How to relax after a hard day? How to learn to relax? Advice from a psychologist. How to relax after work

    Admit that you are stressed. Obviously, a little stress is good for us - it brings interest, excitement and motivation into our lives, bringing it into the right balance. However, when the level of stress in your life forces you to put up with things that are detrimental to you and constantly worry you, you risk slipping into a state of extreme stress. You are under severe stress if:

    Make time for relaxation. Once you've accepted that stress is negatively impacting your life, it's important to find time to relax amidst your busy schedule. Here's what will help you bring rest and relaxation back into your life:

    • Get rid of guilt. Influenced by many religious beliefs and cultural beliefs, we often overestimate the value of hard work. With the passage of time and the advent of smart technologies that keep us on alert 24/7, many of us have come to the conclusion that staying busy is the only way to prove our worth. Misinterpreting the concept of “hard work” can completely drain you. Hard work is about giving your tasks the right amount of attention at the right time, rather than letting them take over your day!
    • Accept the fact that sleep is a very important part of life. While you sleep, your brain continues to learn in ways that are not possible while you are awake. Sleep restores your body in many ways that are not possible while you're awake. Don't be tempted to underestimate it. It is claimed that some people feel great after 4 hours of sleep, but this is the exception rather than the rule - most of us need 6-8 hours of sleep to fully recover. Dreaming is a very important part of the sleep process, allowing you to explore the farthest corners of your imagination.
    • Make time for relaxation during your day. Think of it as a meeting with your most important client - yourself! - which you cannot miss or reschedule.
    • If you are at home, mark this time on your calendar in black ink for everyone to see. This will help your whole family understand how important it is to give you time to relax.
    • Understand that you may not find the best way to relax right away; you will have to do it through trial and error Don't give up: keep searching until you find the right combination of activities that allow you to relax and restore your enthusiasm and desire to live life to the fullest.

Relax your body

  1. Practice breathing techniques. Slow down your breathing and actively concentrate on it. This is usually the easiest way to calm down.

    • Breathe with your belly. Place your hands on your stomach and as you inhale, try to push them with your stomach away from you, and as you exhale, on the contrary, bring them closer to you.
    • Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
    • Inhale for a count of five, hold your breath for five seconds, and then exhale slowly for a count of five. Do this ten times to relax your muscles and nerves. As you exhale, imagine that stress and tension are leaving your body along with the air.
  2. Eat healthy. Eating well will help your body feel balanced and healthy, making you less sensitive to blood sugar spikes and anxiety. Practice moderation in the following areas:

    • Avoid excessive consumption of refined sugar, which is found in candy bars, cookies and sodas. Carbohydrates found in pasta, for example, are easily converted into sugar. This can cause your blood sugar levels to spike and drop, interfering with your body's ability to use energy efficiently and causing you to feel anxious.
    • Don't overuse caffeine. Large amounts of caffeine can make you nervous and irritable. Try not to consume caffeine after 13:00 or 14:00 and do not increase your morning dose. If you need more coffee than you should, switch to decaf coffee or herbal tea with little or no caffeine.
    • Drink water. Drinking a cup of water at a time will energize your body and give your brain a chance to take a break and then look at a stressful situation with fresh eyes.
    • Eat fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains that do not contain refined sugar: apples, grapes, carrots, broccoli, brown rice or whole grain bread.
    • Eat plenty of low-calorie proteins: chicken, fish, grains, legumes, dark leafy vegetables or low-fat dairy products. These proteins are the best source of energy.
    • Take a multivitamin. Some vitamins relieve stress. Vitamins B and D are especially good for relaxation.
  3. Exercise every day. This is the most famous, scientifically proven method for significantly reducing stress. You'll be surprised how much easier it is to deal with stress when you exercise regularly. Here are some ideas to try:

    • Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity per day.
    • Take a walk in the park, in the forest, or run on a treadmill.
    • Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
    • Park further away from the store so you can walk to it.
    • Take up swimming. Try going to the pool or the nearest lake. You don't have to be a top swimmer - just know how to float in the water.
    • Do some stretching. Drop your shoulders to relax. Tension usually accumulates in the shoulder and neck areas.

Relax your mind

  1. Practice positive thinking. Positive thinking is not about daydreaming and having your head in the clouds. It aims to make the best of the situation and stop escalating in anticipation of the worst.

    Think logically and control your emotions. If you think more coherently and logically in a stressful situation, you may find that solutions become more obvious.

    • Look at your stressors objectively. Take a realistic look at what irritates you and imagine what you would advise your friend in such a situation. Then follow your advice.
    • Change your way of doing things. If the problem is something you do, change the way you do it or react. Stop and listen to those around you to figure out what you are understanding or doing wrong and adjust your actions.
  2. When you feel overwhelmed, find a quiet place and pamper yourself.

