Here are 5 simple ways to relax over this coming long weekend

1. Meditation

For those who live a busy lifestyle, meditation can seem like a waste of time. The truth is meditation can be extremely beneficial to both the mind and body, and can help you make more of each day, achieving greater productivity. Spend half an hour a day meditating to help you relax. Meditation can have amazing affects, working to reduce stress and help you forget about the things that keep you up at night.

If you are new to meditation, do read this beginners guide to meditation to get started.

2. Reading

Reading is an incredibly effective way of relaxing, particularly for those who have trouble shutting off at night. As part of your bedtime routine, plan to read for an hour every evening. Read something that you enjoy, but that does not over-stimulate your brain. Fiction is far better for nighttime reading, rather than educational or self-help books.

Here are 15 recommended fiction books for 2017.

3. Go on a full or partial Digital Detox

Do you know that we check our smartphones on average 221 times a day and 80% of millennials look at their phones the moment they wake up in the morning? Orianna Fielding highlighted the 12 key signs of being overloaded with digital “addiction” and we have detailed them in our blog post: Breaking your Digital Addiction

You may want to consider going on a full or partial Digital Detox which can help reduce stress, depression, anxiety, dependency on technology, fatigue, and information overload. In this coming three-day weekend, aim to put your phones and laptops away for at least part of the weekend. Here are a few ways to put down that device, and pick up your spirits:

– Make your bedroom a tech-free zone
– Go on a walk. Outside. Phone-free
– More face to face time with your family and friends
– Create a relaxing home environment
– Turn off notifications and activate the quiet modes on your phone

Allow me to share with you an entertaining TEDx presentation by digital marketing guru Tania Mulry on some simple and effective ways we can use to perform a digital detox.

Here’s another video of a group of travelers who made the decision to take a day away from their devices to re-discover the offline world.

4. Pampering

When you’re really struggling to relax, one of the best things you can do is to run yourself a hot bath and just soak, shutting your eyes and shutting out the world for an hour or so. Really indulge yourself by lighting scented candles and playing soft music.

Here are 10 scents that will help you relax and get ready for sleep: https://sleep.org/articles/scents-for-relaxation/

5. Yoga

Practicing yoga regularly has been reported to help promote a sense of calm, helping you unwind and forget those things that are troubling you. Set time aside each day to practice. If possible do yoga in a room that is designed for relaxing in, where you can have quiet and privacy for the duration of your practice.

Do pamper yourself with an in-home heavenly massage session by cloud9.sg too. Appointments can be booked on our website at www.cloud9.sg or call us on +65 9432 2223.

Have a great long weekend everyone! Don’t forget to get out there to relax and unwind.