As of July 2023, the average UK worker worked for 36.4 hours a week. At the end of the working day, you can take tensions or stresses home with you. Here’s how to unwind away from the 9 to 5.
Relaxation is key!
Relaxation lowers stress hormones and improves mood. A simple, refreshing way to chill is by drinking relaxing matcha tea, peppermint tea and green tea. Herbal teas help you get a better night’s sleep, boost your immune system and burn fat. All these factors help when combatting stress.
Or you could pamper. With our intense work lives, more of us are escaping to the spa for treatments or breaks. The spa services market is a £70 billion global industry that is expected to grow to £206 billion by 2030.
A less expensive calming option is taking a bath. Being submerged in warm liquid has soothing ‘being in the womb’ connotations. Also, the drop in your body temperature after bathing aids sleep.
Meditation reduces stress, anxiety, depression and other negative emotions. This practice brings you into the present by focusing attention on a repetitive action, such as breathing or a mantra. All other thoughts are zoned out.
Boost physical health
Relaxing is good for your health, particularly your heart. Researchers at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre in Athens linked getting a good night’s rest to reduced risk of coronary heart disease. So, after work, unwind as naturally as possible.
Choose reading over TV. Eat your main meal at least two hours before bedtime (although the Sleep Foundation reports that a light snack before bed may be no bad thing), otherwise, acid reflux can kick in leading to heartburn that will adversely affect your sleep. And that will have a knock-on effect on your next day’s work performance.
Improve productivity and creativity
Taking a work break helps manage stress and avoids burnout. If you’re feeling cynical, exhausted, or withdrawn, step away. By taking a break, you can come back to your work with a fresher, more rested, more positive mindset. Not all jobs allow this, but the 52-17 rule advocates 52 minutes of focused work followed by a 17-minute rejuvenating break.
Improves relationships
A lack of quality sleep can impact on relationships. When you don’t get enough, your brain deals with basics. According to W. Christopher Winter, a neurologist and author of The Sleep Solution, when you’re not sleeping well, your brain’s function is reduced to basics: find food, urinate, get through the day. Conversations with partners or colleagues go out of the window. There’s an increased tendency to overreact to difficult situations.
Learning to relax, whether through sleep or the methods described above, is key to stronger, more positive interactions with others.
