Saturday, March 16, 2013

Mental Vacations - Easy Ways To Escape The Daily Grind


A mental vacation can mean different things to different people. Essentially, you can take a mental vacation in almost any place, and you can select the activity that is the most calming for you. Many people allow themselves ten minutes to close their eyes at their desk while others go for a long walk and still others escape into the tranquil environment offered by a professional massage therapist. Regardless of how you do it, the act of removing yourself from everyday stresses can rejuvenate you both mentally and physically. The following sections will explore three ways that you can take a mental vacation.

Massage Therapy

The physical benefits of massage therapy are well known to many people. A massage helps to improve your flexibility and range of motion. This is critical for athletes as well as for people with chronic pain issues. Because a massage improves blood flow, it can help to reduce your fatigue, and most people find massage to be a very effective way of reducing their stress levels.

When turning to massage therapy, you will have several different types of massage from which you can choose. Trigger Point massage relies on a cycle of pressure and release that helps to relieve the tight muscles that cause pain. Swedish massage is growing in popularity, and this type of massage is especially good for stress and chronic pain. It works by promoting circulation and working on the movement of your lymph nodes. Deep Tissue massage is perfect for loosening scar tissue, addressing pain, lengthening muscles, and releasing tension. Certain types of massage have been designed to give relief to certain groups of people. These types of massage include sports massage for athletes, prenatal massage for pregnant women, and geriatric massage for the elderly.

If you are not interested in a full body massage, you may enjoy the benefits of reflexology or cranial sacral therapy. Reflexology works on your whole body by massaging your feet in strategic places, and cranial sacral therapy deals with stress, headaches, and other issues through a specialized type of massage that focuses on the head.

Taking A Walk

It sounds almost too simple to work, but a short walk can be a wonderful mental vacation. Spending twenty minutes outside each day gives you the perfect amount of exposure to the sun. Twenty minutes in the sunshine can boost your mood and help to prevent the onset of depression, and it also can provide you with your daily dose of vitamin D.

Disconnect Yourself from Technology

Modern technology is supposed to make our lives easier, and it does to a certain extent. However, overexposure to TVs, computers, and mobile devices actually adds to the culture of anxiety. In fact, too much exposure to these forms of technology can overstimulate your eyes and brains. This makes it harder to shut down and relax. To help yourself relax, you should remove yourself from all technology at least once a day for at least thirty minutes.

Giving yourself a break does not have to be expensive or time consuming. If you are feeling overwhelmed with life, you may want to try one of the above techniques. You will love the new calmer you.

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