Breathing in, breathing out - the power of rest and relaxation

By Jaconel Janssen

Did you know we have a reset button too? In order to press pause, we need to rest and relax.

It has been a challenging two years and we are still in uncertain times. Christmas is coming and you might feel busy, busy, busy. It has never been more important to mind ourselves and be kind to ourselves.

Try to practice a little rest and relaxation every day and see how that works for you. At first you might actually feel really tired, the tiredness you might not have allowed yourself to feel. But practicing regular relaxation and a real rest will eventually leave you feeling re-energised and refreshed. A proper reset.

Not only that, there are many other benefits to rest and relaxation too, such as reduced stress and anxiety, chronic pain relief, lowered blood pressure, improved sleep, enhanced mood, improved immunity and improved productivity.

I recorded a very short (six minutes) seated relaxation that you are very welcome to use any time you need to press reset. You can find it on my Facebook page (Pilates People Cork), or send me a text message and I will send it to you.

Or simply sit down, close your eyes, rest your hands on your legs and follow your in and out breath for a few minutes. Or lie down, arms by your side, knees bent. Make sure you are warm enough. This is a very simple technique, but not necessarily easy. Our mind might remain busy and impatient.

Try to simply follow your in breath and out breath again. No need to breathe in a particular way. Relax your abdomen, relax your shoulders. Feel how your whole body gently moves with your breathing. If you find it hard to ‘just sit’, make yourself a cup of tea, and spend a bit of time with your in and out breath as you drink your tea -a restful and restorative cuppa.

So, if you feel the stress building up, it is time to hit your pause button. Take some time out, breathe in, breathe out. Rest. Relax. Press reset. Merry Christmas!

There will be a special online Stretch and Relax by candlelight class on Monday 20 December at 7pm, in all likelihood followed by a good night’s sleep! Get in touch to find out more.

Give the gift of movement with a Pilates People Cork gift voucher. Or a Movement Bundle, short videos to inspire you to move well!

Jaconel Janssen is a Pilates and Buff Bones teacher and founder of Pilates People Cork. She teaches regular movement classes in Cork (Douglas area), both in person and online, and a regular outdoor class.

For more on classes or one-to-one sessions, visit pilatespeoplecork.com or Facebook Pilates People Cork or contact info@pilatespeoplecork.com or 085-1613505.