Slow routines
The routines on this page are deliberately plain. A routine you can repeat on a tired Tuesday is worth more than an elaborate one you manage twice a year. Each version uses the same building blocks: warmth, slow breathing, letting muscles soften, and a clear ending. Pick the length that fits tonight, not the one you think you ought to do.
Three well-known techniques sit underneath them. None needs equipment, and all are widely taught in community classes and by health services. They are ways to rest, not treatments for anxiety, insomnia or any medical condition. If you are struggling with those, a GP or doctor is the right first step.
BreathBreathing out for longer than you breathe in is one of the simplest ways to slow down. The 4-7-8 pattern popularised by Dr Andrew Weil and the even "box" count used in many training settings are two familiar versions. If holding the breath feels uncomfortable, skip the holds and simply lengthen each exhale.
MusclesProgressive muscle relaxation was developed by the American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early twentieth century. You gently tense one muscle group for about five seconds, then let it go and notice the difference. Tense lightly; it should never hurt.
AttentionThe body scan is a core practice in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, the programme Jon Kabat-Zinn started at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979. You move your attention slowly from toes to head, noticing without trying to change anything.
For evenings when time is short. All you need is a chair and a warm flannel.
Sit down, feet flat. Notice three things you can hear.
In for four, out for six. Let the count go if it starts to feel like a task.
Hold a wrung-out warm flannel at the back of your neck while you keep breathing slowly.
Tense and release your shoulders, then your fists, three times each.
Drink some water. Fold the cloth. Stand up slowly.
Add a warm foot soak and a fuller muscle sequence.
Fill a basin with comfortably warm water, test it with your wrist and set a towel beside it.
Feet in the water. Slow breathing, then let your breath return to normal.
Work upwards: feet, calves, thighs, stomach, hands, arms, shoulders, face. About five seconds of light tension, then ten of letting go.
Dry carefully between the toes, then massage in a plain moisturiser.
Feeling light-headed? Stop the breathing pattern, breathe normally and sit still for a minute.
For a slower weekend evening, combine a lukewarm bath with a body scan.
Lamp on, towel warming, phone elsewhere. See our room setup notes.
Warm, not hot. Dermatologists generally advise keeping baths short to avoid drying the skin.
Lying down afterwards, wrapped in a towel or blanket, move your attention from toes to the top of your head.
Moisturise, drink water and do one small tidy-up so the space is ready for next time.
Japan's Forestry Agency introduced the term shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, in 1982 to encourage slow, attentive time among trees. You can borrow the spirit of it at home: open a window, sit beside a houseplant or a view of the sky, and spend five minutes simply noticing. It is free and pairs well with any of the routines above.
Cookies on this site Some cookies are needed for the site to work. Others help us understand how it is used. You can change your choice later. Cookie policy