6 relaxation techniques to try after a long and tiring day

Do you feel low and exhausted by the end of the day? Juggling between various activities at work or home can often leave you feeling tired. Be it a challenging work environment or never-ending responsibilities at home, anything can keep you busy and leave you exhausted. So, at the end of the day, you should try out some relaxation techniques.

Relaxation techniques to try after a long day

Relaxing is very important if you want to improve the quality of your life. There are some easy ways relax after a tiring day. Here’s what you can try!

1. Ankle pumps

Try regular ankle movements to explore the ankle’s range of motion. Start by bending your ankle up towards your body as far as you can then point your toes away from your body. Repeat this 10 times, suggests senior physiotherapist Dr Naga Valli.

2. Warm water therapy

Bathing with warm water relaxes the muscles, improves circulation and releases stress. Soak feet in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes for a soothing effect.

3. Progressive muscle relaxation

This technique works best if you do it in the lying position. Focus on every muscle from toe to head. Contract the muscles by holding them tight for 2 to 3 seconds and then relax the muscles, progressively working on each group of muscles from toes to head. After contracting and relaxing each group of muscles, shift your focus to the entire body. You have to bring tension in the muscles voluntarily by tightening every muscle, says the expert. Hold your body like that for 5 to 10 seconds and then relax. This has to be repeated 3 times. This brings complete body relaxation, removes uneven tension in the muscles and relaxation occurs physically and psychologically.

4. Music therapy

You can choose a comfortable sitting or lying posture and listen to soothing music with your eyes closed. Music therapy will help to relieve stress from a long day of work. But choose a music genre that will help to soothe you.

5. Deep breathing techniques

Sit in an upright posture comfortably, relax your body and facial muscles. Deeply inhale and exhale through the nose, and imagine the stress wiping off while exhaling. Imagining your body getting energised while inhaling will relieve stress and boost your body, says Dr Valli.

6. Meditation

Start meditating by sitting in a comfortable position, palms on thighs, spine in an upright posture and legs relaxed or cross-legged. Sit with your eyes closed and relax your body muscles. Relax your facial muscles with a smile and allow your thoughts to flow until they settle down. Do not try to judge the thought or hold the thought, just observe. Slowly the flow of thoughts will decrease, and the mind will calm down. Gently focus on normal inhalation and exhalation. Gradually, your mind and body will relax in 10 to 15 minutes. You can gradually increase the time of meditation for added relaxation benefits.

The best thing about these relaxation techniques is that you can do them all by yourself. You don’t need to take help from others to manage stress!