[CHAT] Relaxation
2014 was such a busy year for young people everywhere and it probably won’t change all that much in 2015. Our lives have become so jam packed with all sorts of responsibilities and commitments, we have so many things to do and places to be. While we’re so preoccupied with everything going on, it’s easy to forget to take time out for ourselves, to practice self-care so that we avoid burning out.
We’ve all been there. When you feel physically and mentally exhausted. Nothing seems to be going your way and you don’t have the strength to keep moving forward. At least that’s how it was for me. This year, there were just too many things happening at once. I was unsatisfied with my job, Uni assignments were pilling on, I was having relationship problems and because of a back injury I couldn’t even work out. I needed a way to reset. Some way I could refresh my mind and my body.
I had heard about a float tank from a podcast and after doing some research I thought this might really be able to help. Then I remembered hey… this looks familiar.
I really didn’t know what to expect from the experience. I had read about what it felt like to be in a float tank but to actually do it was… like nothing I’ve done before. Haven’t heard how it works? Basically, you jump into this tank and close the door, lying in water that is highly concentrated with Epsom salt allowing you to float effortlessly. The tank is big enough so that you’re able to lie comfortably with both your arms above your head. The water in the tank is heated to the same temperature as your skin, so after a while you begin to lose feeling of your body. After some time just breathing, relaxing and trying to let go you feel just that, no longer knowing where the edge of the tank is. For me it was like it was just my mind floating out in the open.
When you’re in the tank you realise just how active your brain is going and not in a good way. Depending on the person it could take longer for them to switch off. The float tank allows the logical side of your brain to shut off and your creative side to activate. In my deep relaxation I entered a dream-like state which must have been my own imagination coming out to play. When the music turned on, signalling that my one hour session was over, I got out of the tank and felt super relaxed. It didn’t even feel like an hour, my back felt better due to floating freely. As I left the float centre, I felt a new level of relaxation I had never reached before. It really felt like I was starting fresh. I was ready to take on tomorrow. And the float tank taught me many things about relaxation.
- Treat relaxation like an appointment with yourself and that you deserve this free time to relax. With that approach it makes the free time special, something to look forward to. You could be doing anything to relax; eating food, watching a movie, listening to some music.
- Remember to be creative. You need that balance between the two sides of your brain and be a little creative in how you relax. It doesn’t have to be extravagant; just listening to different genres of music, trying a new dessert recipe, read a book and exercise your imagination!
- Putting the phone away. It’s great to have constant updates from social media, but you’re not losing anything by being away from your phone so you can relax. This is especially the case if your phone is the source of your stress. Another way of looking at this is there could be so much going on in your life. It’s okay to step away from it for a while to relax.
- Be open minded. If I wasn’t open minded about the float tank I would have never tried it out and I wouldn’t learn these things. So when your friend says try eating a Splice ice cream in the shower after a night out, you never know they might be onto something!
- It’s worth the cost if it benefits you. When I’ve told people this story I’ve gotten responses like, “So you paid money to go lie in a tank for an hour?” You should never put a price on your wellbeing and it’s the same with relaxation.
Share your experiences with relaxation. Tell us what you did and how it helped you. Join us on the forum on Monday November 10th 8 pm AEDT. Hope to see you there!
OOH with mental fatigue I think sometimes you need to have a good cry. Just let it all out and then afterwards you're ready to heal.
Mental fatigue is just as tough on a person as physical fatigue. Everyone has baggage, stress and issues in their life. How do we really let those things go so that they don’t impact the present? What have you done that’s cathartic during emotional times?
> Really silly things. I think that a lot of us focus on doing something relaxing for a short period of time without actually enjoying it. In the end, depending on who you are, this may implode. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing either. WIth all the stress and burnout, I've done some silly things that I usually don't. Like singing in the car during traffic jams to kill time. 
Alrighty, time for our wrap-up of tonight's chat!
Relaxation: The new fitness!
Being able to relax is important for both our mental and physical health. There are plenty of ways out there that can help us relax! We all have different ways of relaxing. These could be doing some cooking and cleaning around the house to doing some exercise like going for a walk by yourself or with your pets! Doing something creative or scholarly like reading, writing, drawing (and napping!) are other ways to unwind. Don’t forget the little things, which can have a huge impact in how we relax. We think that taking baths, and practicing meditation are awesome too. We might want to relax by hanging out with family or even by ourselves, by watching TV!
Music: Rewind to unwind
Music plays an enormous role in how we relax. It was fantastic learning about what we love to listen to so that we can unwind. We love the sound of music as well as the sound of nature (Rain on a Tin Roof or Rainy Mood, anyone?) From slow hip hop and techno to trances and alternative/indie, there’s something for everyone!
A Trip to Tranquility
There are hide-outs and places that we go to that help us chill out. Looks like going outdoors is a favourite of ours! We love the sun, surf, and star-gazing at the beach, the rugged mountains, going bushwalking, and doing some fishing 
We also love our creature comforts of chilling out on Mum’s couch, walking around our suburb, trooping down to the park to read or shoot some hoops, and having a bubble bath. Art galleries and libraries are also peaceful places to unwind, whereas, some of us can pretty much relax anywhere with some alone time.
Obstacles to relaxation: Easier said than done!
Obstacles can really get in the way of our personal relaxation. It’s sometimes way easier said than done! Being busy and being (too) tech-savvy are two main obstacles that we have - it can be difficult to switch off 
But taking frequent breaks to meditate can be useful in clearing your mind and calming down 
Turning off technology like phones and computers as well as using distractions are also some methods of overcoming them!
