relaxation?

[tricia56]

hi just wonders if any one on here does relaxation everyday

[HoneyLove]

I do, I meditate every day or do some form of relaxation. Do yoga a couple of times a week.

Relaxation is an essential part of recovery, it helps enormously!

[tricia56]

hi I do deep breathing for about a hour aday but it don't seem to help somedays is that a part of meditation

[Tim89]

I find meditation very helpful, if it's done consistently and you give it time and patience. Yoga or Tai Chi are good especially.

[HoneyLove]

I imagine it would be hard to do deep breathing for a whole hour! I don't think it's supposed to work that way with breathing, those exercises are supposed to be just for a few minutes.

With meditation you can focus on the breath, but it's not the same as deep breathing. You don't alter the breath, you just focus on it. Start with 5 mins a day then build up to at least 10 mins or however long you want.

There are many videos on YouTube or websites that will explain it in depth.

I found the book Soul Centered by Sarah McClean a good one to learn about different types if meditation, and also great for a readable explanation about the science of how meditation works for health problems.

[tricia56]

oh right thk you honeylove maybe that's why after ive done the breathing I seem to feelqite tierd and abit more anxouise and feel abit off balance. im not very good with what words mean so what does focus mean sorry if I seem abit thick but ive always had trouble with meanings of words

[HoneyLove]

Don't feel silly for asking questions, it's a good thing to ask rather than not know :)

Focus means to concentrate on something. So focusing on your breath while meditating means concentrating and putting your attention on one part of your breath - so you might pay attention to the feeling of your lungs filling with air, or the feeling of the air hitting your nostrils and throat, any part of the breath that you like.

Your attention will naturally drift off to other things, that's totally normal, but when you catch yourself doing it you gently bring yourself back to paying attention to your breath again.

It's that simple! I really recommend having a browse through YouTube. You will find plenty of videos that teach you how to meditate, or even guided meditations where you lie down, close your eyes and just listen to what they're guiding you through.

If you breathe deeply for a quite a long time it's normal to feel dizzy because of the change of gasses in your body. It's not a bad thing, but it can make you feel off balance! So best to only do it for a few minutes at a time.

[tricia56]

thk you very much honeylove for your kind advice and im looking on utube now so thk you once again

[HoneyLove]

I hope you find something you like on there :)

Even just 10 minutes of meditation a day can help with both mental and physical health problems. If you get into the habit of it you'll be amazed how much calmer you feel x

[Leem]

I agree with all of the above.

I have been doing meditation and mindfulness for around 10 months now and found that it certainly has helped a lot. I incorporate breathing, open presence, loving kindness and contemplation. I do at least an hour odd of this every day. Scientifically proven to work long term (read when scientists studied Matthieu Ricard brain, very interesting). I find it gives me a break from my thoughts. Takes practice and some days I am constantly distracted but the important bit is just sitting.

[theharvestmouse]

I do yoga and it helps me feel much more relaxed.