Relaxation tips from Blue Cow Yoga

Stress can do funny things to our bodies. It’s one of the most common triggers of a whole host of health concerns, and can cause weight gain, poor sleep, hair loss, as well as many skin conditions.

Acne, eczema, psoriasis and urticaria flare-ups can all be caused by spikes of the stress hormone cortisol, which increases inflammation.

Of course if you are suffering from any kind of stress-induced condition, relaxing is easier said than done!

To help I caught up with Lucy from Blue Cow Yoga to find out about some simple but effective relaxation tips you can do from the comfort of your own home:

One of my favourite stress-busting exercises is abdominal breathing. When stress hits it manifests as tension ‘butterflies’ or a ‘knotted’ feeling within the body and the abdomen is a key area where this occurs so abdominal breathing is a great simple exercise that’s simple to do that helps unravel tensions in the belly and release stress.

Plus when we consciously slow the breath down and regulate it we also calm the nervous system down and settle the mind towards stillness and clarity.

• Lie down on a comfortable surface either the floor or a bed
• Rest your hands gently on your lower belly and begin to gently send your breath into your belly letting it rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale
• Allow your belly to get full and relaxed each inhale and completely soften and release on exhale
• If you notice any tension in the area each time you exhale let the belly soften and let go of the holding. If you hold a lot of tension here this may take some time to get.
• Repeat for 20-30 breaths
• Do once a day on rising or before bed to release stress and tension.”