    • Take a warm bath. If desired, light candles around the bath, dim the lights, add foam or lavender.
    • Lie down on your bed or couch. Play some light music or sounds of nature. Relax while listening to the ocean waves, waterfalls or birdsong.
    • Read a good book. Curl up on the sofa with a blanket and a cup of chamomile tea.
    • Imagine your own personal paradise. Close your eyes and imagine a different environment. What do you see around you? Is there any wind? What do you hear - birds or water? Imagine the soothing sound of ocean waves. Enjoy the moment in a place that is special to you.
    • At work, even a bathroom stall can serve as a quiet place to take a break if you have nowhere else to go.
  3. Stop feeling guilty. Guilt is a potential source of stress. Eliminate guilt: Stop doing things that make you feel guilty. Seek professional help if necessary, but do not allow destructive behavior to escalate and ruin your life and health.

    Learn to prioritize. Make a to-do list for the day. Organize your list by importance and be proactive, that is, deal with issues before they become problems. Time spent more productively means more free time to relax.

    • Work! You may feel like it's counterproductive to your goal of relaxing, but procrastination doesn't feel as good as getting things done. Complete your tasks now, and then you can truly relax.
  4. Practice meditation. Let go of all thoughts and emotions by focusing only on your breathing. Meditation as a form of relaxation helps you focus on your being rather than on one part of the body like other relaxation techniques. Mastering this technique may take some time, but the results are worth the effort.

    Consider self-hypnosis. Focus on something, take a deep breath and try to enter a hypnotic state. If you are having trouble with self-hypnosis, consult a professional hypnotist. Don't let amateurs hypnotize you and beware of subliminal messages.

    Do activities or hobbies that help you relax. Take a break from things that usually cause you stress. Maybe you just need to take a break.

    • Go fishing, sew, sing, draw or take photographs.
    • Try singing a song using numbers instead of words. Singing can help you relieve stress quickly.
    • Use music as relaxation therapy. Turn it on as loud or as low as you need to calm yourself down.
  5. Spend time with your pet. Play with or pet your pet. He will love it and so will you. Tell him about the stress and worries that are bothering you, and you will feel much better. Animal therapy is one of the most effective ways to relax. You can also learn a lot from watching your pet relax (note: animals don't suffer from guilt!).

    Smile and laugh. Laughter is the best medicine. Watch a funny movie. This is guaranteed to help. Smiling and laughing release endorphins, which fight stress, help you relax, and remind you that life is more than just work. Learn to smile more often, even if you feel strange at first.

Stay calm around those who cause you stress

Sometimes negativity and unrealistic expectations from other people can undermine your resolve to make relaxation an important part of your life. Don't let this happen. Instead, consider the following suggestions to help you stay calm around those who are tense.

  1. Create an invisible shield between you and stressed people. This is a real visualization technique: imagine that you are in a cocoon that protects you from negative vibrations from people who are stressed. Look at their behavior and attitude towards themselves, notice what stress does to them, but don't let it seep through your shield.

    • Don't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders - these people chose this behavior themselves, and you shouldn't follow them.
    • Detaching yourself from other people's stress may seem difficult at first, especially if you're an empath, but keep at it until the ability to not give in to other people's negativity becomes second nature.
  2. Learn to disconnect. Put down your phone, close your email folder, walk away. If you want to respond to a person out of anger that he has caused you, do not do it. When we are angry and stressed, we tend to interpret everything negatively, and if we act on anger, we can cause a response outburst of anger. Learn to wait it out.

    • Write a draft of your answer and let it sit for a day. If after 24 hours everything it says still seems correct to you, submit it. If not, you'll be grateful you didn't send it right away.
    • Go away and calm down. Instead of acting in anger, withdraw temporarily until you can reason and act calmly.
  3. Avoid toxic personalities. Spend less time with people who try to make you feel guilty or feel like you're not good enough. Yes, even if it's your family.

    • Stay away from people who constantly complain and are unhappy. Stress can be contagious, so avoid carrying it around. Understand that there is always a solution to a problem, even if those people don't see it or don't want to see it.
  4. , which emit heat. Being around positive and cheerful people gives you strength and helps you feel calm and happy.
  • When you eliminate sugar from your diet, you may feel low. Be strong. After a couple of days, your sugar cravings will subside and you will feel calmer. Also try adding cinnamon to your food. It will help curb your desire to eat sweets.
  • Read a book or article that makes you think. Read about a person whose example you find inspiring. Inspiring thoughts will help you perceive life more positively and give you more energy.
  • Before going to bed, do not start anything that requires a lot of effort or energy. Too much stress before bed will prevent you from relaxing and falling asleep properly, which can lead to sleep disturbances and increase stress.
  • Breathe deeply and slowly to release energy and relax.
  • Download some e-books on relaxation. Use controlled breathing, muscle tension and release, affirmations and visualization to help you relax completely.
  • Listen to relaxing music to calm down and not think about anything.
  • You don't have to train like a bodybuilder or a celebrity. Choose exercises that you enjoy and want to do, rather than trying with all your might. If the only active recreation you like is walking, walking for 20 minutes a day will be enough.
  • Get your home in order. It's very difficult to relax in a house where you constantly come across junk.
  • Calm down with water. Place a small fountain in your bedroom or in the garden. Take a walk on the beach or along the lake. The sounds of water can be very soothing.
  • Relax while taking a bath.
  • Sometimes put yourself first. We often think about other people's problems and this makes us more and more nervous every day.

