Meditate. Relax. Repeat.

Relaxation is a key component to living a healthy, stress-free life.

When we’re relaxed, the stress and worries of everyday life seem to melt away. Our mind is clear and hard decisions suddenly become easy to make.

Living a relaxed, stress-free life also has many health benefits. More and more studies are linking stress as a common factor to many diseases and everyday illness. Knowing that our stress levels effect our health, it’s good to know how to reduce stress and induce relaxation in our daily life.

Meditation plays a huge role in stress and relaxation. Meditation helps to clear ones mind and encourages us to live in the present. When we live in the present, rather than the future or the past, relaxation naturally occurs. When we’re relaxed, our minds are at ease and so are our bodies.

The mind, body and soul are connected and it’s important to take care of all three components. Meditation induces a state of relaxation and allows the mind, body and soul to connect. When we’re relaxed, stress levels are low and our body is functioning at an optimal level.

If you’ve ever heard of “Fight or Flight” then it will make sense how our bodies and minds are connected. Our autonomic system responds to stressful situations by releasing chemicals throughout the body. The chemicals in turn, impact our bodies and prepare them for survival, hence, fight or flight. Our heart rates increase, our pupils dilate, our breathing becomes quicker and the list goes on.

If you live in a constant state of stress and lack relaxation in your life, then your body will be in an extended heightened state and this will negatively impact your health. Not a positive way to live and thankfully meditation can help with this.

Below you’ll find a quick, simple guide on how to relax and meditate. It doesn’t take much time to do, so try this meditation technique next time you need to relax and de-stress.

5 Steps on How to Relax With Meditation

1. Sit in a comfortable, relaxed position. Make sure nothing will interrupt you. Turn off your phone, shut of the tv and close your laptop!

2. Take deep breaths and begin to unwind.

3. Allow yourself to become deeply present and aware of your surroundings.

4. Bring all of your focus to your breathing. Take a deep inhale through your nose and expand your naval outwards rather than pulling your body up. Hold your breath for a few seconds and slowly exhale. With each exhale, feel your stress flow out of you and welcome relaxation

5. Now focus on different parts of your body and breath deeply into them. Direct your breath to that body part until it is fully relaxed. Start at the top of your head and work your way down throughout your entire body.

Try incorporating meditation into your daily routine. It’s guaranteed to help with stress and relaxation when practiced on a regular basis.