Practice Relaxation Techniques With These Good-For-You Natural Wellness Products

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES STRAIGHT FROM NATURE TO YOUR WELLNESS ROUTINE

If there’s one thing we could all use a little more of, it’s relaxation. The truth of the matter is, relaxation doesn’t always come naturally to us, and sometimes we need a little push in the right direction. So what exactly is a relaxation technique?

Relaxation techniques are methods you employ to help you feel soothed and at ease, to feel peace and calm, and to help both the body and the mind feel truly grounded. These may include things like deep breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, journaling, massage, aromatherapy and many more.

According to the Mayo Clinic, many relaxation techniques fall squarely under the ever-important category of stress management. They say that, “relaxation techniques are a great way to help with stress management. Relaxation isn't only about peace of mind or enjoying a hobby. Relaxation is a process that decreases the effects of stress on your mind and body. Relaxation techniques can help you cope with everyday stress and with stress related to various health problems, such as heart disease and pain.”

What’s even more impressive is they go on to share a list of potential benefits to managing stress, some of which include:

• Slowing heart rate
• Lowering blood pressure
• Slowing your breathing rate
• Improving digestion
• Maintaining normal blood sugar levels
• Reducing activity of stress hormones
• Increasing blood flow to major muscles
• Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
• Improving concentration and mood
• Improving sleep quality
• Lowering fatigue
• Reducing anger and frustration
• Boosting confidence to handle problems

The Mayo Clinic also shares this important reminder: “To get the most benefit, use relaxation techniques along with other positive coping methods, such as thinking positively, finding humor, problem-solving, managing time, exercising, getting enough sleep, and reaching out to supportive family and friends”. In this article, we’re sharing some of the 100% natural, plant-derived clean beauty products that you can use to enhance and complement your wellness routine and the relaxation techniques you choose to employ.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES FOR YOUR SORE MUSCLES AND ACHING BODY

When our bodies experience achiness or soreness, we tend to feel knocked off kilter. Pain is stressful to the body, and being in a state of feeling discomfort and tenseness can also have a profound negative effect on our mind and overall well-being. When muscle stiffness, tension or soreness strikes, we reach for these 100% natural tried-and-true plant based products for relief and ease:

Extra Strength roll-on: made extra large and blended extra strong, Extra Strength roll-on is our go-to for soreness and general aches and pains. From back ache to strains and sprains, roll-on to affected areas to feel the warming, soothing relief from essential oils like sweet birch, menthol from peppermint and clove. We like to apply before and after a workout or any activity to help the body feel at ease.

Pain Release bath salt soak: soak away muscular aches, tenseness and stiffness in a relieving bath blend that includes earthy and herbal essential oils known to support pain release like marjoram, roman chamomile and rosemary. Ease pain with comforting essential oils and naturally derived sea and epsom salts that help your body recover quickly.

Muscle Melt body butter: we blended this deeply hydrating body care product to help you feel smoothed and soothed from head to toe. Decompress your hard working body, invite relief from discomfort and help your body move freely by applying this nurturing combination of butters like mango seed, cocoa seed and shea alongside relieving essential oils like sweet birch, eucalyptus and ginger.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES FOR YOUR MINDFULNESS PRACTICES

Another one of the ways you can employ relaxation techniques to support your wellness is through intentional acts of mindfulness. Slowing down, taking deep breaths, logging off from screens or taking a walk - these are all powerful examples of the small, simple steps you can take each day to support feeling relaxed and in flow. Because scent is so powerful and so personal, we like to use different products in our wellness practices to help elevate the experience and create a pattern of behavior that links our healthy habit to our sense of smell.

Earlier this year, we launched an innovative product in the wellness space called the Pocket Farmacy - Mindful Edition. The intention behind this product is to remind us that any moment can be mindful, and that we can choose nature-derived products and ingredients to invite us into a deeper state of awareness that supports our mental, emotional and spiritual health. This wellness kit contains five essential oil roll-ons -three of which are exclusive to this kit- each blended intentionally to support different facets of our health and well-being:

Energy is an uplifting and stimulating blend of essential oils that are known to help you feel boosted and to support being enlivened. Bright, vibrant essential oils of lemon, rosemary, bergamot and basil can be applied to the temples, wrists and pulse points to help bring you into awareness.

Unwind is a soothing and peaceful blend of essential oils to help you destress, become still and feel at ease. Formulated to soothe difficult emotions like overwhelm and pent up frustration, try rolling on this balancing blend of lavender, geranium, bergamot and cinnamon to feel calmed.

