How to Add Mindful Relaxation to Your Pain Management Regimen

Mindful relaxation involves making a conscious and consistent choice to take steps to use relaxation to manage the stress, pain, and fatigue associated with living with psoriatic arthritis. I ran across this about a month ago and decided it would be worth a try. It doesn’t take a lot of time, and if nothing else, it has afforded me the opportunity to set aside the daily demands of my diseases and feel like I was actually doing something constructive for myself.

What mindful relaxation is and what it isn't

When I think of relaxation, I envision family vacations, breaks from work, or an extended stay at a tropical location. But mindful relaxation is something different. We tend to think of relaxation as selfish or perhaps as a reward for hard work. Mindful relaxation is neither. Rather it is a technique that is, in my experience, beneficial to managing your psoriatic arthritis. In particular, the stress and painsomnia associated with PsA.

Benefits of practicing mindful relaxation

I have been able to reap quite a few benefits from mindful relaxation. And unlike many of the other things I’ve tried to help manage my psoriatic arthritis, I didn’t have to wait forever and ever to feel the benefits. Within the first few days (I spent a little time each day doing it) I was able to get a little better at it. My relaxation became deeper and I felt so much better afterward.

I noticed lower stress levels and the little things that would often aggravate me or cause undue anxiety seemed much less important. Furthermore, and I believe my favorite benefit, was that it allowed me to be able to fall asleep faster and I believe, have a more restful sleep. It allows me to release some of that pent up tension in my muscles by mindfully relaxing each and every one. Sure, it is not a miracle cure, but it makes things better, and I’ll take that any day.

Tips to get started practicing mindful relaxation

There are many different ways to add mindful relaxation to your day. Practice with different techniques and go with the one that you feel most comfortable with. Be sure to set aside a specific time each day to focus on relaxation.

Nature and nature sounds

I really like all of the sensory things that come with nature and nature sounds. If it is nice outside, I sit out in a chair and simply focus on my senses as they experience nature. The sounds and the smells I find to be particularly relaxing.

Apps

Whether you want to focus on meditation, breathing exercises, or muscle therapy, there is an app for that. 10% Happier, Pzizz, and Calm all get great reviews and can help guide you if you are uncertain where you would like to start with mindful relaxation. However, this only works if you can actually relax while using an electronic device.

Simple, deep breathing

The easiest to master and the most helpful in my opinion is simple deep breathing exercises. In thru your nose and out your mouth. Slow and deep breaths. If you give it a try, you might just notice how much time you spend holding your breath or breathing very shallowly. Especially during times of stress or when you are in pain. There are other techniques to add to deep breathing such as visualization and muscle relaxation.

If you haven’t tried mindful relaxation I would highly suggest you give it a try! If you have tried it, I’d love to know if it works for you.