10 effective activities to relax the mind

Stress and nervousness have very negative effects on our mind and body. Effective activities to relax the mind, According to specialists. When a person is under pressure or feels some type of threat in their life, an alarm system is activated in the brain and in the body that generates a series of changes at various levels. The consequences can be very varied and of different intensity and severity, but they are all annoying and prevent us from leading a completely healthy and peaceful life.

Among the main conditions that occur as a result of being long exposed to stress, we find anxiety, skin problems, menstrual problems, insomnia, hair loss or coronary diseases, among others.

Therefore, it is not only important to identify these peaks of stress and be able to stop them in time but to generate habits that provide us with a balance, that help us to have a more relaxed life despite work or difficulties to which all we face.

To achieve this, it is very important to carry out activities that are effective to relax our mind and turn their practice into a kind of training, in such a way that we can maintain a healthy balance.

We propose 10 activities that are highly effective to relax the mind and whose assiduous practice provides the antidote against the diseases caused by stress, as well as a good handful of benefits for our health.

The good news is that you do not have to stay with only one option, but you can combine them and practice more than one or even all of them.

Table of Contents

1. YOGA

Yoga is a millenary discipline that originated in India, although for some years now it has been gaining relevance in the West for its many benefits. There are many types or classes of yoga, but basically it is a series of practices among which we find postures or asanas, breathing or pranayama, cleanings or kriyas, songs, mantras and other rituals, all of them oriented to obtain a balance between mind, body, and spirit and focused on obtaining well – being, inner peace, self-understanding, and self-realization. It can be practiced by everyone, regardless of age or physical condition.

The main psychological benefits of yoga are:

Generates calm and emotional stability
Help fight anxiety and depression
Decreases and even eliminates episodes of anger and panic
It soothes the mind and provides inner peace
Help us live with awareness
Improve our relationships with others
Improves intuitive ability
It helps us to be happier
Yoga brings us calm when facing the problems
It enhances sleep quality
And it relax the mind

In addition to a lot of benefits for our physical health, for our muscles, organs, and defenses. Continue reading- The 10 best yoga postures in pairs (easy and difficult)

2. COLOR MANDALAS

The mandalas are symbols with a circular shape and Hindu origin that represent the whole, the cosmos, nature, the individual and the spiritual world. Generally, they have a circle shape because supposedly it is the perfect geometrical figure, although it is true that we can find mandalas with other types of dispositions. They have different meanings depending on the dimension granted. For some people they are mere decoration, for others they are part of rituals and for others it is amulets. In general, they are used as a method of meditation, by fixing our attention on them while we color them, or with simple observation, and they are also used for therapeutic purposes.

It is recommended to color them from the outside inwards, as a sign of going from the most general, external and wide, to enter into our own self, as an exercise of introspection and journey into our interior. It is recommended to paint them in a quiet place that invites you to enjoy the moment, without haste and without hassles. We can make them while listening to soft music and we can also condition the environment by lighting a candle or a stick of incense.

The colors are usually chosen intuitively, however, their choice also has some symbolism. Here you have some more information about what they are and about the meanings of the colors. They also have to do with the chakras, so if we want to influence or heal some particular energetic point, we can use the colors associated with each chakra and think about it while we color, putting our intention and energy.

Among the most remarkable benefits of the mandalas are:

Improve concentration

It is a highly recommended exercise for people with attention deficit problems associated with stress processes

They produce a very powerful soothing effect

Relaxation

The sense of connection with oneself

It can relax the mind

Numerous studies have concluded that the practice of coloring mandalas in the elderly and children is a powerful vehicle for improving their sense of well-being, mental relaxation and reinforcement of self-esteem

Improve creativity

It helps us express our emotions and release them

3. MINDFULNESS

The word mindfulness means ‘mindfulness’. It’s about being aware of what you’re thinking and deciding where you want to focus your attention. It is being here and now, with full awareness of what you are doing and what you are feeling.

Living in the present and not being anchored in the past or worried planning the future means having a better quality of life, really taking advantage of our days and our experiences and trying to enjoy every moment and every sensation.

By practicing mindfulness we can:

Feel and recognize our feelings, whatever their nature (sadness, joy, discomfort, etc.) to identify them and work on them if necessary

We can observe what situations, people or things cause those feelings in us

We can specify and describe our problems, which is a key point to solve them

Detect how other people behave in the face of conflicts or certain moments, what their reactions are and decide how we want to act

Learn to differentiate what is really important

Get to the root of the problem, accept it and act

There are different exercises that we can practice, the important thing is to find a moment every day and go little by little. We can look for a quiet place, wear comfortable clothes and adopt a proper posture, which is usually sitting with a straight back, although you can also lie down as long as you do not fall asleep. We can do exercises concentrating on breathing, on observing the environment, on the sensations of our own body, etc. There are audio guides, books, and classes that will help you get started in this fantastic practice. What are you waiting for?

These are some of the benefits that we can notice with the practice of mindfulness:

Increase our quality of life
Provide peace and relax the mind
It brings us self-knowledge and emotional intelligence
Help overcome conflicts
Softens extreme feelings
Increase compassion and empathy
Help to sleep better

4. CREATIVE VISUALIZATION

When we visualize, we try to imagine what a situation would be like, how we would live it, what we would do, what we would say, what our sensations would be like if that happened were real, etc. The important thing to correctly visualize is not to imagine it, but to feel it real. In an effective visualization, we have to set ourselves a goal or an objective and situate ourselves at the moment in which we have already achieved or achieved it, that is, we project ourselves in the place where we wish to be.

