Relax...Unwind...Clear your mind....Not so easy is it? Life is hectic enough without the added stress that the festive season places upon us. Your schedule was already busy enough without all of the extra shopping, socialising and work, but now how will you cope? Well here's a few ideas to help you relax and de-stress.
Before we start, I would recommend putting your mobile phone on silent. If it's going to be constantly informing you about tweets, pokes and messages, you're hardly going to be in the right mood to relax, are you?
Websites to help you relax
First off, we have a few websites which you can look at as small islands of tranquility in the vast, chaotic ocean that is the internet. Some use white noise to help you clear your head, others will guide you down a relaxation path. Either way, sitting in front of your computer will never seem so peaceful again!
rainfor.me
Have you ever found yourself listening to the rain, perhaps when you are out camping or walking under an umbrella? Chances are, if you have, you will have noticed that you forgot about almost everything else - and white noise is good at that too! Click on the link above, close your eyes and shut the world out, whilst listening to the rainfall to help you achieve some inner peace.
calm.com
Calm.com is a website that gives you different ways to relax. There is a timed mode, which allows you to choose a nature scene with accompanying relaxing soundtrack, so you can simply watch and listen. There is also a guided calm option, which will talk you through achieving a more relaxed state of mind .
donothingfor2minutes.com
The clue's in the title with this one. A simple site, with a lovely tranquil sunset-over-the-ocean vista, and the sound of waves rolling on. All you have to do is... nothing, for two whole blissful minutes. If you move your mouse, or hit a hey on the keyboard, then you fail and the clock restarts!
Relaxation on the go with mobile apps
Here is a selection of apps to help you relax, no matter where you may be.
I have picked out one app for each mobile platform, but there are many, many more.
Breathe2Relax
Android - view Breathe2Relax in Play Store
Breathe2Relax is an app that introduces the art of diaphragmatic breathing, which can help combat stress, assist with mood stabilisation and help manage axiety.
Relax Now
BlackBerry - view Relax Now in App World
'Pocket hypnotherapy' is how this app describes itself, and whilst it is unlikely that a free app will give you quite the same results as visiting a medical professional, this app does seem to be the next best thing. From binaural beat music to assist you achieving a peceful state of mind, to spoken word therapies from a qualified hypnotherapist, this app should help you de-stress in no time at all.
Calm
iOS - view Calm in App Store
Essentially this is the website experience we looked at earlier, bundled into a self-contained iPhone app. Guided relaxation, peaceful sounds and images all help you to achieve a state of serenity. There are some items available for in-app purchase, but these are extras, not requirements.
Relaxation Guide
Windows Phone - view Relaxation Guide in Windows Store
The Relaxation Guide is an app to help you look at your lifestyle, and identify changes you can make to help you find the right way to relax. This may be a change in exercise, diet or nutrition, or something simpler such as relaxation techniques.