How to Relax Your Mind

5 Steps to Unwind and Find Clarity in Your Head


In today’s world, it’s hard to avoid feeling stressed. Life is fast-paced, and it’s more important than ever to slow down and make time for yourself. Relaxation techniques can make you feel calmer, happier and more productive. Try these five easy steps to relax your mind and improve your mental well-being.

Step 1: Find a relaxing space

Before you start to relax, it’s important to choose the right environment — a place perfectly tuned to your unique needs. Turn off your phone, step away from your computer and commit to relaxing in your favorite quiet space. Some people like to relax outside, but your relaxation zone can simply be a room or corner in your house. You might want to listen to gentle music while others prefer only the sound of the natural world.

Step 2: Get comfortable

It’s important to feel physically comfortable before your mind can truly relax. If you know yoga, the Lotus Pose is an excellent relaxation position, but if you’re not feeling too flexible, just sit on the floor or on a chair with your back straight and your hands on your thighs. Don’t let your body slump or slouch; you should feel comfortable, poised and in control.

Step 3: Concentrate on your breathing

Even small changes to how you breathe can be really useful in mental relaxation.

• Sitting in your comfort position, breathe in slowly from the abdomen.

• As you breathe in, you should feel your abdomen expand as your lungs fill up with air from the bottom to the top.

• Inhale as much as you can without feeling too full, then push the air all the way out and repeat.

Step 4: Clear your mind

It’s important to clear your mind of all worries and background noise. Some people like to repeat words or phrases in their mind. But if mantras don’t appeal to you, just concentrating on your breathing will have the same relaxing effect.

Step 5: Try a yoga routine

Once you’ve had some practice at relaxation and can bring yourself easily into a relaxed state, you might like to try a gentle yoga routine. If you avoid vigorous poses, then a short yoga routine can improve your deep breathing and help push the stress out of your mind. Just remember that mind relaxation, like everything else, takes some practice, but if you take it slow and think positively, you’ll be well on your way to restoring your inner peace.

This post is a snippet of the original post written by E.C. LaMeaux for blog.gaiam.com.