Heka’s top tips for relaxation and stress relief

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is to relax.

With winter looming and restrictions tightening, it’s more important than ever that we’re managing feelings of stress to prevent more serious mental health issues from arising.

So here are 4 of Heka’s top tips for promoting relaxation and stress relief:

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Massage Therapy

As one of the world’s oldest forms of healing, the health benefits of stimulating your muscles through massage are undeniable.

Massage reduces stress and promotes relaxation by lowering the heart and stimulating the release of feel-good hormones such as endorphins and serotonin. It also targets physical stress by relieving build-up tension to help your body relax.

Different massage techniques can have different benefits. Deep tissue massage helps to tackle muscle tension, sports massage helps with any sports-related injuries and therapeutic massage helps your mind transcend into a place of deep relaxation through gentle movement.

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Practise Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being tuned in to what is happening in the present moment, without thinking about past or future events.

Studies indicate that mindfulness can help to lower your blood pressure, strengthen your immune system, and protect your mental health - all of which help to reduce stress.

Breathing exercises, meditation, mindful eating, and mindful movement (such as yoga) are all powerful forms of mindfulness.

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Talk about it

A problem shared is a problem halved.

Difficult to relax when you’ve got a lot playing on your mind. Now more than ever it’s important that we’re reaching out to friends, family and colleagues to talk about the good, the bad, the ugly.

Talking to a therapist is also a highly effective way of getting things off your chest which may be causing feelings of stress. Based on your conversation they’ll be able to provide you actions you can take to destress and help you to let go of any thoughts and feelings causing anxiety.

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Stretch it out

Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation. Both the physical and mental aspects of yoga have been proven to reduce stress and increase productivity.

With a range of health benefits including lowered blood pressure, reduced anxiety and increased strength, it’s no wonder 460,000 Brits are taking part in yoga classes each week.

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What next?

So now you know some great ways to keep your body and mind feeling zen it’s time to get started!

Try out one of our top stress-busting providers:

• Jana Life Coaching - FREE taste session
• GONG Online  - Calming gong bath meditation
• InsideOut - FREE Mental health consultation
• MindQue - Self-care boxes

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