What is relaxation?
Relaxation is essential to maintain both your mental and physical wellbeing. It helps you offload stress and anxiety and shift to a calm, balanced state. Just as we all recharge with good sleep, we all need to properly relax so that our bodies and minds can function better.
Relaxation techniques should be part of your daily routine as this is the best way to improve your overall quality of life. Some people find it easier to relax – or ‘switch off’ – than others. Stress, anxiety or simply a busy lifestyle can all make it hard to embrace relaxation. If you fall out of habits and routine, it can become difficult to find ways to relax again.
Actively practising relaxation techniques can help you to find relaxing easier. As you continue to practise relaxation, you’ll be able to sleep better and feel less stressed in the rest of your life. Your decision-making will sharpen, your relationships will improve, and your productivity will increase.
Relaxation hypnotherapy and hypnotic relaxation can support you with these techniques. You will be building a more peaceful and balanced future. Each deep breath and mindful moment will help you feel more calm.
Understanding why you find relaxation difficult can be the first step towards easing into it. Once you recognise these barriers, you can begin to develop healthier, more effective ways to unwind.
1 in 4 people say they have no time to relax
72% like to walk because it helps them relax
80% of hypertensive patients who meditate consistently have reduced medications and lowered blood pressure
Gardening, reading, walking and baking are the most popular ways for British people to relax
What causes people to struggle with relaxing?
For many, switching off can feel nearly impossible, especially when our minds seem wired to seek out stress. Your brain can get stuck in a cycle of stress, making it harder to wind down.
If you struggle with anxiety or low mood, even minor issues can feel overwhelming. This often makes relaxation seem out of reach. Your body’s natural alarm system might be overly sensitive, keeping you on edge even when there’s no immediate threat. Ironically, the more you try to force relaxation, the more elusive it becomes – much like trying to fall asleep when you’re wide awake.
Working too hard or too much can also make it hard to relax. A high pressure job can leave you in a heightened state, even when you’ve finished for the day. People who work for themselves can struggle to leave work alone. You may not give yourself regular days off or may feel compelled to take on extra work.
You may be filling your time with activities not because you enjoy them, but because you feel you should do them. This might be for approval or praise, or simply to avoid conflict with others. This can turn hobbies into a source of stress, robbing them of the enjoyment they once brought.
Maybe you enjoy baking, but now you find yourself asked to do cakes for every family and friends’ birthday. Or perhaps you’re involved with a local sport or hobby club, yet have gradually had less and less time for anything else. You may feel people depend on you and you don’t want to let them down.
Social media often adds to any pressure, creating a constant comparison trap. Seeing others people’s seemingly perfect lives can make you feel you should always be at your best, which only adds to your stress. Ignoring stress doesn’t help either as the problem only grows over time. The sheer number of options for how to relax can also be overwhelming, leaving you more stressed than before.
What are the symptoms and effects?
A lack of relaxation doesn’t just make you feel uneasy – it can have a serious impact on your overall health. When you’re stressed, you may experience headaches, muscle tension, dizziness or fatigue. It can also interfere with your sleep, leaving you feeling restless and unable to fully recharge. This can make it harder to relax in your waking hours.
Failing to properly relax impacts every aspect of your life. You may have low energy, stomach issues, muscle aches, and even chest pain. You might notice that you get ill more often, as stress weakens your immune system.
It can leave you feeling irritable, overwhelmed, or like you’re constantly on edge. These feelings can make it hard to relax. They can lead to low self-esteem, feeling isolated, and pulling away from loved ones.
If left unchecked, chronic stress can lead to more severe health issues. Your body can remain in a heightened state of alert, known as ‘fight or flight’, for far longer than is healthy. This can leave you feeling jittery, anxious or down for extended periods.
Recognising the effects of failing to relax is crucial. By understanding the impact it has on your body and mind, you can begin to improve your overall wellbeing.
How can it be managed?
Learning to relax properly is key to finding balance and improving your quality of life. You can’t always avoid stress but you can equip yourself with tools to manage its load more effectively. By practising these relaxation techniques, you’ll build resilience and adaptability, allowing you to approach challenges with a clearer head.
Breathing techniques
Deep breathing exercises are a simple yet effective way to calm your mind and body. Taking a moment to breathe deeply can help clear your thoughts and reduce tension. They can quieten the noise of daily worries.
Meditation, aromatherapy and mindfulness
Meditation and aromatherapy are both ways to promote a sense of calm. Aromatherapy with essential oils like lavender or chamomile can create a soothing atmosphere that lasts throughout the day. Focus on the present moment, practise mindfulness to ground yourself and keep worries about the past or future at bay.
Physical relaxation
When pressed for time, a short walk outdoors allows you to step away from stress and return with a fresh perspective. Physical activity like yoga, Tai Chi, or rhythmic exercises can boost your mood by releasing feel-good hormones that help counteract stress. These practices help you feel more centred and focused, making it easier to manage day-to-day tasks with efficiency and ease.
Techniques like Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) can also help you feel calmer. PMR involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups. This method can relieve physical tension throughout your body.
Engaging your senses
Imagining a peaceful place and engaging your senses can be a powerful relaxation tool. Even small acts, like enjoying a pleasant scent or listening to calming music, can quickly reduce anxiety and help you feel more at ease.
By weaving these techniques into your daily life, you’ll build a toolkit to relax, manage stress and enhance your overall wellbeing. Over time, you’ll discover which methods work best for you, helping you to cope with stress whenever it arises.
How can relaxation hypnotherapy help?
Relaxation hypnotherapy offers a unique way to both manage stress and enhance relaxation. Similar to a daydream, the trance state you enter during hypnotherapy is both relaxing and refreshing. It focuses on positive outcomes, helping you approach stress and anxiety with a calmer mindset.
During a hypnotic relaxation session, we calm your body’s stress responses, like rapid breathing or muscle tension. Hypnotherapy promotes better blood flow and helps alleviate symptoms of chronic stress, such as muscle pain and headaches. It also improves concentration and mood, leaving you feeling more in control.
By working with the subconscious mind, relaxation hypnotherapy can reframe negative thought patterns that may be contributing to stress. Your hypnotherapist will guide you into a deeply relaxed state, making your mind more open to positive suggestions. This helps you respond to stressful situations in a healthier, more balanced way.
With regular practice, relaxation hypnotherapy can help you manage stress in both the short and long term. Hypnotherapy can also boost your confidence and self-esteem, helping you to set boundaries and manage your time more effectively.
Our Relaxation Specialists
Benn Baker-Pollard
Sittingbourne
Caroline Prout
Thrapston
Claire Noyelle
Maidstone
Dawn Ibbetson
Chelmsford
Emma Bancroft
Rainham, Kent
Emma Treby
Mid Devon
Gary Johannes
Peterborough
Jill Whitehouse
Newcastle upon Tyne
Keeley Smith
Southend-on-Sea
Kerry Seymour
Weston-super-Mare
Peter Ely
Islington
Victoria Anderson
County Durham
Why Choose Inspired To Change
Our solution focused hypnotherapists empower you to better understand your brain, helping to guide you towards solutions and achieve the outcomes you want. We have a team of fully trained hypnotherapists, giving you the choice of who to work with and how you want to work with them. Solution focused hypnotherapy is just as effective in-person or online in the comfort of your own home, so you can find the ideal therapist to help you reach your goals.
Every one of our hypnotherapists is recognised by governing bodies like the National Council for Hypnotherapy, the UK’s leading not-for-profit hypnotherapy professional association. They have all trained with Clifton Practice Hypnotherapy Training, one of the leading hypnotherapy schools in the UK.
