5 relaxing activities for those who don't like meditation
Finding inner balance, detaching from stress, and calming thoughts often helps with meditation. But there are other ways to find inner peace and relaxation by engaging in pleasurable leisure activities. In this article, we offer five alternatives to meditation that will allow you to rest your body and soul.
Reading
Reading is very useful for abstracting from reality and relaxing. By reading compelling stories, useful information, our brain switches to what we perceive in a particular moment. Reading is the best way to reduce stress levels - by 68%. Reading silently for six minutes is enough to normalize your heart rate and relax your muscles. There are also literature clubs, where you can discuss your favorite book, find friends and like-minded people.
In addition to reading, a person's body is positively influenced by the game at the casino. As a person is distracted by the game from all their daily problems, his psycho-emotional background is leveled. Following this, the hormonal balance also normalizes. This makes gambling part of some therapy systems for people with psychological problems, especially those who are experiencing the effects of severe long-term stress.
Crafts
Embroidery, drawing, molding from clay - this is a leisure activity for those who love creativity, work with their hands. This kind of activity helps to relax, to express and splash out emotions through art, to find answers to questions, to forget about pressing problems. But there are also exhibitions and museums where you can just admire, enjoy art through visual perception, think, find solutions, balance.
According to the findings of British scientists, avid knitters are much more likely to feel happy and peaceful. Creativity significantly affects the level of anxiety, and in some cases, can even relieve the pain: the studies they studied the fact that sometimes the use of art therapy in hospitals can reduce the duration of the patient's stay in treatment.
Music
Listening to music has been proven to reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. It is released when experiencing difficult emotions. Music helps to lower your blood pressure, regulate your heart rate, and relax. There is even music therapy, a method that uses listening to music as a therapeutic tool.
Sports
Exercise in sports raises the mood and promotes relaxation not only outside, but also inside. Sports have a positive effect on sleep and reduce stress and anxiety.
During group trainings it's always nice to find like-minded people who will support you and share your hobby. Scientists have confirmed that light cardio exercises - running, walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, active games - have a positive effect on mood.
Interaction with animals
Stress hormone also decreases when we pet or look at the animal. At the same time we produce the hormone oxytocin, which makes us more relaxed and happy. Watching aquarium fish and other creatures for 30 minutes has been proven to significantly lower blood pressure. It can have a stronger effect than meditative techniques.
If there are no animals at home, you can go to an exhibition, a contact farm, swim with dolphins, it is also used as a psychological therapy. It is important to remember that rest is necessary for our body. So, try to get away from the routine and problems more often and devote time to yourself.