing else left to say. I’ve given you the secret, the key.

…

But wait! There’s more?

Truthfully (here’s where I get serious again) – there’s no better way to help your body relax than to just breathe. And by “breathe”, I’m not talking about the normal, shallow, sad excuse for a breath that we usually take. I’m talking deep, feel it all the way into your toes breathing. Just five minutes (or even less) of deep breathing can help you to relieve anxiety and bring your stress levels back under control.

The average person uses his chest muscles rather than his diaphragm when he breathes, and such breathing is usually shallow, rapid and irregular.

Though chest breathing has now become natural and involuntary for most of us, it is really a part of the fight or flight syndrome, aroused when the organism is challenged by some external stress or danger. Because of the reciprocity between the breath and mind, chest breathing, in turn, gives rise to the tension and anxiety associated with the fight or flight syndrome.”   – The Science of Breath

Yes, you read that right. Our normal style of breathing actually makes us MORE stressed, unconsciously triggering the fight or flight response. Say what?

Breathing, that thing that our body does without us even having to think about it, can either relieve stress (when utilized mindfully) or cause it. Take a second to think on that. And take a few deep breaths while you do.

Every time we take a deep breath in, we’re bringing in energy to fuel our cellular processes. The body needs food as fuel, but we also need oxygen to support healthy body function. The heart, the brain – all our systems need oxygen. We can go for up to 3 weeks without food, three or four days without water, but only for three to four minutes without oxygen. Yeah, it’s that important.

So the next time you’re feeling particularly stressed, take a minute or five to find someplace quiet (or just sit down right where you are and close your eyes) and just breathe.

Here’s how: feel the breath start deep in your abdomen, expanding through the lower ribs and into the chest, maybe even feeling like it’s going to raise the collar bones slightly. Allow the exhale to be slow and smooth, contracting the ribs as you let all that stale air out. Then, repeat as necessary.

It doesn’t get a whole lot easier than that. Breathe. Repeat. It’s as simple as being mindful of something that we automatically do over 20,000 times per day.

So what are you waiting for? I guarantee that you can spare five minutes out of your day to give this a try – five minutes a day, for the next week. Then report back. I’d love to hear what differences it makes.