Warnings

  • Talk to your doctor if stress causes severe symptoms such as headaches, decreased appetite, or general fatigue.
  • Thousands of people, without realizing it, become dependent on drugs and alcohol during periods of extreme stress. Resist so this doesn't happen to you. One of the hardest parts of dealing with stress is recognizing it and avoiding temptations that help you forget about it but don't make it go away.

Coming home after a hard day at work, we naturally want to relax. But not every person knows how to do it correctly. It's actually quite simple. It only takes a little time to get back to normal..I will share with you how you can relax after a hard day at home and outside the home.

After a working day, I, like any person, need rest. But is it possible to relax when you have a large family that requires attention? Cook dinner, check homework, iron clothes for the next day. All this and more have already become an integral part of our lives. With such a rhythm, all I want is to just lie down and sleep. What will happen tomorrow? Tomorrow the alarm will ring again and everything will start all over again. With such a rhythm of life, it is difficult to find time for yourself and your loved one. Constant stress and lack of sleep will sooner or later take their toll.

But even left alone with myself, I could not rest well. The house seems quiet and cozy. But I couldn’t get rid of the strange feeling of being lost. Every time my eyelids closed, I found myself thinking that I had forgotten to do something. And no matter how hard I tried to distract myself, nothing helped.

So you can easily relax before bed at home

One day, waking up on Saturday morning, I realized that any more time and I would have a nervous breakdown. To avoid this, I had to put aside all household chores and get serious about solving the problem. So, after some time, I learned to relax properly. I learned the most effective methods for myself, and now I actively use them.

Hot bath - this is the best medicine. Water can have a beneficial effect on the body. It doesn't matter whether it's just a shower or a long stay in the water. Either way, it will reduce stress and improve your mood. True, I would recommend running a bath with hot water and adding various oils and salts. This will help you calm down completely.

To achieve a relaxing effect, it is better to take a bath in the evening. Warm or hot water works well. It will help calm the nervous system and relieve stress after a hard day. But to recharge your energy, it is better to use a contrast shower.

I think that advice on listening to music for relaxation will not surprise anyone. And we all know that its sounds can affect us - both positively and negatively. The human body easily responds to vibrational frequency. Thus, due to personal individual vibrational rhythms, each of us develops our own musical taste.

To relax, it is advisable to choose pleasant and calm melodies.

  • Watching your favorite movie and reading your favorite book

Films that can relax should attract with their plot. Immersing yourself in an atmosphere that is interesting to you will perfectly relieve painful thoughts after a working day. True, there are not so many such paintings and books in our time. But perhaps you already have something similar in your home collection.

  • Physical activity: exercises, gymnastics

You can achieve relaxation by doing simple exercises.

First, let's look at the exercises in the "lying" position.

  • You need to stretch your arms out in front of you. After that, lift them up. Tighten up. Then you can relax them by slowly lowering them down.
  • Raise your legs up and tense. Then calmly lower it, relaxing.
  • Raise your torso and lower it slowly. Repeat the exercise with turning your head, now to the right, now to the left.

We perform the following exercises in a sitting position.

Now let's look at the standing position.

  • You need to raise your arms up and bend your back slightly, tensing your muscles.
  • Place your hands on your belt and bend over. Forward, backward, left and right.
  • Exercise "mill". Here you need to perform circular movements with your hands.

In order to relax after work, you can also go for a run. But it is advisable to run until you feel slightly tired, and then the nervous fatigue will subside.

  • Small solution home problems

If you don’t have time to exercise or listen to light songs, you can always do household chores. But it is not advisable to grab hard work. You need to pay attention to light family chores. For example, some people love to cook. Therefore, for them, preparing a family dinner becomes the best vacation.

  • Relaxing tea

For me, tea is life. I really love the tea drinking process. This is probably why relaxing tea helps me so much. One of the simplest, in my opinion, cooking recipes, many consider brewing green tea.

We very often hear about the beneficial properties of this drink. But if we add a few more ingredients, we get a healthier tea.

So, we will need:

  • a glass of milk;
  • glass of water;
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon;
  • ¼ cup sugar, preferably brown.

It really helps you relax and enjoy life.

