5 Tips To Relax After A Hectic Day
There are often times when we have a lot going on and need an escape for a while. Hectic schedules may also affect our stress levels and put our health at risk. When our bodies relax, the flow of blood increases around our bodies, which even gives us more energy to function. This, in turn, helps us to have a calmer and clearer mind which aids positive thinking, concentration, memory and decision making. Relaxation slows our heart rate, reduces our blood pressure and relieves tension. It boosts your immune system and helps alleviate the symptoms of many medical and psychological disorders. Even if many people know about the benefits of relaxing once in a while, many people cannot decide what to do to unwind their minds. Here are a few ways to relax your mind and body and help you get through the day more efficiently.
1. Stretch your body
StretchingĀ relieves muscle tension that has been building up for hours and helps you focus on the task beforehand. Stretching doesn't mean an hour-long professional session; it can also be a five-minute full-body stretch. You can take a small stretching break and start with your neck, arms, back, and legs. Stretching instils and fastens the release of mood-enlightening hormones within our bodies. Stretching also increases blood flow in the entire body, but, more importantly, it improves blood circulation in your brain for your mood. You can even step out of your work area and get in touch with nature to stretch for a while. This would help you connect with yourself again and work more efficiently than before.
2. A walk in the wild
A short walk to your nearest park, beach or even your terrace can help you connect with your soul and forget all the stress for a while. Being close to nature always helps us to relax and unwind our minds. Even if you cannot go out, simply looking out of the window and taking a few minutes can help your minds wander and make you focus on ourself. One should take out always five minutes for themselves no matter how hectic their schedule is since you cannot focus on one task for a long time, and you may get distracted after a while. Walking outside or being close to nature is proven to relax our minds and improve concentration to help us focus better on the task beforehand. A simple walk in nature can sometimes do wonders to improve your concentration levels and make you more productive than usual.
3. Spend time with family and friends
Keeping in touch with people that awaken the spirit within you and motivate you to work is proven to improve your mood and help you relax. Spending time with friends, engaging in a fun conversation with co-workers, reading comics, and spending quality time with your kids and spouse can make you happy and inspire you. Being present with loved ones and being in contact with them face to face creates strong emotional support to buoy you through life's challenges. Instead of indulging in negative thoughts, spend time with anyone who makes you feel good and tells you that you're doing great and can handle everything that comes your way. Find a cosy spot in your home where you can sit down with your family and relax for a few minutes after a long tiring day. However, make sure to switch off your mobile phone. Spending quality time with family does help in coping with challenges, instils a feeling of security, inculcates family values, fills kids with confidence, and much more. It may also increase your sense of belonging and purpose. Boost your happiness and reduce your stress. Improve your self-confidence and self-worth.
4. Meditation does wonder
You do not always have to run to the mountains or a forest to feel relaxed. Rather, five minutes of quiet meditation is everything you need to reap the benefits of meditation and relieve stress. Firstly, you must find a comfortable spot, concentrate on breathing, and watch the stress melt away. Meditation can often produce a deep state of tranquillity in the mind. During meditation, you eliminate all the unclear and irrelevant thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress to lower your productivity. This, in turn, may result in enhanced physical and emotional well-being. It can also strengthen areas of your brain responsible for memory, learning, attention and self-awareness. Daily meditation can also help you perform better at work since meditation helps you to increase your focus and attention and improves your ability to multitask. Meditation helps you clear your mind and focus on the task beforehand, giving you a huge productivity boost.
5. Rewarding yourself and accepting the way you are
Acceptance is a useful tool to relieve stress because it puts you in the driver's seat of your emotions. Instead of feeling like you are being ruled by stress, acceptance provides you with full control of your reactions to stressors. Positive affirmations can greatly impact your mood; hence instead of indulging in negative thoughts, you should tell yourself that you look and feel good, you're doing great and that you can handle everything that comes your way. You may also reward yourself with small gifts like chocolate and mini-breaks whenever you finish a task, instilling a sense of accomplishment in you. It is often seen that focusing on yourself and making yourself a priority is always helpful in boosting mood and relaxation. Biologically, rewards increase dopamine levels in your brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps us feel happy, increases our memory retention, helps us sleep, and regulates our mood and appetite.
You can try these when you return home, push your work away and focus on your health. One should always give themselves time to let go of all the problems and issues in their work life and focus on themselves for a while. This will also make it easier for you to return to work the next day and boost your productivity. If you prioritise taking care of your mental and physical health, you will be able to be more productive since you will now be able to focus better than before. So taking a break and relaxing becomes essential for proper body functioning. Even when you stay hydrated and eat properly, you cannot give your best since adequate rest is a major factor in your well-being. Unwinding after a hectic day is one of the best ways to stay healthy.
