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10 relaxation tips
You're worried about your unborn baby, you can't sleep, work is stressful and you're panicking about the birth. If this sounds all too familiar, it's time to kick back and relax - and here's how...
1) Exercise
2) Music
3) Laughter
4) Sunlight and environment
5) Water therapy
6) Special meals
7) Meditation and positive visualisation
8) Do nothing
9) Treat yourself
10) Take a break
1) Exercise
Gentle exercise such as yoga is brilliant for relaxing the mind
while toning the body. Madonna swears by it and she should know! Tensing and then relaxing your outstretched
arms and legs is also a great way to exercise safely. For more
exercise tips, click here.
2) Music
We're not talking about heavy metal or punk rock here. The best
music to relax to needs to be soothing, whether classical, jazz or
pop, just choose something that helps you to unwind. Special 'new age' relaxation
tapes are great for helping your mind to switch off and you can listen
to anything from the sound of waves crashing on the shore to birds
singing in a rain forest.
3) Laughter
Seeing friends and sharing funny moments is a great mood enhancer.
Laughter is one of the body's best ways of relaxing and it's free, so
start watching those favourite comedies now!
4) Sunlight and environment
Fresh air, sunshine and a walk in the park is a great quick fix to
relieve feelings of stress. And if you don't feel up for walking, then
just sitting in the garden will
help. Keeping plants and flowers in your home will not only brighten
your environment but also your mood.
Also, remember to take your lunch break - and go outside, if only for ten minutes. It's all too easy to just sit at your desk and eat a sandwich, which means you're staying in your work environment which probably won't help you to relax.
5) Water therapy
Water is one of nature's great healers and even if you're starting to
find walking hard work, swimming should be a lot easier as the water
will carry your weight for you. Swimming is also the perfect exercise
while you are pregnant - it keeps you toned and healthy, without being
too strenuous.
If you are feeling exhausted, achey and just plain ratty, a warm bath can do wonders. Adding a few candles around the place to create a relaxed atmosphere will help. While lying in the water, try to relax your body and mind and let the water wash away any worries you may have.
Finally, if you are feeling adventurous and don't mind being enclosed in a small area, try using a floatation tank. You will climb into a tank of water and then lie in complete darkness for at least 30 minutes. For more information on floatation tanks in your area, visit CyberFloat.
6) Special meals
Take the time to relax over a delicious meal (preferably cooked by someone else).
It's all too easy to eat on the go, especially if you've already got
children (and then dinner often tends to be the left-over chicken
nuggets and peas). Try to make sure that you have at least one
nutritious, relaxed meal a day if at all possible. This is a great time to
catch up with your partner and feel like a real person again. Also, if
you can afford it, the occassional meal out with friends, family or
just your partner, will help - the pleasure of being served by someone
else cannot be underestimated!
7) Meditation and positive visualisation
Use meditation techniques to relax. Choose a time when you know you
won't be disturbed and try to give yourself at least 30 minutes to
meditate. There are lots of different techniques you can use, but
here's one that I like to use.
Sit
upright in a comfortable chair, keeping your feet on the floor (if you
lie down you may fall asleep, which isn't the end of the world since
you'll be relaxed then, but isn't the point of meditation!). Close
your eyes and then inhale and exhale deeply and slowly ten times. Next
focus on your feet. Imagine that there is a warm, yellow strand of
light coming up through the ground and into your feet. Slowly feel it
trickling into your toes and up through your ankles. Then gradually imagine
this stream of golden light filling your legs, your torso, your arms
and finally up to your head until your whole body is relaxed. This
process should take at least ten minutes.
Next, visualise yourself somewhere beautiful - it can be any place you
feel safe, relaxed, free and happy. For example, imagine yourself by log cabin in
the mountains, a sandy beach, a waterfall or watching the sunset over
the sea. Let the feelings of warmth, peacefulness and calm wash over
you. Stay in the moment and try not to let any worries come to this
place. If you do start to feel anxious, try to gather all your
concerns up, imagine that you are putting them into a rucksack and
toss them into the sea/lake/hills.
When you feel ready, open your eyes slowly and try to keep that feeling of calm with you for the rest of the day.
8) Do nothing
It sounds so simple and yet is so hard! Doing nothing is
nothing to feel guilty about - it is a good response to these busy and
stressful times many of us live in. Try lying on your back and put your feet up against a wall - then just breathe in and out slowly.
9) Treat yourself
Visit a spa that offers treatments for pregnant women, buy special pampering beauty products,
treat yourself to some new jewellery or a haircut... You may feel as
big as a whale and that's all the more reason you deserve some TLC.
Even if your treat is as simple as having a home facial, you'll still
feel better for it.
10) Take a break
Go on weekend breaks, even if they are just to see friends living a
few hours away, and make sure you take a holiday before the baby is
born. You don't know when you'll next get the chance to get away will
be, so make the most of your time with just you and your partner. If
you already have children, try to ship them off to your parents or the
in-laws, if only for one night, and escape to a country hotel or a
B&B. Plus, pace your yourself with the occasional day off from work
.
Louise Candy
Where to next?
- For more essential pregnancy information, click here
- Talk to other mums-to-be on our lively discussion boards
- Worried about your pregnancy? Ask a babyworld expert
- Enter one of our great competitions now!