To give an example, someone who is very stressed at work because he has a very complex task to perform would visualize imagining that, in effect, he has already achieved the project, he has done well and feels calm. Then he develops, experiences and elaborates the sensations, feelings and everything he can do after having achieved his goal. And experience it in the most realistic way possible. In addition, it is creative visualization, because we create ourselves since we have placed ourselves at a moment in the future that we have chosen. Placing ourselves in this vibration, in this energy, not only brings us magically closer to what we need in our lives, but it helps us to see the future in a more encouraging way and therefore our present will be something more comfortable.

We can perform a creative visualization to situate ourselves in a moment that provokes a reassuring feeling.

To perform effective visualizations we must:

Set a specific goal, which may be simply to be relaxed and at peace with ourselves

Describe, feel and experience as widely as possible what is for you the achievement of that goal as if it were a real event

Pay your attention assiduously in that objective. We can write it, developing it as widely as possible and read it several times a day, noticing the pleasant sensations

Put positive energy into your goal, it will make you feel very good and relax the mind.

With this simple exercise, we will experience very pleasant sensations and find moments of peace throughout the day. Visualizing allows us to feel relaxed, complete and optimistic for a few moments. Here you have a video that delves a little more on the subject.

5. SPORTS

Choose a sport that you like, that goes with your rhythm of life and with your way of being. It can be running ( running ), spinning, playing tennis, dancing Zumba or if you like something more canero you can choose the CrossFit. What you prefer.

The benefits of moderate sports are innumerable for both our physical health (body) and our psychological health (mind). So you know, it is necessary to put into practice that of mens Sana in corporate Sano.

As you would do a very long article and the topic that concerns us today is to relax the mind. We will see those psychological benefits that we can obtain practicing sports :

It produces a chemical reaction in our brain in which endorphins are released naturally; Endorphins are substances responsible for the feeling of happiness, the feeling of well-being and euphoria

It relieves us of anxiety
This activates us
It makes us sleep better (but try not to practice sports if you go to bed soon)
Generates self-confidence
Increase our energy
Improve our character
It helps us to be more productive
And relax the mind

6. LISTENING TO MUSIC

The philosopher Nietzsche said that ” life without music would be a mistake “. Let yourself be carried by the movement in a smooth way, dance to the rhythm or simply listen to a melody that pleases us.

According to some scientific studies, exposing ourselves to the music we like increases the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that activates our pleasure center, the same that is stimulated during sexual or gastronomic experiences.

It gives us a fantastic feeling of joy

It has a kind of hypnotic effect that is capable of producing relaxation or euphoria (depending on the type of music we choose)

And another popular saying also indicates that “who sings, their evils scare ” and we already know that popular wisdom is immense

In addition, listening to music also has other positive effects on us, being able to reduce pain, stimulate learning and concentration, relax the mind, reduce blood pressure, among others.

7. CONNECT WITH NATURE AND ANIMALS

You can choose to take care of your pet. You can also go to places with pets, such as a farm, an equestrian center, or dive and see the fish.

Having pets produces effects as impressive as these:

Provides stability and affection

Petting animals generate oxytocin, the hormone responsible for feeling love, we are kind and compassionate

Provides well-being

Reduce stress and relax the mind

So many are the benefits that animals give us, that there are assisted therapies with animals, a treatment modality in which the animal plays a fundamental role in the recovery and improvement of patients, as long as they are guided by a professional therapist. The most common animals to work in this type of therapy are dogs, horses, and dolphins.

In the elderly, people with mental illness or children with autism problems, very positive results have been obtained.

8. AROMATHERAPY

It is an alternative therapy that maintains that the perception of certain aromas produces a reaction or has a series of effects on our body and our mind.

In aromatherapy, the essential oils of some aromatic plants are extracted to reestablish our balance. To heal our body or for the benefit of our beauty and health in general.

Essential oils are used for this purpose since time immemorial, either as a simple olfactory stimulus. As well as for massages or other natural therapies. Aromatherapy is becoming very important today.

Some research has confirmed that people respond to odors at an emotional level superior to that of other senses. The olfactory stimuli come directly to the innermost central connections of our brain. The neurons located in the olfactory region are primary sensory neurons and are part of the brain neurons.

It renews us emotionally

Transform our experiences

Reduce stress

And relax the mind

9. CRAFTS

If you like knitting, sewing or any other manual work. You are in luck because practicing handwork is a fantastic exercise of relaxation and concentration. According to research in the field of neuroscience, craftwork has a lot to do with meditation. And mindfulness, providing a direct and very positive impact on our well-being and mental health.

Neuroscientists are beginning to give relevance to the way in which this type of activities impacts our brain, producing improvements in the states of depression and anxiety, the way to face problems, the improvement in the quality of life or the reduction of the stress. In such a way that they are giving them a vital role to maintain the health of our brain in optimal conditions.

If you want to start scrapbooking, which is a nice task in which we create collages of photos, cuts, and decorations, we leave you with this video:

10. MAKE PUZZLES

Some time ago we talked about the benefits of making puzzles for children. And we remind you that there is no better gymnastics for our brain, to keep it healthy, active and stimulated.

In addition, making puzzles makes our mind stronger against diseases such as Alzheimer’s. As in crafts or meditation, they keep us focused and focused at the present time, they provide full attention.

In addition to those described in the previous articles, making puzzles gives us:

Relaxation
It puts us off
Eliminate worries (this does not mean that the problems disappear, but it mitigates the feeling of discomfort that we produce)
Strengthens our self-esteem
Improve our social relationships, if we assemble our puzzle in company
It has a calming effect, that we can accentuate if we assemble some puzzle with a drawing with a relaxing landscape

Puzzles can relax the mind.

Do you dare to challenge to put into practice at least one of these 10 activities once a week? Tell us how you are doing.