The Perks and Quirks of Being a Relaxed Person
People have different, quirky, and exciting ways to relax! @NutellaBuster recommends trying out a session in a float tank, which is an experience like no other! Some of our great quirks for chilling out include going exploring, laughing, rolling down hills, and doing some karaoke 
Chilling Out With Creativity
It’s important to keep your creativity and passion alive This could be playing an instrument, reading, painting, and doing some origami. Being creative also helps us stay “in the moment” and practice self-awareness and mindfulness. The whole creative process is also very rewarding!
Everyday Zen
We can bring a bit of relaxation to our lives everyday. Whether it’s waking up early to go for a walk or just taking our time with everyday things (like eating lunch), we stay grounded and being mindful. We think that being about to relax and being more self-aware is both a process and a mindset so that we know what’s best for us.
Family, Friends & Priorities
Keeping yourself relaxed is just as important as keeping your family and friends. Self-care and being relaxed are high priorities. It may be seen as slacking off, as life becomes busier and busier. But it’s not! We all deserve a break! With family and friends, we can suggest a small idea (like getting a massage, taking a bath, or going for a walk) that becomes a part of their routine. Being supportive and being willing to talk about it is a big one too.
Recovering with Relaxation
Like we’ve said, self care is essential to our mental and physical well-being. Our solution? Being self-indulgent and not feeling guilty! There’s nothing more relieving than allowing yourself that time and space. Doing silly things, meditation, and letting go of the past are more steps to moving forward!
What to know more?! Check out:
Don't forget that if you need support and would like to chat - check out the services in Emergency Help
Thanks for joining us tonight and sharing your thoughts! See you next week!
@Myvo , @NutellaBuster , & @Billy-RO
Good night everyone! Hope everyone leaves with more ways to relax one's self. 🙂
9. Mental fatigue is just as tough on a person as physical fatigue. Everyone has baggage, stress and issues in their life. How do we really let those things go so that they don’t impact the present? What have you done that’s cathartic during emotional times?
I fully allow myself to be self-induglent when I'm feeling emotional. I eat, sleep, cry, rinse and repeat. And I don't feel guilty about it haha
9. Mental fatigue is just as tough on a person as physical fatigue. Everyone has baggage, stress and issues in their life. How do we really let those things go so that they don’t impact the present? What have you done that’s cathartic during emotional times?
EAT - SLEEP - RAVE - REPEAT
7. Relaxation is super useful when you’re feeling stressed out, but it’s also really handy to prevent stress altogether. What are some techniques you can build into your everyday life to make sure you’re always as zen as possible? Building on that thought do you think relaxation always have to be some activity? Can it be a mindset or thought process, so then we can be relaxed all the time?
That is quite a full on question! It might take me a while to wrap my head around it. I think I immediately slip into a state of mindfulness whenever I get too stressed or my anxiety starts to get out of hand. Relaxation doesn't always have to be an activity because I believe it to be a mindset. But when you have a skewed mindset, then it becomes a thought process to relax yourself. Kind of like putting CBT to good use. 🙂
Folding paper stars and doing origami is also a fun, creative way of relaxing
@Myvo origami is an obvious example of how everybody is different, I get so frustrated with paper folding, from the first step I just sort of want to cry and I usually make it into a paperplane thats not done the right way cause i don't know how.
@j95 I like making small paper stars and putting them in tiny jars; either for myself or as a gift for someone Legend has it, folding 1000 stars can grant 1 wish :3
@Myvo 6. What do you think of the idea that we should have a ‘creative’ component to our relaxation?
I think generally most people don't have many chances to be creative outside of highschool. Life becomes so busy we forget about playing instruments. Reading. Painting. But creativity is what balances those daily stresses out 🙂
I did some painting on the weekend for the first time in forever and it was so great. You just get in the zone and everything else kinda disappears for a bit.
I finally caught up! 🙂
6. What do you think of the idea that we should have a ‘creative’ component to our relaxation?
Being creative is hugely relaxing for me. It is one of my go to things when I just can't cope with the world. It is in my safety plan or whatever it is. 🙂 It takes me to another place.
My housemate has been super down lately so we took her to the movies to see that new film Tusk (where *spoiler alert* a guy gets turned into a walrus). Holy cow, she laughed so hard and walked out feeling amazing. Completely took her mind off things and gave her an hour and a half just to chill.
same @Billy-RO so now I know... the simpsons is a tiny bit factual thats so cool.
Oops forgot to say how I overcome my obstacles: I try to use distracting activities that I can immerse myself in and mindfulness as ways to combat my over-thinking, turning off phones and computers as ways to combat the impacts of technology, and going for a walk, putting in headphones or shutting the door to my room as ways to combat the negative effects of people on my relaxation!
@delicatedreamer Everything you just wrote is EXACTLY how I feel. Walks help me too!
I like going to the nearest basketball court. Shooting hoops alone always makes me feel better. But I love the sport so much, just going there and watching others play is enough.... But i always end up joining in anyways LOL It's a good distraction.
2. I actually don't find music that relaxing! For me music takes on whatever emotion I'm feeling so if I'm stressed it just makes me me more jittery 😞 I tend to prefer silence or natural sounds like being outdoors in the garden.
Hey @KitKat ! Thanks for joining us!
I can agree with that one! Love my music but the sound of nature is also pleasant and calming too!
welcome @kitkatt !
That's sounds interesting, sounds of nature and being out in nature is definitely relaxing.
