According to numerous studies, as well as other people’s experiences, those who work long stressful hours are more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression later in life. Unfortunately, these two mental illnesses have become fairly common nowadays, and they can have an enormous negative effect on people’s everyday life.
In order to preserve your mental health, you have to find a way to relax and do something for yourself as often as possible. If you can afford a weekend in the spa, that’s great, go and book the appointment. On the other hand, if this is not a possibility right now, keep reading this article because we are going to provide you with a few tips on how to relax after a long workday. Read more for additional information on ways to support your mental health with online therapy.
Breathing exercises
A lot of people are skeptical about these, but they do actually work. How? Well, Mary from BetterHelp tells us that when people are feeling stressed they tend to take shallow breaths, which is why they get that feeling of a burden they have to carry with themselves since their body doesn’t receive enough oxygen. Obviously, in order to unwind, you should do the opposite. Take a deep breath through your nose and exhale through your mouth. You should repeat this exercise a few times to provide your body and blood with oxygen. It is so simple, yet it is a great way to lower the stress levels.
There is another thing that professionals recommend – having a mantra. This can be something very simple like ‘I am calm. Everything is going to work out okay.’ You should say these phrases while doing the breathing exercises because these thoughts will soothe you and help you relax.
Physical exercises
Oftentimes, working out is advertised as a great method to improve the physical well-being by losing extra weight, building muscles, and moving your body. However, these are not the only benefits that come with it. After you are done with a session, you will feel the rush of ‘happy hormones’ that are going to make you feel great about yourself, and therefore, skyrocket your confidence, even if you feel exhausted.
What’s more, doing any kind of physical activity is going to enable you to fight all those strong emotions that stress causes. Depending on your personal preference, you can join a gym, a dance class, or simply go jogging after you finish all your daily tasks. Yes, we know, your mind if the biggest obstacle. Surely you feel tired when you get home, and the only thing that you want is to go to bed. Many people would say that you have to fight with yourself, and trust us, you will not only feel better, but you will also improve the quality of sleep.
Spend time outside
The summer is here, so why would you spend your time indoors, watching a TV? A lot of people fall in the trap of depression because they feel that their life is boring. Your friends might be busy, so they cannot go out, but that doesn’t mean that you have to stay home. Naturally, it is more fun if you can share your free time with someone else, but, in the end, it is not necessary.
Instead of staying in because you don’t have company, go out and take a walk on your own. Put on your favorite playlist, or if you are in the mood for some new tunes, opt for chilloutradio.com, get into some comfy clothes, and go for a walk. The best part is that you can do this every night after getting home for work, and it still is a form of exercising, meaning that, afterward, you will have a good night’s sleep.
Take a long bath
Let’s be honest, there isn’t a better way to relax than to have a long bath. This is something that you can do every night you get home. Put your kids to sleep, take a glass of wine, and unwind for an hour or so. You can play some music and light scented candles. One more thing, you should add essential oils of your choice to the bath. That scent of lavender is going to help you forget about all of your worries for at least some time.
Have an early dinner
The most common mistake that people make is to eat right before they go to bed. What’s more, they usually don’t have light meals but, instead, opt for a pizza or some sugary snacks. The main thing that every professional will advise you is to avoid eating late at night. Not only will you easily out on extra weight, but an excessive amount of food that is not yet digested can negatively affect the quality of the sleep. Believe it or not, this is the main reason why you feel tired in the morning even though you have just woken up.
Because of this, you should avoid eating anything at least two hours before you go to bed. Plus, a lot of people fall into the trap of stress eating, and we cannot emphasize enough how bad this can be for both your body and mind.
Avoid screen time
Nowadays, it almost doesn’t matter what line of work you are in because, almost certainly, you use some piece of technology or certain devices on a daily basis. The last thing that you should do when you get home is to continue staring at the screen.
According to research, the light that comes from devices can disrupt our body’s melatonin production, which means that it can easily trick our mind into believing that the day is still going on. It is the main reason why people have trouble going to sleep at night since most of us are in a habit of scrolling through social media feed or watching funny video clips on our smartphone.
In order to prevent this from happening, you should completely eliminate screen time a few hours before you go to bed. We understand that sometimes this is not possible, but still, you should give it a try. Instead of spending time on Instagram or YouTube, turn off your phone, and read that book that has been on your nightstand for weeks.
