How to Calm Down After a Long Day
How to calm down after a long day
After a long day at work the first thing I want to do is lay on the couch. It is easy to feel this way but a lot of people get home after a long day and fail to engage in relaxing activities. There are so many different ways to relax and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Try these tips to relax after a long day and make the best of your free time.
Yoga/Meditate
Best part is you don’t need anything. If you have a yoga mat great if not you can just do yoga on the floor. Find a spot that is quiet and comfortable and start some yoga. This is a good way to calm down after a long day.
Get a Hobby
Having a hobby is significant to your well-being. Hobbies are great when you are stressed out and need some down time. Some great hobbies are dancing, scrapbooking, gardening, painting, puzzles, baking, coloring book, fishing and riding a bike.
Light Exercise
When your stressed out your body tends to tense up. Exercise can help release some of the tension.
Go Outside and Get Some Fresh Air
If your like me then you work all day indoors. When my shift ends the first thing I want to do is go outside and get some fresh air. Some studies show that fresh air decreases stress and anxiety.
Listen to Soothing Music
Music can be effective in reducing stress and anxiety. Studies show that listening to music can lower heart rate and cortisol levels, release endorphins and improve our well-being and help distract us which can reduce physical and emotional stress levels.
Take a Hot Bath
Taking a hot bath always helps me relax. I put in some bubble bath, grab a good book and a glass of wine and lock the door to keep the kids and the husband out. Another idea is to light some candles and just relax.
Have a Cup of Herbal Tea (Chamomile or lemongrass)
Learning how to relax after work does not have to involve a lot of effort. Tea contains the amino acid L-theanine which promotes relaxation. Chamomile tea helps to naturally increase serotonin and melatonin levels in your body, leaving you feeling relaxed without feeling drowsy.
Read a Book
Reading can relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. It can also reduce stress up to 68%. Picking the right book is the key. Business or self-help books aren’t really calming; they might make you want to start a new project or make you feel guilty for sitting down and reading. This is a good way to calm down after a long day. My favorite books are:
- Flowers in the Attic
- Petals in the Wind
- If there be Thorns
- Seeds of Yesterday
- The Silent Patient
Lie Down and Relax
Laying down is the best way to restore and reconnect the body and the mind. It helps realign the spine as well as stopping you from feeling overwhelmed and allowing you to focus on yourself.
Write in a Journal
Journaling can help decrease stress and anxiety. Some research shows that writing down our deepest feelings and thoughts can improve our physical and mental well-being. Journaling may help you feel in control of your emotions. Setting time every day even 10 to 15 minutes, can be helpful.
Put on Some Comfortable Clothes
I wear scrubs all day at work (I’m a nurse in an elementary school). As soon as I get home I put on some comfortable clothes. If I have to go out again for the evening, I will put on some yoga pants. If I going to be home for the evening I will usually put on some sweats or pajama pants. This is a good way to calm down after a long day.
Go for a Walk
Research has shown that walking promotes the release of brain chemicals called endorphins that stimulate relaxation and improve our mood. Walking does not have to be fast paced to receive stress and anxiety relief.
Watch Your Favorite TV Shows
TV for some people is a way to decompress and fill up your tank. It can be mindless entertaining and entertaining. Work has been very busy, and my kids have had me out almost every night with their sports. I was exhausted all last week. Sunday, I woke up and was tired and felt stressed out. I rested on the couch and binge watched Cobra Kai on Netflix.🥋🥋I felt a lot better at night and the next day.
Have a Glass of Wine
Wine depresses the central nervous system which can slow down your senses down, which includes your thought processes. Having a glass of wine after a long day can help decrease stress and anxiety. This is a great way to relax after a long day at work.
Give Your Phone and Email a Break
Soak up some real time instead of social media time. Take a break from texting, Facebook and Instagram. Don’t check your email either. Go take a bath or read a book for a little while.
How to calm down after a long day. What do you do to relax after a long day ?