Reflection is a grounding and woody blend of sacred essential oils like frankincense and myrrh alongside cedarwood, orange and ginger, designed to help you feel present by drawing your attention inwards throughout the day. We love to breathe this product deeply, from a tissue or after applying on our wrists, to feel harmonized and stabilized.

Confidence is a warming and spicy blend of essential oils to support you in feeling empowered and invigorated when experiencing situations that sometimes require extra courage, like before presentations or tough conversations. Ginger, juniper, cypress and pine leave you feeling soothed and restored.

Connection is a bright and opening blend of spearmint, grapefruit and sage that was formulated to help nurture a deeper connection with yourself, your surroundings and others. Roll along the forehead, the sides of the neck and across the throat and chest to help encourage attention and awareness.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES FOR SUPPORTING YOUR NIGHTTIME WIND DOWN ROUTINE

Did you know that chronic sleep deprivation can cause everything from excessive daytime sleepiness to relationship stress and impaired memory? Practicing relaxation techniques to ensure you feel supported in obtaining 7-9 hours of high quality, uninterrupted sleep each night is vital to your overall health and well-being. We like to incorporate these peace and calm-inducing products into our wind down routines each night to help invite rest:

Sleep Well mist: Spritz this restful sleep essential over your pillows, sheets, bedding and even your pyjamas each night to help set the tone for a good night’s rest. Blended with deeply soothing and grounding notes of valerian, vetiver, green mandarin and jasmine, Sleep Well mist is a must-have to help encourage your body and mind to begin relaxing.

Tranquility roll-on: drift into your dreamiest state with this calming essential oil blend, designed to help you unwind before bedtime. A floral and herbaceous blend of lavender, marjoram and roman chamomile help to relax and soothe the mind when applied to areas like pulse points and soles of the feet.

Dream State diffuser blend: this blissful blend was formulated to inspire reaching your dreamiest and most peaceful state in the evening as you head off to bed. We’ve blended powerfully relaxing valerian root essential oil with balancing geranium and pungent, floral ylang ylang to support calm thoughts and a comforted body. Try adding 8-10 drops to your favorite diffuser at bedtime and get ready to feel relaxed, naturally.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES FOR RELIEVING STRESS AND WORRY

In one form or another, stress affects all of us and its impact can be profound. Research says that unchecked stress levels can wreak havoc on your body, your thoughts, your feelings and your behavior. Exploring stress management strategies such as employing relaxation techniques of physical activity, deep breathing and regular connection with others is integral to our overall health and well-being and can have an almost immediate positive impact on your body and mind.

Stress Release roll-on: our top-selling product for helping to ease and alleviate every day symptoms of stress, this roll-on was formulated with the most well-recognized essential oil for inviting peace and calm, lavender, as well as sweet and soothing orange and euphoric clary sage. Try rolling along your forehead, neck and shoulders to feel at ease and to invite relaxation.

Rose Mist: the most emotionally healing and restorative of all essential oils, rose is blended in a soothing, balancing and renewing mist that can be spritzed anytime over the hair, face and body to help you feel peaceful and at ease. The sweet, floral scent of rose is well-regarded in aromatherapy for its ability to help release difficult emotions and to soothe the spirit.

Goddess diffuser blend: This diffuser blend was formulated with precious florals and sweet citrus to help you feel empowered, confident and encouraged. Juicy, fresh orange meets delicate jasmine, mood lifting neroli and harmonizing rose for a scent experience that will have you feeling relaxed, calmed and at peace.

LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR INCORPORATING RELAXATION TECHNIQUES INTO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE

As important as it is to employ relaxation techniques regularly, we know how easy it is for life to creep up on us and prevent us from carving out the necessary time we need for our well-being. Check out our tips below for making relaxation a priority in your life:

1. Make it a non-negotiable. In the same way you brush your teeth each night before bed or eat breakfast in the morning, make your self care practices equally as important. It might mean physically scheduling time in your calendar or asking a friend or family member to hold you accountable, but it means you will show up for yourself.
2. Find a friend. Be it a partner, friend or loved one, it’s sometimes easier to commit to our relaxation techniques if someone else is along for the ride. Maybe it’s a walk after dinner in the evening or it’s a trip for healthy groceries on Sunday afternoon; whatever activity you find relaxing can be made better with some good company.
3. Stick with what you know. As fun and exciting as it can be to try something new, there are times when ‘old faithful’ serves us well. If you know you’re already on the fence about creating prioritized time to support your wellness, adding a new activity or technique might not make sense in the moment. Perhaps try a go-to you know has proven success in helping you relax (like taking a bath or phoning a friend), and plan to start your new fitness routine or pottery class next time.

—Jay Shetty