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Four Relaxing Activities that Have Nothing to Do With Yoga or Meditation

It isn’t unusual for you to occasionally feel bogged down by all your responsibilities at home or in the office. Stress is a part of everyone’s lives at some point or the other, and when it rears its ugly head, you need to have a plan of action or else you will find yourself falling ill or having a breakdown if it gets out of control.

We have all heard about the benefits of meditation, yoga and breathing exercises, and other related relaxation techniques, but admittedly, these just aren’t for everyone. If you are struggling to find what your stress remedy is, then here is where you might just find it! Here we take a look at some unusual but very effective methods of managing stress.

Coloring

We are not kidding! Kids love coloring, and we doubt you have ever seen your kid (or any other child for that matter) coloring and thought, “hmm, let me give that a go!” But actually, you should! Coloring is an effective platform to express your feelings freely and without inhibition. There are many health benefits to coloring, and it can not only relieve you of stress or anxiety but also improve your concentration and even pinch negative thoughts as they creep into your mind. The actual repetitive motion of coloring in a picture relaxes the amygdala, a part of your brain that stimulates logic and creativity. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!

Knitting

In this day and age, you’d be hard-pressed to come across anyone with a pair of knitting needles and a ball of wool — and even less likely, in a rocking chair! While the rocking chair isn’t quite necessary (though highly recommended), it appears that knitting is a relaxing past time if you are prone to anxiety or stress! If you don’t believe us, take the word of some of the world’s biggest celebrities like Julia Roberts, Cara Delevingne, and –gasp! – Ryan Gosling. The benefits boil down to the repetitive, rhythmic motion of knitting, and it is known that it triggers a parasympathetic nervous system response that causes you to relax. A survey was actually conducted in 2013 with a survey group of over 3500 knitters. According to the results, people were more calm and happy the more frequently they engaged in knitting. Goodbye chronic pain, eating disorders, depression, and PTSD!

Walking

This one isn’t all that unusual, but it earns a space in this list primarily because it is something that practically anybody can do. And it’s free – too few people take full advantage of the benefits of a brisk stroll, and it is about time you change that! It is scientifically proven that walking improves blood flow to every part of the body, and of course, the faster you walk, the more you benefit from it. Walking around nature like a park or a reserve is far more beneficial as well, inducing relaxation more effectively than a regular sidewalk stroll. However, if a sidewalk is all you have, then a sidewalk stroll is better than none at all! Besides, a trimmer waistline is a welcome side effect as is a reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease!

 Expressive Writing

If you have never picked up a pen and paper or even grabbed your laptop or sat in front of your PC to spill your thoughts and feelings through the gift of language, then you are certainly missing out on one of the most pleasurable and satisfying means of relaxation! Whether you are angry, frustrated, overwhelmed, stressed, or bogged down, jotting down whatever you’re feeling is one of the best techniques to soothe and calm yourself and your wild motions. Don’t think too hard – just allow yourself to say whatever you wish to, and you can either choose to keep it to read later on or even delete it or throw it away for good. Whatever makes you feel better, really!

So, if all you have been advised to do is to learn some meditation, yoga, or something similar, there is still hope if these aren’t your thing! In fact, there is a lot more you can choose to do that will offer similar benefits, but the idea is to find a starting point and take things from there. So, go out and buy your supplies and get cracking!

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