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Be Kinder To Yourself: Enjoy A Deeper Sleep:
Did you know it requires more energy to “hold onto” stress in your body than it does to let it go? Blow the stress out with your next breath. A twitter rejuvenation note.
Are you stressed and tense or soft and relaxed?
Of course, you needn’t read this article if you are already getting a fabulous nights sleep. Ah, but if you’re having trouble sleeping and feel stress and tension hiding in your body, then a good dose of “softening up” therapy may be just what you need.
Your personal mantra whilst reading this article and until your sleep improves is:
“my sleeps get better and better”
My Favorite Softening Up Therapy:
I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night of late. Luckily I quickly spotted that my body had a few tights spots which I knew were trapped pockets of stress. Stress and an overactive mind are a sure fire way to stop a great nights sleep.
What to do? The answer - I need to soften myself up ( for half an hour or so) before going to bed. Release the stress, loosen myself up and heh! presto, I’m relaxed and ready for a good nights sleep.
My favorite “softening up” therapy treatment is a self foot massage with warmed sesame oil and a few drops of the essential oil called vetiver. The thought of massaging your own feet might seem like a chore but in fact its not. The benefits are enormous. I guarantee your nervous system will thank you.
Soften Yourself Up Daily:
If feel stressed, tense and tight, then it may take a week or so until your body starts to respond and soften up.
But don’t wait until its too late. Even if you are feeling great “softening yourself up” is a great well being habit to add to your daily routine.
9 Delicious Ways To Soften Yourself Up For A Great Nights Sleep:
1. Soften your face:Are you “holding in” stress by frowning, squinting, clenching teeth, tight jaw, tense tongue or tight breathing? Release your tongue from the top of your mouth and allow it to float, feel your cheek and forehead muscles relax, open your mouth slightly which will release tension in your jaw and neck area. Close your eyes and relax your eye balls, eye lids, eye brows, ears, hair and scalp. Spend at least 5 minutes imagining every part of your head, letting go then softening. This is bliss, baby and it works.
2. Breathe into your belly to calm your nervous system:Your breath is an incredibly powerful tool that you can use anywhere, anytime. Short, quick, shallow breathes feed stress and stimulates your nervous system. Whilst breathing slowly from your belly calms your nervous system and relaxes you. In fact 70% of your breathing should be from your belly. It invites more oxygen into your body and removes old stale air from the bottom of your lungs. Breathing in and out from your belly will soften you up.
3. Sedate your nervous system by massaging the souls of your feet:Reflexology tells us that certain parts of your feet relate to certain organs and energy channels in your body. Gently massaging both your feet (souls, ankles, toes) with a warmed organic sesame oil for five to ten minutes can soften and relax many parts of your body. Of course you can use any organic oil you prefer such as coconut oil or almond oil. Adding a few drops of an essential oil like vetiver, sandalwood or lavender will add another therapeutic boost to your foot massage. To find out more read my article - You deserve a daily self massage:
4. Relax and soften your eyes with a yoga eye pillow:So much stress can enter your body via your eyes. What you see can easily disturb your internal energies. Staring for hours on end, at a computer screen can also stress your eyes and body. Treat your eyes to some deep relaxation by placing a yoga eye pillow over them for at least five minutes. Simply bring your awareness back into your body and breathe and let your body do the rest. Obviously you need to be lying down to do this. If you are keen to make your own yoga eye pillow here’s some tips.
5. Rejuvenate your energies with hand yoga:Hand Mudra’s are so simple and have an amazing effect on the human body by activating certain energy channels in your body. Here’s the rejuvenation hand mudra to soften your thoughts and pressure in your head: Place your left palm on left ear and right palm on right ear. Gently move your hands as if massaging your ears in a smooth circular motion. Repeat this circular motion in a counterclockwise direction for at least 3 minutes in total. Listen to the sounds of the ocean, focus on long slow breathing. If your mind is having trouble staying focused then give it something to do” I am calm and relaxed”. This simple hand mudra withdraws your senses from the outside world and pulls your scattered energies back into your body.
6. Think from your heart and not from your head with a heart mudra:Here’s a very simple way to get out of your head and back into your body. A heart yoga mudra. Push both palms of your hands together and place them over your heart area in prayer position. Make sure the thumbs are touching your heart chakra area. Now breathe into this area by bowing your head, closing your eyes and connecting to your quiet place inside. You will notice the longer you stay in this peaceful hand yoga posture the more energy will be directed away from your head and back into your body and heart. Never underestimate the power from something as simple as a heart mudra.
7. Laughter is an excellent de-stressor:Laughter is a theraputic tool that can boost your nervous system. Laugh for no reason or watch a very funny movie. Certainly avoid watching anything on TV that is serious, sad, depressing, upsetting or stressful to your nervous system. If it doesn’t make you smile then don’t watch it. Laugh yourself healthy with youtube video’s. Laughter is contagious so simply by watching laughter you will soon be laughing yourself. You always feels lighter and softer after laughing. Give it a try.
8. Breathe into your stressed bits.Where do you feel your stress? Stomach, neck, bottom or all over. Consciously breathe into your stressed bits and notice the stress dissolve with each exhale. Stress is tight and breathing into your stressed bits invites an openness which dissolves the tightness. Your body will become softer with each deep exhale. You can do this exercise sitting down or standing up. I also imagine the stressed energy leave my body out through the soles of my feet and back down into the earth.
9. Sound therapy nourishes your nervous system:Did you know that by playing The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss 11, that it physically has ability to revitalize you after times of stress and fatigue. Scientists have proven that it nourishes your central nervous system. Yahoo! You can read all about it right here if you don’t believe me: A simple solution for overburdened nerves: Soften yourself up with some soothing classical music.
