5-Minute Reset | Insight From An RMT

In a perfect world, we could all get away to Ste. Anne’s the moment we start to feel tension or stress.  Slip on the robe, smell the eucalyptus, get a massage and start to relax.  But the reality is we have to live our regular lives, go to work, take care of our families, and sometimes we forget to take the time to de-stress.  So what can we do to remember this feeling of spa bliss or to relieve a moment of tension?

As an RMT, I often talk to clients about the best ways to relieve tension in their day and I talk to them about a 5-minute reset. Taking 5 minutes and bringing awareness to your body can have a very positive effect on your physical and mental health.

Start with your posture.  Get in a comfortable seated position with both feet planted on the ground.  Pay attention to your sit bones in your glutes, and make sure your weight is evenly distributed between them both.  Scrunch your shoulders up by your ears, then release and drop them down. Now, keep them in that position. Set your head back your ears should be aligned over your shoulders, most the time our head is carried forward.  Relax your jaw, with your mouth closed create a space between the back molars and drop your tongue to the bottom of your mouth.

Now, focus on your breath.  Breathing is the only mechanism in the body that is under voluntary and involuntary control, so be aware of your breath and let’s take control. Close your eyes, think of a relaxing thought and breathe deeply.  Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on filling your lungs from top to bottom.  Make sure your ribs are expanding all the way to the bottom. Take 5 deep slow breaths in this fashion.  Breathing slowly puts us into a parasympathetic state of rest and digestion, allowing us to destress.

If this is all you can do that is great, thank yourself for taking 5 minute to reset.  If you want to enhance the moment, you can rub some essential oil on your palms or across your chest.  Choose a scent that is relaxing like lavender or vanilla.  Or choose a scent that brings a happy memory, like eucalyptus from Ste. Anne’s.  Turn your face to natural light or soft light like a salt lamp, away from any screens. Turn on spa music or nature sounds to calm your mind.

Set a reminder to take 5 minutes several times in your day, also try doing this when you wake up or before bed.  Taking time to be aware of breathing and posture can assist your body and mind to be in better health and can take you back to that spa feeling.  Everyone can find 5 minutes, start your reset today.