You Would Like to...

Get More Chilled

Choose another playlist

Everyone needs to chill out at some time or another.  Having a set of tried and tested ways of relaxing is a great skill to have. However, chilling out needs practice sometimes.  If you’re listening to the playlists above, it’s best to try with headphones.

Try It at Home

If your browser doesn’t support the interactive element above or you just want to find other ways to chill, please try the exercises below…

The Basics

Put one hand on your chest and one on your tummy.  If you are relaxed or want to get more relaxed you should be breathing from your tummy.  That means the hand on your tummy should be moving more than the one on your chest.  This is called abdominal breathing.

 

Square Breathing

Imagine a square in front of you.  Not too big and not too small. Give the square a colour that you find relaxing.

The square’s sides should each be 4 moments long (not seconds, just moments).  Your task is to breathe around the square. Starting in the bottom left hand corner and going clockwise.

Breathe in for the count of 4….wait for the count of 4…breathe out to the count of 4 and…wait for 4….start again.
In 4….Wait 4….Out 4….Wait 4….In 4….Wait 4….Out 4….Wait 4….Continue for up to five minutes

 

7 – 11 Breathing

Breathe in for the count of 7 (not seconds, you can count as fast as you want)

Breathe out for the count of 11 (again, you can count as fast as you want and slow down as you get more chilled)

Continue for up to 5 minutes

 

PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION

CHECK YOUR BREATHING. LIE DOWN OR SIT DOWN. FOCUS ON YOUR BREATHING.

START AT YOUR FEET AND WORK YOUR WAY UPWARDS.

  • AS YOU BREATHE IN…TENSE YOUR FEET UP…FEEL THE TENSION FOR A COUPLE OF MOMENTS AS YOU CONTINUE TO BREATHE.
  • ON ONE OF YOUR OUTBREATHS LET THE TENSION GO AND FEEL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING TENSE AND RELAXED.
  • BREATHE IN AND TENSE AGAIN…RECOGNISE THE TENSION.
  • ON AN OUTBREATH RELAX AGAIN…STAY WITH THAT FEELING OF HAVING RELAXED FEET FOR A FEW MOMENTS
  • NOW MOVE ON TO YOUR CALF MUSCLES AND DO THE TENSE AND RELAXED THING TWICE AGAIN…REALLY FEEL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING TENSE AND RELAXED
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR THIGHS
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR BUTTOCKS
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR STOMACH MUSCLES
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR CHEST
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR BACK
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR SHOULDERS
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR TOPS OF ARMS
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR LOWER ARMS AND FISTS
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR NECK (PUSH YOUR HEAD BACK)
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR JAW
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR FACE
  • MOVE ON TO YOUR SCALP

STAY WITH THE RELAXED FEELING AND SCAN YOUR BODY…LETTING GO OF ANY TENSION ON AN OUTBREATH.

IF YOUR MIND STARTS TO WONDER AT ANY TIME JUST FOCUS BACK ON YOUR BREATHING