Find the balance between activity and rest

Achieving stress recovery balance requires you to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to allow the sympathetic nervous system to step back for a while. But how can it be achieved? Here are some tips and tricks to help you encourage your parasympathetic nervous system to take over, so you can recover from stress.

7 ways to optimize your recovery

1. Meditate 

Meditation is one of the best forms of achieving stress recovery balance. Meditation is well known for reducing levels of stress, and importantly it helps your sympathetic nervous system stop doing all of the work, so you can recover. Some people may find it difficult to meditate, but there are a lot of different styles, which can either be undertaken by the individual or guided by someone else. Learning breathing techniques can be helpful in achieving a restorative state.

2. Practicing abdominal/deep breathing cycles

You can take deep breathing further by practicing abdominal or deep breathing cycles, and these can help you to relax even more deeply.

3. Getting a massage

Massage has been shown to have powerful effects for reducing the activities of the sympathetic nervous system and helping the parasympathetic nervous system to kick in. This activity is very relaxing and calming, providing a good opportunity for stress recovery balance to be attained.

4. The great outdoors

Being outdoors in nature in certain cases can help with achieving stress recovery balance. A gentle country walk in the woods or along the beach, as long as not too vigorous to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system can work wonders for getting your parasympathetic system to take over.

5. Yoga

Yoga helps for some in inducing a meditative state that can be helpful in achieving a deep relaxation state, and this is also recommended in stress recovery balance.

6. Yawning

Even a simple step such as taking a big deep yawn can help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, encouraging stress recovery balance.

7. Napping

Why not follow up your yawn with a short nap? Napping is the ultimate in achieving a state of relaxation.

We offer coaching and support to help improve stress recovery time for greater personal effectiveness. Contact us or visit our Solutions to find out how we can help.