Lying in bed doesn't always mean sleeping. Whether it's the morning and you're just lying in bed or at night and you're just chilling out before bed, relaxing in bed can be one of the best relaxations you'll get throughout the day. To really make the most of the time you spend awake under the covers, you'll need to create the right atmosphere, and pamper yourself. Sounds good, right? So let's get started.
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Part 1 of 3: Making Your Bed Soothe
Step 1. Turn off all electronic devices
Whether morning or night, you want your relaxing time in bed to consist of just you and your bed (and maybe a cup of tea or a book). Everything else must be turned off and put away. Turn your alarm clock so that it is facing away from you, turn off your cell phone and computer, and lock the door.
- Active electronic items are a signal for our bodies to stay alert. In addition to the light emitted by these items (which disrupt our sleep-wake cycle), they also keep us thinking about the millions of things we need to do. Get rid of that stuff, and your brain might get some rest, too.
- Well, the one exception here is TV, if done right. We'll talk about how to do this the right way in the next section.
Step 2. Adjust the light appropriately
If it's a Sunday morning and you want some relaxing time in a comfortable bed, open the curtains and let your room fill with natural sunlight. Absorb vitamin D from the sun and let the sun's rays warm the room.
If at night, adjust the lighting according to your needs. If you read a book, turn on the light beside your bed. For lamps other than bedside lamps, set them to dim. If you don't intend to sleep, you can adjust the lighting to be slightly brighter, but not so bright that it will blind your retina
Step 3. Set the room temperature
If you end up wanting to sleep, it's a good idea to lower the room temperature to around 19°C. Not only does this program your body to enter sleep mode, but it can also, according to the latest science, increase your metabolism and even regulate your insulin levels (helps fight diabetes). If that's not reason enough, what else?
If you don't want to fall asleep, make the room temperature slightly higher, but not too high. You want a comfortable point where your body wants to be under the covers, but not fall asleep. This point is probably around 20°C
Step 4. Fill the room with a soothing scent
There have been some pretty good studies on the effects of aromatherapy, and all of them have resulted in increased relaxation. If you don't want to use essential oils on yourself, you can put them in a diffuser and fill the room with a scent that tells your body that it's time to relax. Why not let your nose do the work?
Some good scents include lavender, petitgrain, chamomile, geranium, sandalwood, and rose. However, any scent you like can get you into zen-garden mode
Step 5. Wear comfortable clothes
Even if the room temperature is perfect, your bed is comfortable, the lighting is dim, and the room smells pleasant, you won't be able to relax in your best Sunday clothes. Undress to socialize and put on your pajamas. Or, just wear your birth clothes.
You should adjust the room temperature according to the clothes you are wearing. If you're wearing a long john and a sweater to lie in bed, the room temperature can be set a little cooler. If you prefer to look the way you were born, you may want to make the room temperature slightly warmer
Part 2 of 3: Relax and Reduce Stress
Step 1. Write in your journal
For many, journaling is something we've all done, promised to keep at it, and stopped doing it within a week. But what most of us don't know is that journaling can really reduce anxiety and stress – in fact, journaling about our anxiety helps relieve all that anxiety and helps us do better in our daily lives. If you previously had no reason to journal, why not do it for your mental health?
If you have a notebook and pen ready to use, but don't really know what to write, look out the window for inspiration. What did you hear? What kind of trees are they? Those birds, what kind are they? What are you aware of that you were not aware of before?
Step 2. Do a crossword puzzle or read a book
You may know that doing brain games and reading books are good for you intellectually, but did you also know that they are also great for relieving stress and taking your mind off your worries? Focusing on something may be all you need.
Not just crosswords, of course. You can also relieve stress with sudoku, word finding, or other math and word puzzles
Step 3. Pamper yourself
We all need to remind ourselves sometimes that we are cared for and safe – even by ourselves. Take time in the morning, afternoon, or evening and do whatever makes you feel good. You can sit in bed with an avocado face mask while painting your nails, apply a hot oil mixture to your hair, or just lie down on a hot massage pad and enjoy the moment.
Sometimes there are too many things on our minds that we can't take the time to pamper ourselves. If that happens to you, use this time to organize your thoughts, write down a to-do list, plan your expenses or meals for the week, and just gain firm control over your life. When you have this feeling, the rest will go smoothly
Step 4. If you watch TV, watch something light and upbeat
Alright, so in general, electronics are a bad thing. But even so, some people find that watching TV while lying in bed is a great way to unwind from the stress of everyday life. If this sounds familiar, don't try to relax by watching your favorite crime drama or even the news (as most news stories are very negative). Just watch something light and upbeat to keep your brain light and cheerful.
Your favorite classic sitcom is a great show for this. Find a program where you can rest your brain and enjoy a joke. Avoid programs that make you anxious or cause negative emotional reactions, such as fear or anger
Step 5. Bring a cup of hot tea to bed
While the feeling of having something warm in your hand can be quite soothing, the tea itself can help you relax and reduce stress. Passiflora and chamomile teas are great choices, especially if you really want to sleep, and green teas are great for reducing stress and relieving anger.
