4 Ways To Unwind At the End of a Long Day

WRITTEN BY MICHAEL EKE AND DR. SWATHI

In today's society, schedules are busy, and hours are lengthy. "The hustle" is often glorified in our culture. However, if you work hard all the time and don't give your body a chance to rest, you won't be successful in the long run. So, making time to stop and unwind has become of the utmost importance. In addition to a career, physical and mental wellness are also crucial. Read on to find out strategies to de-stress at the end of the day.

Why is it important to unwind?

Make downtime a priority by making it a particular goal and scheduling it into your day. It may be as easy as blocking off five minutes after work to do nothing. The same holds true for planned activities like play time and date nights. It can be a good idea to schedule 3-5 relaxation activities into your schedule for the work week. If your mind is racing before bed, it could be harder for you to fall asleep, and you might even have a restless night. If you’re totally relaxed by tuning into an evening routine and following sleep hygiene strategies, you'll be able to fall asleep quickly! Ongoing stress may  be harmful to your physical well-being and could cause . elevated blood pressure, digestive issues, weight gain, and more. These 4 methods will help you relax after a busy day.

Take a walk or exercise.

A good method to get your thoughts and feelings back on track after a stressful day at work or in general is to go for a walk or exercise. When was the last time you explored your own neighborhood? Maybe this is a sign to go for it–catching up with a podcast or your favorite genre of music. Consider taking a detour from your typical path and spend some time taking in the scenery around you. Your body, metabolism, heart, and spirit can lift dramatically with regular aerobic exercise. It has a special ability to calm and stimulate, to excite and relax, to counteract depression and reduce tension. To learn more about how movement is tied to the endocannabinoid system.

Prioritize your beauty sleep.

We (should) sleep for about a third of our lives. We cannot function well without sleep, which is a necessary and automatic activity. It is crucial for preserving excellent mental and physical health and is as necessary to our bodies as breathing, eating nourishing food, and drinking water. Not just our bodies, but our minds are  also repaired and restored while we sleep. One of the most crucial things you can do for your general health is to get enough good sleep. When you follow good sleeping habits, you'll probably feel much better equipped to handle stressful situations. After a hectic work week, having a healthy night of sleep can be your best course of action if you feel beyond overwhelmed.

Create a relaxing home environment.

The ideal home should be a haven where you can unwind from the worries of the day and escape from the outside world. It might not be possible to make your entire home a peaceful haven depending on the surroundings. Create a space in your home that you can retreat to and unwind. When you arrive home from a long day and feel like your house is a disaster, it will only make you feel more stressed. Spending time arranging what you're retaining into systems and getting rid of things you don't need is something to think about. A well-organized system can significantly lessen daily stress.

Try CBD.

To relax, think about exploring with some CBD products. After a day filled with deadlines and meetings, relaxing with CBD might be a wonderful option.Numerous people who use  CBD often have said that it helps them stay calm and reduces physical and mental stress. By positively influencing your body's endocannabinoid system, a key regulatory mechanism that maintains processes like stress and sleep patterns operating efficiently, CBD promotes balance and can positively improve your stress levels.

Conclusion

It's easier said than done to relax. No matter how many times we want  to relax, we frequently find it difficult to do so. Sometimes all it takes to start relaxing is setting aside some time to pause, take a breath, and continue. Remembering the advice and knowledge in this article could  help you relax before the following day. 

References

Shannon S, Lewis N, Lee H, Hughes S. Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series. Perm J. 2019;23:18-041. doi:10.7812/TPP/18-041

Sharma A, Madaan V, Petty FD. Exercise for mental health. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;8(2):106. doi:10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a

Hudson AN, Van Dongen HPA, Honn KA. Sleep deprivation, vigilant attention, and brain function: a review. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020;45(1):21-30. doi:10.1038/s41386-019-0432-6

Krause AJ, Simon EB, Mander BA, et al. The sleep-deprived human brain. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017;18(7):404-418. doi:10.1038/nrn.2017.55

Vitale KC, Owens R, Hopkins SR, Malhotra A. Sleep Hygiene for Optimizing Recovery in Athletes: Review and Recommendations. Int J Sports Med. 2019;40(8):535-543. doi:10.1055/a-0905-3103

Bhui K, Dinos S, Galant-Miecznikowska M, de Jongh B, Stansfeld S. Perceptions of work stress causes and effective interventions in employees working in public, private and non-governmental organizations: a qualitative study. BJPsych Bull. 2016;40(6):318-325. doi:10.1192/pb.bp.115.050823

 –

This article was edited by Dr. Swathi and was written by Element Apothec Scientific Communications Intern, Michael Eke. He is a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) candidate at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas.