After a long and busy day, it seems impossible to achieve peace of mind. But here are some tips that will help you regain your inner peace at the end of the day and before you sleep.
In today’s modern world, most of us are too busy during the day, and it seems impossible to find time to relax. Even if you find time to rest and relax during all this hustle and bustle, how can you relax your busy mind to relax? Besides, it is difficult to calm the mind that has been busy processing many different issues all day.
Not paying attention to the body and mind’s need for peace and deep rest can have dire consequences in the long run. If you don’t get enough relaxation, everyday stress will gradually become chronic and give way to a feeling of paralyzing anxiety.
In addition, lack of rest also damages your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds, infections, and other common seasonal illnesses.
This is why you must relax your body and mind, especially after a busy day. Here are eight ways to achieve inner peace.
Lie down.
It seems simple, but one of the best ways to relax after a hard day’s work is to lie down on the couch or bed; simply. Allocating some time for this work and achieving the peace needed for the mind and body can provide you stability and concentration during the rest of the day and help the quality of your sleep at night.
One of the critical issues in this field is that you do not dedicate the time allocated to lying down to any other work. Put your phone aside and do not use it while lying down; Also, stop studying and do other activities. Close your eyes and lie down for a few minutes until you feel your physical tension disappear and your mind relax.
Practice mindful meditation.
If you lie down and find that your body is relaxed, but your mind is not, you can use the technique of conscious meditation.
Mindful meditation is the technique of observing yourself and your surroundings without judgment. This technique helps you focus on the “here and now,” paying attention only to the present, forgetting about past or future events and the current situation, and ignoring other conditions such as work or university.
When you lie down, the only things you feel are the following:
- The sound of your breathing.
- The sounds around you.
- The feel of the bed or couch you are lying on.
To try meditation, just start by focusing on your breathing. This will help your mind to focus on a simple matter, and when different thoughts from the past and future will rush into your mind, this will prevent you from paying attention to them and getting your mind busy. It may seem tricky at first to maintain focus and not be distracted by different thoughts, but with a bit of practice, you will quickly gain more control over your thoughts and reach mental peace faster.
Guided Imagination Technique.
While meditation helps you immerse yourself in the here and now, the guided imagery technique allows you to direct your mind to your “desire state.” This desired location could be a white sand beach, green hills, or a peaceful garden. Imagining being in such an environment can be one of the best ways to achieve mental peace.
You only need a quiet space and imagination to try this relaxing activity. You can start by sitting or lying in your bedroom, where you feel safe, secure, and relaxed.
Then, close your eyes and imagine all the details of where you can experience the most relaxation. If this place is a beach, imagine the waves crashing on the beach, the smell of sunscreen, the sand between your toes, and the sun.
The more time you spend on this, the more results you will get. Enter the depths of your imagination and let the desired states of mind bring you peace.
The technique of gradual muscle relaxation.
It is not unusual to feel tense at work; this tension may have physical dimensions and cause muscle spasms or bruises.
Often, achieving physical relaxation and releasing this tension from your body will also help you relax mentally. One of the ways to accomplish this physical relaxation is the technique of gradually relaxing the muscles. This technique involves stretching and relaxing muscle groups in different body parts.
You should lie on a soft surface like a bed or a yoga mat to perform this technique. Start by tensing and contracting your facial muscles and then releasing them. Do this technique twice on each muscle group, then move from the face down the body, contracting and expanding each muscle group separately until you reach the toes. You should feel relaxed when you have done this movement on your whole body.
Increase your physical activity.
Although increasing activity is not an excellent solution to achieve relaxation, contrary to what you think, the results of medical research have shown that physical activity is one of the best solutions to achieve peace.
Instead of worrying about calming your mind, put on your gym clothes and start working out; this will quickly quiet your mind from all the distracting thoughts. This allows you to focus on your body and exercise, leaving no room for distracting thoughts. In addition, exercise increases the secretion of hormones in the body that naturally increase the feeling of vitality and relaxation.
As mentioned, sports activities are one of the best ways to achieve mental peace; among different sports activities, many experts recommend yoga.
But even if you choose walking or gardening as a physical activity, there is no problem; these activities are also helpful for mental relaxation. It is essential to relax how you like and enjoy your favorite activity.
Take a warm shower.
For many people, a warm bath is the most comfortable and best way to achieve physical and mental relaxation.
These days, more than ever, people need to take a break from technology to regain peace of mind, and the bathroom is one of these opportunities that forcefully take you away from your mobile phone and tablet for a while.
When you give yourself this opportunity and permission to distance yourself from technology, you will realize that not being informed about the news and content of social networks is not such a big and important issue and how relaxing it can be. The silence and tranquility of the bathroom and away from technology can be one of the best ways to relax the body and mind.
Writing technique for relaxation.
A busy and long day can cause fatigue and emotional entanglement, which may prevent you from relaxing.
One of the ways to reduce this stress and create peace is to write down the feelings you are experiencing. Writing down different feelings and experiences can be done in a diary, but it is not necessary to do it every day and regularly and give it an official face to achieve peace.
Instead, with the free writing technique, you allow your emotions to take their place on the page, and your mind becomes somewhat empty of those emotions. If you don’t know where to start or what to write about, think about how you feel right now and describe that feeling in a few words that come to mind. This can be an excellent start to freewriting practice.
This exercise is very suitable for calming mental preoccupations and helping you relax. Especially when big mental problems are put into words and written down, they seem much easier and more solvable.
Connection with nature.
Many of us are forced to live in big cities and cars where we don’t have much contact with nature due to our job or other reasons, but we should not forget that regular contact with nature is necessary for our mental peace.
At the end of a busy workday, try to spend some time in nature; this action can include a walk in a green park, a walk along the beach, or any other possibility available to you. These simple actions in maintaining a connection with nature can help reduce your stress and anxiety levels.
In fact, the power of nature is so great that even looking at its pictures can reduce stress levels. Some believe that nothing is stronger than nature.
Research has shown that the experience of being by the sea and rivers brings more pleasure to humans, so if you are lucky enough to live by a river, lake, or even the sea, keep in mind that spending time in the vicinity of these places is exactly what you need after a stressful week.
While all of these suggestions are good, tried-and-true strategies for achieving peace of mind, remember that doing things you enjoy can be just as beneficial.
These activities include listening to music, reading a book you like, cooking, or painting. Any relaxing activity you prefer, as long as it allows your mind and body to feel more relaxed and clear your mind of disturbing thoughts.
What are some ways to achieve peace of mind after a busy day?
The article suggests eight ways: lying down, practicing mindful meditation, using the guided imagination technique, the technique of gradual muscle relaxation, increasing physical activity, taking a warm shower, using the writing technique for relaxation, and connecting with nature.
What is mindful meditation?
Mindful meditation is the technique of observing yourself and your surroundings without judgment. It helps you focus on the “here and now,” paying attention only to the present, forgetting about past or future events and the current situation, and ignoring other conditions such as work or university.
What is the guided imagination technique?
The guided imagery technique allows you to direct your mind to your “desire state.” This desired location could be a white sand beach, green hills, or a peaceful garden. Imagining being in such an environment can be one of the best ways to achieve mental peace.
How can physical activity help achieve peace of mind?
Physical activity is one of the best solutions to achieve peace. It allows you to focus on your body and exercise, leaving no room for distracting thoughts. In addition, exercise increases the secretion of hormones in the body that naturally increase the feeling of vitality and relaxation.
How can writing help in relaxation?
Writing down different feelings and experiences can help reduce stress and create peace. With the free writing technique, you allow your emotions to take their place on the page, and your mind becomes somewhat empty of those emotions.
How can connecting with nature help in achieving peace of mind?
Regular contact with nature is necessary for our mental peace. At the end of a busy workday, try to spend some time in nature; this action can include a walk in a green park, a walk along the beach, or any other possibility available to you. These simple actions in maintaining a connection with nature can help reduce your stress and anxiety levels.
What are the benefits of taking a warm shower for relaxation?
For many people, a warm bath is the most comfortable and best way to achieve physical and mental relaxation. The silence and tranquility of the bathroom and away from technology can be one of the best ways to relax the body and mind.
What is the technique of gradual muscle relaxation?
The technique of gradually relaxing the muscles involves stretching and relaxing muscle groups in different body parts. This technique can help achieve physical relaxation, which in turn can help you relax mentally.