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By making time to relax, you can significantly lower your stress levels, contributing to better overall health. Physical exercise is one of the most effective ways to relieve stress. When we engage in physical activity, our bodies release endorphins, which are known as “feel-good” hormones. Whether it’s a brisk walk in the park, a workout at the gym, or a yoga session at home, moving our bodies can significantly enhance our mood and reduce stress levels. Laughter is a natural stress reliever that instantly improves your mood. It triggers the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
How to develop a better work-life balance to reduce work stress
Picture yourself curled up on the couch, snuggled under a cozy blanket, and lost in the mesmerizing world of movies or TV series. Indulge in captivating storytelling, laugh at hilarious comedies, or get your adrenaline pumping with thrilling action scenes. Let your mind unwind as you escape into a captivating on-screen adventure.
Take a walk outside in nature
First of all, cleaning and doing house upkeep focuses your attention on something other than work. After all, that’s usually the goal of wanting to unwind after work. Setting work boundaries and learning how to say no professionally amphetamine addiction treatment also help you spend your evenings work-free. Whether by learning a new skill or language or exploring a new subject, reading opens your mind and world. If you’re reading fiction, you can become immersed in another world, rooting for the main character facing the story’s antagonist. Sometimes just hearing an “I understand” can make a burden at work easier to carry.
Professional well-being
Research suggests that getting even just 60 – 90 extra minutes of sleep per night could result in being overall happier and healthier. Aim for around 7 – 9 hours of shut-eye each night to wake up invigorated. Many people today battle intense stress and pressure given the professional requirements that are demanded of them daily. Needless to say, discovering how to de-stress after work is critical for anyone who wants to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Yes—relaxation supports recovery, lowers cortisol, and prevents chronic stress from turning into burnout.
Healthy Ways To Unwind After Work
But I am totally biased here since it is my all-time favorite TV show. Consuming too much caffeine may worsen stress, according to a 2021 review of literature. Overconsumption may also harm your sleep, which can increase stress. But being human, you have many other things to juggle personally and professionally. In between all this juggling, maintaining consistency at work becomes tricky.
Practice Mindfulness or Gratitude
As women, it is easy to push ourselves too hard at work and completely forget to take time for ourselves afterward. Doing this regularly can have severe consequences on our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. “If you see that little red circle with the number in it on your phone, even if you don’t check the email, you have to do the work of deciding not to look at it,” Dr. Smith says. Keeping these little alerts out of sight (and mind) gives you a chance to disconnect and clear your head –“otherwise, it’s like being on call all of the time,” she adds. I get absolutely absorbed – so much so that when it’s time to shut my laptop and make dinner, I seriously struggle with transitioning out of work mode.
- Piali Dasgupta, Senior Vice President – Marketing at Columbia Pacific Communities, shares her strategies for unwinding.
- We’ve compiled a list of 16 strategies you can do in 5 minutes (chewing gum, drinking tea), 10 minutes (writing, self-talk), or 30 minutes (a hot bath, decluttering).
- But taking that short break from reality can give your body and mind what it truly needs.
- When you’re done with your day, it’s time to find a healthy way to de-stress and relax so that your body and mind can both be in a healthy balance.
- Here are nine easy and affordable ways to destress and decompress at the end of your day.
If you don’t then you heroin addiction may find that you end up with a disrupted routine and this can leave your body unaware of when you need to stay awake and when you need to sleep. Be aware of what causes your stress and take breaks during your work day. Taking short breaks can recharge you and reduce stress levels. According to studies, participants who engage in leisure activities had higher levels of positive psychosocial states and lower levels of depression. Another study found that people who partake in leisure activities have lower stress levels and better stress-management skills. Adequate rest is crucial for maintaining mental health and recovering from work stress.
Ways to calm stress in 5 minutes or less
- For example, taking a bubble bath or doing yoga are both great ways to destress at the end of the week.
- One 2022 study of 94 people who were going to have gynecologic surgery found that those who chewed gum had a lower degree of preoperative anxiety.
- For instance, research has shown that aromatherapy interventions, like using essential oil blends such as STILL and FOCUS, may reduce stress levels in remote workers.
In turn, these effects help lower blood pressure and heart rate. High blood pressure and increased heart rate are physical symptoms of stress. Meditating consistently, even for short periods, may help boost your mood and decrease symptoms of stress and anxiety. Research shows that yoga can help reduce stress and promote psychological well-being.
- Have you ever wanted to try something new but never had the time?
- Contrary to popular belief, cleaning isn’t always a dreaded chore.
- One way I would often decompress after work is by having a commute call with my friends.
- Taking the time to move your body after a hard day’s work can help shift your perspective.
- It’s important to take the time to appreciate what life has to offer outside of stress for us to remain content and energized.
After a stressful day at work, yoga and stretching is calming. It slows down the heartbeat and helps release the tension in muscles, which are pretty tight after a hard day. In one study, adults were asked to spend 15 minutes journaling or drawing about a stressful event, or writing about their plans for the day, twice during one week. The people who journaled saw the biggest reduction in symptoms like depression, anxiety, and hostility, particularly if they were very distressed to begin with. Another study even found that journaling could make vaccines more effective. If you notice a change in your patience, consider whether you need to take a break or if there’s something bigger at play.
A warm bath, heated pad, or warm compress can help soothe tension in your muscles, especially after sitting at a desk all day. Heat therapy promotes better blood circulation, which can reduce stress-related pain and discomfort. Incorporating heat into your evening routine-such as using a sauna before bed-helps prepare your body for restful sleep. Whether it’s a warm shower or a cozy heated blanket, heat therapy can promote relaxation and ease both physical and mental tension, improving your overall sleep quality. Listening to music is a simple yet powerful way to reduce stress. Music can shift your mood by activating the brain’s reward system, helping you feel more relaxed and positive.
