Tranquillity, peacefulness, and quiet are things that we all seek, but it is easier said than done in our fast-paced, go! go! world. Between work, commuting, responsibilities, and family life, we are increasingly maxed out and stressed out.
We all know that too much stress is not good for you, but it just feels like an unavoidable part of life. There’s never enough time, and stress never goes away. Though we can’t escape our responsibilities, we can control our reaction. We can meet stress with calm.
Relaxation may cure stress, but keeping calm is the prevention. It is the skill of having peace of mind despite the chaos of life. It is a mental state we should all be striving for – an inner place that lessens the grip of anxiety, worry, excitement, and troubles.
Give yourself permission to slow down in a world that strives to be faster. Unplug. Switch off. Be calm. Here’s why it is so important.
The Benefits of Calm
Calm is having the absence of strong emotions. It is a place you can go. A refuge. It lets you feel more in control of your emotions and your life. Here are some of the main benefits of a calm life:
- Better health.
- Increased breathing capacity.
- Hearing your own thoughts.
- Fuel your creative passions.
- Reduce your blood pressure and heart rate.
- Produce “feel-good” chemicals in the brain.
Tips for Adding Calm To Your Life
You cannot change your environment. You cannot change other people. However, you are in control of your response. Here are some tips for greeting life from a calmer place.
- Create a Daily Ritual of Calm: How you do this is up to you. What is your calm place? It is a morning ritual like sipping tea before your house comes alive. Maybe meditation, yoga, or writing thoughts in a journal. The importance of taking a few minutes out of your day to unwind cannot be overstated.
- Exercise: Exercise creates extra endorphins that give you a positive mood boost and make you feel better, which in turn reduces stress.
- Sleep: Permit yourself to rest. It is essential for our well being. Short naps when you need them and a night of deep, restful sleep are vital to a calm life.
- Music: Calm music is why we started this whole thing. Music is a quick and easy way to ground yourself - use calming, soothing music and nature sounds.
- Eat Right: Improve your diet by eating less, eliminating sugar, eliminating junk foods, pop, and sugary drinks.
- Breathing/Mindfulness/Meditation: Mindfulness meditation is a great way to calm yourself. By focusing on your breath and centring yourself, you can activate your parasympathetic nervous system - the calming response in your body.
- Be Kind To Yourself: This is vital. Self-compassion starts from an understanding that everyone makes mistakes and that it’s part of being human. Speak to yourself the way you would speak to a friend who just failed.
Science of Calm
It is imperative that we cultivate a more restful, relaxed state of mind. Research suggests it will bring us greater attention, energy, and creativity. Science shows that calmness does benefit us. It’s all about our parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). It is our rest and digest response. The more time we spend in PSNS the healthier we are.
Read more about the science behind this response and activating your parasympathetic zone with relaxing music.
Find Calm in Relaxing Music and Nature Sounds
Enjoy all Calm Radio free online music channels in the Calm app available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Alexa, Roku, Sonos, Bluesound, Kindle and many other mobile apps.
We have over 500 channels to reduce stress and enhance your productivity. From light classical, relaxing jazz, laid-back acoustic pop, soothing sleep music and guided meditation, we got it.
Thanks for listening. Remember to be calm, invite harmony.
