10 ways to de-stress and relax in London

It's all about prioritising
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Annie Ross21 July 2018

Disconnecting and allowing for down time is as hard as it is important.

At its best, disconnecting can facilitate genuine relaxation and ultimately real connection with the good in your life, leaving you feeling both calm and refreshed. Defaulting to a phone or TV screen is a false economy. The light and content we view can act as a stimulant rather than soothe the soul.

Finding a place of stillness in your busy day will forever seem impossible until you realise it’s simply a matter of priority.

Below are 10 activities you can do in London to help you switch off and relax.

1. Meditation

Tried meditation before and it didn’t work? If my experience is anything to go by, don’t give up yet. It’s worth the effort and may just require a bit more practice and priority.

If guided meditation apps aren’t working for you, try a course such as Will Williams Meditation, which give you the in-person support to build the habit to suit you and your lifestyle. Giving time and space to learn, ask questions, practice and start to feel the benefits can be just the ticket to succeed in setting aside time for stillness in your day.

2. Photography

The deliberate, considered and perceptive area of photography is a far cry from our phone-obsessed selfie snaps. As I learnt on the beginner’s photography course with Obby, armed with a camera, your entire viewpoint changes as you hunt for beauty and meaning in the mundane – the things we rush past every day.

Photography connects you to your surroundings in a way you wouldn’t normally consider. It’s about changing your perception, even taking on someone else's. One day I will try my commute with a camera, leaving an hour to spare to seek out the nuances and beauty in the everyday to capture and cherish.

3. Playground games

There’s a reason playground games are loved by children, allowing them to let off steam and explore physical, emotional and social sides of themselves. Adults need games too – scientific research shows that play is great for creativity and stress release. To make exercise less boring, Rabble organises playground games like Jailbreak and British Bulldog in parks around the UK.

Bibs on, cones placed, rules explained, teams chosen, and you are off. Thinking and executing on the game strategy, enjoying the exercise and supporting your teammates means it’s nigh on impossible to stay ruminating on your troubles.

4. Reiki

Reiki is a healing technique recognised for promoting relaxation, detoxification and overall balance between body, mind and soul. The practice originates from Japan and centres around chakras. A reiki practitioner can help recalibrate energy flows by hovering their hands over you, or a gentle touch. All you have to do is close your eyes and lie still.

I went so far as to attend a workshop with Michael Kaufmann at Reiki Meditation to learn the basics so I can do reiki on myself. I was amazed at the calmness felt during and after the course and I’ve turned to reiki to help calm myself before sleep ever since.

5. Work your fascia!

We hold tension in our connective tissues; your tendons, ligaments and fascia. Stress can be released and relaxed by techniques such as yin yoga or Moving Stretch. Yin yoga is passive and slow, with positions held for several minutes to relax the lower back, hips and inner thigh. Don’t expect a work out but do get ready to release tensions in places that you never knew could hold them.

A Moving Stretch session with Suzanne Wylde is more targeted to the individual and can include anything from being stretched against resistance to being walked on, all in the name of working the fascia to release pain and tension, both physically and emotionally.

6. Preparing your own food

Do you find cooking relaxing or stressful? Determined to find some peace in cooking, I headed to the Kitchen Confidence course at Food At 52. The interactive evening coached us through a three-course meal, learning some tricks of the trade and making cooking fun. I’ve since found myself less flustered in the kitchen and more willing to carve out time to prepare dinner and a packed lunch too! That means healthier eating and a better understanding of what’s going into food – and one less decision to make during the day too!

7. Savouring your food

As nutritional therapist, Alice Mackintosh, points out, nutrition plays a big part in how balanced we feel day to day. And it’s not just what we eat, it’s how and where too – chewing mindfully, eating proper meals, at regular times and in an environment not associated with work can all lead to healthier digestion and a more stable mood.

8. Art and drama

Art and drama isn't just to see at a gallery or watch on stage, don’t ignore the power of fictional self-expression for relaxation. A weekly session of learning, observing and sharing provides an excellent space to disconnect, even for those, like me who have found art and drama less than relaxing in the past.

The City Lit Performing Arts has a huge range of topics covering comedy, music, acting, dance, TV, radio and film. As I learnt through a multi-week story telling course, it’s never too late to discover your inner artist. The variety of people we can meet and skills we can develop is a brilliant way to expand your horizons, and enjoy yourself too!

9. Transformational breath

There is a two-way relationship between our breathing patterns and our experiences of life. Each affects the other. The good news is, by becoming aware of the affects, we can bring ourselves back to better breathing, and as a result better experiences. I attended a Transformational Breath one-to-one session and group workshop with ‘And Breathe’ author, Rebecca Dennis.

Lying on mattresses on the floor, alongside deep belly breathing, we were guided through acupressure, mantras and other exercises to unwind years of restrained breathing. It was a therapeutic and emotional experience for many, with a general consensus of feeling lighter and more alive after the session.

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10. Home spa

Investing in a massage, facial or pedicure is a sure fire way to relax and ground yourself. While going to a salon is great as you’re in the calm environment, I am loving Urban Massage, which brings massages to the comfort of home. You can also self-treat. Set aside an evening for a mani, pedi, face mask or face steam. A bath with Epsom Salts will relieve stress, anxiety and muscle tension after exercise and in preparation for sleep.

My final thought piece – to myself as much to you. We have a choice as to how we use our time. We each have the ability, and even responsibility to be the best versions of ourselves we can be. This is not selfish; every human connection we make from ordering coffee, meeting a deadline or walking through the door at the end of the day will be better if we allow space for disconnection from the stresses and strains of life.

Annie Ross helps people find their fun in staying healthy to build and sustain an active lifestyle. Find her on Exerk.com and @Exerkyourself

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