Music and exercise are the answer if you need to relax and ... who doesn't?

Exercising does not necessarily require that you run up and down a basketball court at a furious pace, yelling at your competitors, jabbing your elbow into the gut of your opponent. Exercise can be quiet and relaxing and be equally as beneficial and therapeutic.

 

Many choose to do yoga or tai-chai as their form of exercise while simultaneously learning to reduce their stress and sleep better. Adding music to your exercise regimen will promote calmness.

 

Everything from world music to dance rhythms - a wide variety of music styles - can create a mesmerizing effect when combined with exercise that will help you sleep afterward. Sounds from nature, such as thunder and rain, are particularly relaxing and can be listened to while you do yoga, aryuveda, meditation or tai-chai. The sound of ocean waves is also very soothing.

 

A relaxation exercise technique used by yogis, and which is particularly beneficial when done to calming music, is essentially a head to toe inventory. Lying on a mat or on your bed, breathing deeply through your nose, eyes closed, with your shoulders pulled down from your head, begin your progressive muscle relaxation sequence, starting at the top of your head. This is a great technique for stress relief.

 

Tell your forehead to relax, and speak in a very gentle tone. You do not have to literally voice the words. Just think them in your mind. Tell your cheeks to relax, your jaw, your nose, your lips, your scalp and so on and so forth. Move on to your neck and then your chest and shoulders. Include your back, your arms, elbows, hands, your internal organs and so on.

Make a concerted effort to relax the area that you are addressing. Tell each and every part of your body to relax. You will be amazed at how well this works. We are frequently neglectful of our body and its parts. When you focus on an area and give it the attention it deserves it will respond.

Awareness of each body part you will help you counteract muscular tension, which crops up when you are stressed. As your body begins to relax, your mind will follow. Body scanning promotes mindfulness. You focus your attention on a specific body part, paying attention to how that part feels, and consciously making an effort to relax the muscles in that area.

 

If you prefer, first tighten the area of your body that you are addressing, such as your buttocks, and then release the muscle and feel it relax.

 

Another option for relaxation is actually getting physical. Juice up your Ipod, playing your favorite tunes, and go for a walk. You can meditate while walking. Relaxation and music go hand-in-hand. You do not have to be lying or sitting down to meditate. When engaging in walking medication, while listening to music, you are aware of each step that you are taking and the physicality of it. Concentrate on the motion and feel of your foot hitting the ground, the feeling of the breeze against your face or the sun on your arm and the rhythm of your breathing.

 

Engage in guided imagery or visualization, with great soothing music playing in the background. This is a great way to relieve your stress. Guided imagery entails imagining a scene that is peaceful to you. Maybe it is at the beach or high on a mountain or in your backyard, surrounded by flowers. Close your eyes and sit or lie down, breathing deeply and rhythmically, visualizing the scenario of your choice. Let yourself go. Relax.

 

Yoga is relaxing even if done in a silent environment; however, when accompanied by soothing music it is an exceedingly experience in relaxation. Walking, stretching and other physical activities, especially when paced to soothing music, become excellent opportunities to focus on your body, practice relaxation and renew your spirit.