Create The Time To Relax
It is sometimes difficult to find some time to relax in our busy lives. However, it is important to set aside some quiet and uninterrupted time to be able to meditate, relax, and breathe.
- Find a time where you can have some peace and quiet where you won't be interrupted;
- Set your intentions to be held in a positive light. What do you want to happen during this time? How long will you be spending here? What are you trying to free yourself from?
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- A calming environment is conducive to meditation so that you can engage all of your five senses - sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch.
- Remove any clutter that might distract you;
- If you choose to light a candle, be sure to have it away from any items that are hazardous to fire;
- You can also prepare a drink to sip during your bath, just make sure that it is in a non-breakable cup and it has a stable surface to rest on. It can be a glass of wine, a cup of tea, or even iced coffee.
- This is dependent on your preferences. You can have a milk bath, salt bath, or a bath without any additives.
- You can have a deeper bath experience by adding fresh rose petals or citrus rinds for texture.
- Bath salts, bubbles, and essential oils can also be added to your bath.
Now that you've prepared everything for the bath it's time to climb into the bath, close your eyes, relax your body and breathe. Here are things you should do while in the bath:
- Practice the 4-7-8 breathe work.
- Pay attention to the sensations that you are feeling at the moment, from your body - warmth, freshness, serenity - to your environment - fragrant and relaxing.
- This is also when you can address your anxieties, focus on the feeling, and then let them go.
As the bath comes to an end, your skin is soft, you feel light and unburdened, don't quickly get out of the bath, instead, take it slow, carefully get up and do your usual routine after a soothing bath.
While doing so, keep in mind to still notice what you are thinking and feeling - physically and emotionally - let yourself fully experience the moment until the moment you put your clothes on.
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Having a hot bath is practiced in many cultures and recent studies point out that ‘passive heating’ of the body improves health in several ways.
A hot bath controls the blood sugar of the body and increased its anti-inflammatory response.
This passive heating technique can improve heart functions, lowering one’s blood pressure, and eventually helping people with type 2 diabetes.
Sleep heals our mind and body, but in today’s fast-paced and distracted world, many people are sleep deprived, wreaking havoc on their attention spans, mood and brain functioning. Less sleep also results in weight gain, distress and risk of insomnia.
Mindfulness, or meditation/movement techniques that cultivate awareness and aid rest can tame our never-ending thought patterns, calming our minds for a better sleep.
Don't eat any heavy foods within two hours of bed time.
If you get too hungry as bedtime creeps around, there are a few foods that are okay to eat before bed, and can even help you sleep—like bananas, oatmeal, and whole wheat bread, to name a few.