Add honey to your tea for an extra stress-fighting boost. This should reduce inflammation in the brain, thereby reducing depression and anxiety
Step 6. If you want, relax with a stress-fighting snack
But be careful not to drop snack crumbs on the bed. If you're looking for a snack, here are some foods you can add to your relax-in-bed menu:
- Dark chocolate. Just a small amount (about 42.5 g) has been shown to lower cortisol levels, which is a hormone in your body that produces stress. Dark chocolate may also help regulate your metabolism.
- Mango. This fruit contains high amounts of linalool, which has also been shown to greatly reduce stress.
- Chew gum. And it doesn't matter what it tastes like. Just a few minutes of chewing can help lower stress levels, as recent science has shown.
- Anything crunchy. Stressed people tend to want to eat something crunchy, and it seems that chewing something crunchy can be a stress reliever. So grab a handful of nuts or celery and start working on your peace of mind.
Step 7. Hug your pet or child
We all know what it feels like to cuddle a kitten, puppy, or even a cute baby. It warms our hearts and takes our minds to good places. Now imagine that feeling in bed! That feeling of unconditional love will seep into you and you will never want to get out of bed.
It turns out that having a pet has health benefits too. Owners of furry and four-legged pets tend to have lower blood pressure levels and a lower risk for depression
Step 8. Start planning your vacation
Sometimes all we need to relax is to step out of the past or present and immerse ourselves in the potential of the future. Grab a notebook and start working on something you've been waiting for, like a vacation. Picture the details in your mind. What do you want to do? Where do you want to go on vacation?
This should be imagined as a practical visualization. You don't only think about how great your destination will be, but also how happy you will be. It can also serve as motivation to save, live healthy, and feel good about where your life is going
Part 3 of 3: Finding Total Body Relaxation
Step 1. Watch your breathing
A great way to focus on your body and bring your mind into the present is to watch your breathing. After all, this is the first step of meditation. Get comfortable and focus on inhaling deeply and exhaling deeply. How do your lungs feel? Your diaphragm? Your nose and throat? Focusing on these things can take you to a completely different place mentally – a calm, stress-free place.
Try to start by inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for a count of eight. Do this a few times, and gradually increase the inhale to a count of eight and the exhale to a count of sixteen. As you breathe more slowly, your heart rate will also slow down, signaling your body to relax
Step 2. Do body relaxation exercises
When it comes to progressive relaxation, you have two basic options, and both are quite effective. Here are the details:
- Progressive muscle relaxation. As you lie down, focus on your breathing, starting to shift your focus to your toes. Relax completely. Move up to your ankles. Relax too. Slowly but surely, move up the length of your body until all parts of your body are consciously relaxed.
- Progressive tension release. For this type of relaxation, take deep breaths. As you exhale, relax your body a little. Then as you inhale again, let your body. Don't try to do anything. But on the exhale, relax again a little more. Continue this until your body feels completely relaxed.
Step 3. Try to pray or meditate
If you're religious, a little prayer in bed may be all you need to feel a little more at peace. As you do this, remember to take time to listen – it doesn't have to be just you talking, talking, talking.
If that doesn't appeal to you, try meditation. Why? Thousands of studies have proven that meditation helps reduce levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. And you don't have to sit up straight and say, "ommm," either. Just focus on your breathing, and let everything you're aware of pass through you without reacting. It's not about emptying your mind, it's about not letting anything rot
Step 4. Take a mental vacation with visualization
Sometimes the only thing you feel like you can do is just close your eyes, and that's really okay for relaxation. As you do that, imagine your version of heaven. Be sure to make the picture as realistic as possible, using all your five senses. The more complete the picture you create, the more effective your visualization will be.
Let's just say you are on a deserted beach. Are you standing or sitting? How does beach sand feel? Is there a gust of wind? Is there a splash of water too in the gust of wind? What do ocean waves sound like? Are there birds? Can you smell the fish? How bright is the beach?
Step 5. Give yourself a hand massage
Did you know that hand massage can actually slow down a racing heart? That's right. Whether you are massaging yourself or someone else is kind enough to do it to you, this can help calm you down and focus you on deep relaxation.
Acupressure can also be quite effective. This is similar to massage, but there is less movement. Try squeezing the pad of skin between your index finger and thumb and holding it there for five seconds before releasing it. Your body has several pressure points, and pressing those points can help your muscles release tension
Step 6. Don't try to relax
You know those people who try to be cool and completely fail? And how did that failure happen because they were trying to be cool and that wasn't the way to go? Well, that's not the way to relax either. Don't try to relax. If you try to do this, you will only focus on how unrelaxed and frustrated you are. Instead, just relax. Choose whatever relaxing activity you want to do and relaxation will follow. Believe me.
