Relaxation techniques
These are the 7 best
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Relaxation techniques should help us to reduce stress and bring body and soul back into harmony. We introduce 7 great techniques.
What are relaxation techniques?
Our everyday life can be quite stressful – and this is sometimes noticeable through various symptoms such as sleep disorders. So-called relaxation techniques such as yoga or autogenic training should help us to reduce stress and to bring more relaxation into our lives. Those who do the training regularly not only become calmer, but also tackle challenges with the necessary calm and concentration.
Why is stress unhealthy at all?
When stressed, the body releases various stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. In the short term, this increases our performance – but if the stress gets out of hand, the body can no longer break down the stress hormones. This makes real relaxation impossible. This puts a strain on our immune system and makes us more susceptible to infections. Further symptoms such as tension or a depressive mood can persist. You can find all stress symptoms here.
What are the benefits of relaxation techniques?
Relaxation techniques not only ensure that we can reduce stress and generally find relaxation more easily. The exercises still have the following advantages if they are performed regularly:
- Increased ability to concentrate and remember
- Increased creativity
- Inner peace and balance
- Increased stability in the event of conflicts
- Lower susceptibility to infection
These are the 7 best relaxation techniques
1. Progressive muscle relaxation
The progressive muscle relaxation according to Edmund Jacobson is a relaxation procedure in which different muscle groups are tensed and relaxed again one after the other. The body is loosened from head to toe, which for example relieves tension. The relaxation technique is easy to perform in everyday life and can be practiced both lying down and sitting. An exact picture of it and the correct instructions for progressive muscle relaxation can be found here.
2. Meditation
Meditation calms mind and body and ensures more relaxation in everyday life. First and foremost, it is about letting your thoughts calm down. The good thing about this relaxation technique: Meditation can be carried out in any quiet place – sitting, lying or standing, as you wish. Some people like to listen to music while meditating, others prefer to meditate in complete silence. Beginners often start with ten minutes of meditation, but advanced learners can do the training for several hours. We explain here how to learn meditation. Studies show that regular meditation can lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, among other things, and we also become more resistant to stress.
3. Autogenic training
Another popular relaxation exercise is the so-called autogenic training. The training originally comes from the field of self-hypnosis and uses our own imagination with the help of auto-suggestive formulas. For example, one says to oneself sentences like: “My back is comfortably warm” and thus draws attention to certain parts of the body. However, this relaxation technique requires quite a bit of practice. When used correctly, autogenic training helps against physical ailments such as high blood pressure, provides relaxation for depression and anxiety, and increases the ability to concentrate.
4. Breathing exercises
With the help of breathing exercises, we can quickly find relaxation. The reason: When we are stressed, we tend to breathe more shallowly. So if we influence our breathing, we can also reduce the stress again – this works particularly well in acute stressful situations. Abdominal breathing, for example, is well suited: This involves inhaling deeply into the abdomen so that the abdomen bulges outwards, and only then does the air enter the chest. When you exhale, the air flows first out of your chest and then out of your stomach. This targeted breathing automatically sets in relaxation, blood pressure can also be lowered and tiredness disappears.
5. Movement
The method of movement includes various relaxation techniques that are not aimed at exercising intensively, but rather Listen to yourself and keep your heart rate constant. The following movement variants help effectively against stress. You can also use them to increase your concentration:
- Yoga: In yoga, flowing movements are combined with breathing techniques, which ensures an inner and outer balance. In addition, the method strengthens various muscle groups and loosens tensions.
- Endurance training: Especially those who have to sit a lot at work should ensure that they get enough exercise with endurance training. This not only keeps you fit, but also clears your mind. Jogging or swimming are suitable, for example.
- Tai Chi: This is an old Chinese martial art, in which the main aim is to build up tension with continuous movement and then to release it again. This relaxes tension and has a positive effect on breathing and the cardiovascular system.
- Pilates: Similar to yoga, Pilates focuses on strengthening the core of the body, from which the back, stomach and pelvic floor muscles benefit in particular. The procedure relieves tension.
- Qigong: This relaxation technique also comes from Chinese teaching and focuses on strengthening the so-called life energy. By flowing movements and breathing exercises, the stress is pushed away and the life energy is strengthened.
6. Massages
Sometimes you can’t get a grip on tension and muscular blockages yourself. Then targeted massages help loosen up the muscles. The good: The person concerned can simply be pampered and can go wandering with his thoughts. Foot reflexology massages are also suitable, which should have a positive effect on the organs and thus reduce stress.
7. Sauna
Regular visits to the sauna not only strengthen the immune system and make us less susceptible to infections, but is also a great relaxation technique for body and mind. When taking a sauna, toxins are removed more quickly, and the body quasi shuts down, which ensures relaxation. It is important to find your own comfortable temperature and to take a break after every sauna session.
Pure relaxation in everyday life – with these quick relaxation exercises
We don’t always have the opportunity in everyday life to withdraw and invest half an hour in our relaxation techniques. In this case, short exercises for relaxation will help, which can be carried out anywhere and without aids. These include:
- Stretch the body: We tend to collapse when we are stressed, which increases tension. On the other hand, it helps to stretch the body apart: the arms are stretched out over the head, the legs are made as long as possible. That loosens the muscles.
- Dream trip: Lie down or sit down relaxed, close your eyes and imagine a place where you have no stress and can live without worries. This can be a real place from your childhood or a vacation spot that you don’t actually know. Imagine how you explore the place, what you feel and what smells and colors you perceive. When you’re feeling calmer, just open your eyes again to end the trip.
- Commute: For this relaxation technique, stand upright with your feet about hip-width apart. The arms hang loosely down. Then you turn the upper body with swing alternately to the left and right, whereby the arms swing slightly.
- Listen to relaxation music: It can be the new album of your favorite band, but also a piano solo – which music is perceived as relaxing is completely different from one individual to the next. The only important thing is that you have the feeling that the music calms you down and relaxes you.
- Let go of anger: Sometimes you just want to scream – and as a relaxation technique that is actually not a bad idea to get rid of stress. Find a lonely place, sit down, relax, and think back to situations in which you were particularly angry. Now you shout out your anger – whether in sentences or if you just scream is up to you. Consciously clench your hands into fists. When you feel the anger has subsided, shake your limbs out and take a few deep breaths.
- Tighten and relax: Tense each muscle and hold your breath for a total of about five seconds. Then you breathe out forcefully and loosen up your body, for example by gently shaking your limbs.
Reading tips: Have you read enough about relaxation techniques? Here we explain how you can still reduce stress. We also reveal how stress management works, why the sense of touch is vital and what helps against a hunched back.
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