How to Unplug and Relax for Optimal Health

Life is so busy nowadays it’s important to learn how to unplug and relax. Exercise and an active lifestyle are excellent ways to stay healthy, but for optimal health, you need to take time out to unplug and relax. When you’re not able to unwind, your body can’t recover from stress properly. This can result in overexposure to the hormone cortisol, which is produced when the body perceives threat or other stress.

Too much cortisol increases the risk of developing conditions including anxiety, depression, stomach problems, weight gain, heart disease and stroke. By understanding how to fully relax and devoting time to do so, you’ll be making a significant difference to your overall and long-term health.

Escape the screens

Life has become dominated by digital devices, and the majority of adults now have a smartphone. Many people never switch theirs off and use them at frequent intervals throughout the day. Work often involves the use of a computer, and watching TV is a popular way to spend time off so no wonder it’s hard to unplug. As a result, you might find it difficult to spend time away from a screen.

Screens emit high-energy visible light known as HEV or blue light. Blue light is also emitted by the sun, and this type of light is a major element in how your body keeps track of time. When you’re exposed to blue light, your body thinks it’s daytime and keeps you alert. Using screens like your smartphone when you’re trying to relax can be counterproductive, leaving you feeling groggy and restless.

When you’re having some ‘me time’, switch off the telly, close the laptop and put your phone down. If you’re not sure what to do with yourself, try soaking in the bath, listening to soothing music, reading or watching nature in the garden. You’ll be much better able to relax, unplug and will feel refreshed and energised afterwards.

Discover what makes you happy

It can take a long while to learn what you actually enjoy doing. Some people have such demanding schedules that they never have time to even think about what they want to do. In a relationship, it can be difficult to fulfil things you’d like to try as an individual. However, it’s never too late to start making time for relaxation, and to really contemplate the things you like to do.

If you’re stuck for inspiration or want to discover more things to enjoy, think about things you liked doing as a child and try them again. If your mum says you were always making pictures she’d display on the fridge, try doing some drawing or painting. If you spent summer playtime making daisy chains on the school field, give flower arranging or gardening a go. Bake a cake or just chill out with your pets. Make your journey of discovery all about you and you’re sure to find the things that truly make you happy and relaxed.

Breathing exercises

When you’re busy or active, your body’s sympathetic nervous system is in action, keeping you alert and ready for anything. While you eat, relax, rest or go to sleep, your parasympathetic system takes over, slowing your breathing and heart rate and increasing digestive processes.

Spending enough time with your parasympathetic system in control keeps you calm and energised and aids your body’s reparative functions. It’s also essential for good mental health and everyday stress management.

During or after a busy day, it can take a conscious effort to coax your body into relaxing mode. By doing simple breathing exercises, you trigger the parasympathetic system and can get your body into a relaxed state quickly.

Breathing exercises are an easy and discreet way to unplug and relax, whether you’re in the staff room at work or your living room at home. Your body automatically returns to an alert state when you return to your work or other activities.

• Close your eyes if you’re in a private environment or focus on a single point if not
• Take a deep breath in through your nose
• Hold your breath for a few moments
• Gently exhale through your mouth
• Hold your breath for a few moments

Repeat the process for up to five minutes for optimum results.

Relaxation techniques

When physical discomfort in your muscles is preventing you from fully relaxing, relaxation techniques can provide relief. Muscle tension is caused by stress and anxiety and techniques like progressive muscle relaxation are specially designed to rectify it. Progressive muscle relaxation, or PMR for short, has additional benefits such as anxiety control, better stress response and improved sleep.

You can do PMR sitting down or standing up and can work through as many or few muscle groups as time permits. The different muscle groups include your lower legs, thighs, bum, tummy, back, hands, arms, shoulders, neck and face. It’s easiest to work from your legs up.

• Tense your first muscle group while inhaling
• Hold it for 5 to 10 seconds
• Exhale and simultaneously, suddenly and fully relax the muscle group
• Relax for 10 to 20 seconds
• Repeat the process for the next muscle group

The spice saffron helps to balance your levels of dopamine and serotonin. You could try relaxation exercises in conjunction with a supplement containing saffron, like , to further help you destress and feel more relaxed.

Mindful meditation

Mindfulness is all about awareness of the present moment, focusing on the details of your environment and your current thoughts as they occur. Take in all the sights, smells and sounds around you. Pay attention to the feel of things you touch or hold and sensations like the breeze in your hair.

You can practice mindfulness anywhere, but when you have a few quiet minutes, mindful meditation will provide deeper benefits. Mindfulness helps reconnect your body and mind, and this helps you release negativity, understand yourself better and enjoy life more.

• Set a timer for 5 minutes
• Focus on your breath, paying attention to the movements of the air and your body
• Let your thoughts flow naturally but just note them as they pass as if they are clouds in the sky
• If you get caught up in a thought or otherwise distracted, focus on your breath again

Regular practice of mindful meditation is linked with better immunity, lower heart rates and improved sleep quality. Ready to Unplug?

At PhD, we understand that you want to be at your very best every day. To help you achieve this, we have created PhD life, a range of premium, expertly formulated health optimisation products. From our high in protein, low sugar, plant-based Complete meal solution, and Reset, our night time formula, to Mind, made to support optimal mental performance, we’ve created a new range to optimise you for life. Check out the entire PhD Life Range here.

Make sure to let us know how you get on with your training program and tag us in your workouts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter – @phdnutrition.

Written by Amy Golby

Amy is our very own content manager and has been a sportswoman for over 18 years playing rugby and netball up to a national level, she has been a qualified personal trainer for 6 years and further her nutritional knowledge with a diploma in sports and exercise nutrition as well a psychology degree. She has been training in a gym and weightlifting for over 10 years and competed in her first body building competition this year. She continues to learn and improve her training in order to reach her goals. She believes in both the physical and mental advantages of sport and fitness as well as a balanced diet and lifestyle. In her spare time, Amy enjoys playing sport, socialising with friends, and fuelling her shopping addiction to gym wear. She can be found here – https://www.instagram.com/dreams_and_dumbbells/?hl=en