August 15th is celebrated yearly as National Relaxation Day, and we think this is a great reminder that we all do need to take the time to stop and relax during our hectic lifestyles. Most days there are over 200 new emails in the inbox, you just spilled your coffee, and you have a conference call starting in exactly five minutes. Basically, it feels like you can never catch a break. When you feel like this, a weekend at a beach resort might be just the thing to calm your nerves but there isn’t always time for tanning, let alone sleeping, eating or going to the bathroom.
In celebration of National Relaxation Day, we’ve put together our top 5 relaxation tips to that you can do at home. It’s time to let go of the stress that plagues you and regain your peace of mind.
Essentia’s Top 5 Relaxation Tips
1: QUALITY SLEEP
Sleep is the source from which we replenish, not a state in which we seek to live. Like water, food, and shelter, it’s an essential part of our human experience and existence. It is a third of our lives that – when best invested – has tremendous impacts on our mental and physical health, productivity, relationships and beyond. Its effects ripple throughout the many layers of our entire lives, which are deeply enriched by the surface on which we choose to sleep.
Essentia understands this and has created the world’s healthiest and most durable memory foam mattresses. Sleeping on an Essentia awakens you to how a truly restful night’s sleep can empower you to make the most of your days. As the world’s only natural memory foam company, our mattresses are free of harmful toxins, allergens, and off-gases found in synthetic mattresses – so that you can reap the full health benefits of sleep, without harming yourself or the environment.
2: CREATE A NIGHTTIME ROUTINE
Create a ritual every night: leave all devices in another room, drink some hot tea, take a warm shower, read a bit (from an actual book) and snuggle into bed. Creating a new habit can take longer than you thought, but you will reap the rewards of getting amazing sleep that can help you create more new, healthy habits along the way. Pick a wind-down routine that best fits your lifestyle and you will succeed.
3: MEDITATION
Meditation, it’s a word which conjures up a lot of different things to different people. To many, particularly those who do not partake in the practice, it can seem silly, one of those alternative things that only “new agey” yoga people do. To others, it might seem like a means to procrastinate, to avoid being productive in our hectic and busy lives, but for those who do practice a daily ritual of meditation, they are aware of the many rewards and riches a quiet mind provides. A simple meditation each day, which can be as brief as 15-20 minutes will not only do wonders towards how you cope and deal with the rest of your day but positively change the course for how the rest of your life will play out and unfold. The benefits of meditation have been proven quite extensively and range from things such as stress reduction, better blood circulation, increased focus and memory, an aid for depression and anxiety, lowering blood pressure, enhancing the immune system, increasing serotonin levels and providing a much greater understanding of ourselves. If you are just dipping your toe into meditation, we’re big fans of apps that can help such as HEADSPACE and Calm.
4: AROMATHERAPY
Calming scents can help prepare your body for sleep as well as relaxation. Lavender is a soothing scent that’s long been associated with relaxation and sleep. Lavender is also used as a natural remedy for anxiety and has been scientifically proven to help you relax and de-stress! When it comes to essential oils, we’re big fans of the organic essential oils found at the Hippocrates Health Institute, you can shop these great essential oils here.
5: RELAXING SOUNDS
What you hear impacts how you feel. Noise pollution can create real stress, along with measurable negative effects. Similarly, soothing sounds can make you feel more relaxed inside. Use sound and music to enhance your environment, create the mood you’d like to feel inside and promote a mood in those around you. Generally speaking, calming tempos create calmer feelings; livelier tempos can energize you when you’re feeling sluggish. Calming white noise can help mask undesirable noises in your environment, such as traffic sounds.
Do you have any go-to at-home relaxation tips? Share them with us in the comments below!
