Do you know August 15th is National Relaxation Day! But you can make it any day!
I love holidays and I celebrate any and all holidays whenever I can, why not?? I love discovering holidays that I didn’t know about and as a massage therapist, I was super duper excited to learn about National Relaxation Day! Woohoo!!!!!
So, how does one celebrate this special day? It’s a day to focus on self care and giving ourselves a moment to relax. Sign me up! My last blog post was all about how I sort of fell off my self care wagon a bit, but I have since gotten back on track and am feeling much better after just a few weeks of focusing on taking better care of myself. Put yourself at the top of your to do list!
As a massage therapist of course my first suggestion would be to schedule a massage or a reflexology session. But you could keep it super simple and pour yourself a cup of your favorite tea, sit somewhere quiet and leave your phone in another room for 30 minutes, or even 15 minutes if the thought of being without your phone that long feels stressful.
Here’s a few more quick and easy ways to relax:
- Breathe: my favorite technique the 4-7-8 technique is my go to for a quick fix
- Breathe in some lavender essential oil. Put a few drops in a diffuser or just put a few drops in your hands rub them together, cup your hands and breathe in slowly and deeply. Don’t have any lavender essential oil? Maybe you buy your first bottle to celebrate the holiday!
- Go for a 15 minute walk
- Be in nature if possible
- Listen to some relaxing music – Marconi Union Weightless is scientifically proven to evoke a relaxation response
- Do some guided visualization or meditation- lots of great options on YouTube
- Call a friend who makes you laugh
- Epsom salt bath – extra credit if you add some lavender
- According to the Mayo Clinic practicing relaxation techniques can have many benefits, such as:
- Slowing heart rate
- Lowering blood pressure
- Slowing breathing rate
- Improving digestion
- Controlling blood sugar levels
- Reducing activity of stress hormones
- Increasing blood flow to major muscles
- Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
- Improving focus and mood
- Improving sleep quality
- Lowering fatigue
- Reducing anger and frustration
- Boosting confidence to handle problems
Sometimes we just need to stop and smell the roses. Give yourself the gift of relaxation, even if it’s just for 5 or 10 minutes. You might like it so much that it becomes a habit! Imagine a world where EVERYONE was just a little bit more relaxed …
Happy National Relaxation Day!