Sometimes, in addition to relaxing within the walls of the house, I use other methods of relaxation. Every person needs to change their environment at least once every two weeks.

  • Visit to the spa

Not long ago I was invited to a spa for the first time in my life. I didn’t know what procedures awaited me here, as I decided that they would be a surprise. Now I don’t even remember all the secrets and subtleties, so I won’t talk about them. But I will definitely recommend it to all my friends to try it.

Of course, lying on the couch at home and watching an interesting movie is always a pleasure. But we want to change the situation, get new impressions? Then don't be lazy to visit the cinema. These are completely different emotions! Here I forget that there are a lot of people around. I buy myself popcorn. I make myself comfortable in the chair. And after immersing myself in the film, I don’t even remember the problems that weighed me down before.

  • Meeting with friends in a restaurant or cafe
  • Massage

What could be better than a massage? It's a wonderful feeling when every cell in your body relaxes. After a professional massage, it is generally difficult to think about anything. The only desire is to continue to drift on the waves of pleasure. During the procedure, thoughts about work will not arise. And after such relaxation, a charge of vigor and freshness is absolutely guaranteed.

Anna Krachek | 6.09.2015 | 2797

Anna Krachek 09/06/2015 2797


Stress kills thousands of nerve cells in minutes. We learn to quickly get rid of it.

There are times in life when all the bad things come at once: problems at work, tension in relationships with your husband, children’s reluctance to study, lack of money. You rush around like a squirrel in a wheel, trying to bring life back to normal, but you feel that a little more and your nerves will give in.

Stop for a minute, catch your breath, and try one of these quick relaxation techniques. They won’t take much of your time, but your mood will immediately improve and stress will subside.

Hot bath with essential oils

A bath filled with hot water is one of the most affordable and effective ways to relieve stress at home. The principle of its operation is very simple: immersing yourself in hot water, you again seem to find yourself in your mother’s womb, where you felt warm, calm and good.

Add a few drops of essential oil to the bath and you will greatly enhance the effect of the procedure. Oils of lavender, orange, ylang-ylang, bergamot, and mint are known for their relaxing effect on the nervous system. The oil must be diluted in some base (milk, base oil, honey), and the resulting mixture must be dissolved in water.

Be careful: the bath water should not be too hot, otherwise it may adversely affect the functioning of the cardiovascular system. The optimal temperature is 37-38 degrees.

Meditation

In Eastern cultures, meditation is the main method of dealing with stress and finding inner harmony. Why don't we try it for ourselves?

For a meditation session, you will need a secluded place where no one and nothing will distract you from the process. If the weather permits, go outside: to the lawn in a small park or to the river bank.

Take the most comfortable position for you (it is not at all necessary to sit in the lotus position), breathe deeply and evenly, relax all your muscles as much as possible. Try to throw away all thoughts about problems, affairs and feelings. Focus on the breathing process, be aware of each inhalation and exhalation.

During meditation, try not to move or be distracted by extraneous noises. Pronouncing a monotonous sound such as “Mmmmm” can help with this, but this is not at all necessary.

If you can spend at least 5-10 minutes in a state of immersion, you will feel much calmer and relaxed.

Neuromuscular relaxation

This relaxation technique is often used during hypnosis sessions, but it can also work well for relieving stress at home.

Take a comfortable position. It is best to lie on the floor with your legs and arms spread apart. You can also sit in a comfortable chair or on a sofa. Turn off the TV and music, ask your family not to disturb you or make noise for 15-20 minutes.

Close your eyes and begin to mentally relax every muscle in your body. Imagine how your legs become warm and heavy, you cannot lift them off the floor. Then do the same for your hands. After this, imagine your body going limp. Lastly, relax your neck and face, allowing your head to hang freely. Stay in this position for a few minutes, trying not to move.

Finish the session by stretching as if you had just woken up. You will be surprised how much your well-being and mood will improve!

Output of aggression

This method is good if for some reason you are very nervous and angry. If aggression is not released in time, it will cause considerable damage to your health: suppressed emotions lead to nervous breakdowns and the occurrence of depression.

Don't take your anger out on your colleagues or family; instead, take a pillow and beat it well, imagining the person who made you angry. With each blow, you will feel the negative energy leaving, and calmness taking its place.

There is another good way to get rid of bad emotions, but to do it you will need all your acting skills and a good imagination. Imagine that your left hand suddenly goes crazy: it convulses, moves absolutely chaotically, you cannot control it. The more “wild” the movements are, the better!

Now imagine that the madness has spread to your right hand. Then - on the legs and torso. Move your arms and legs as you please, move your pelvis and other parts of your body intensively. After 5 minutes, stop and restore your breathing. The effect of such a “wild dance” is simply incredible! You won’t even remember about stress and nervous tension.

By the way, it is better to perform this exercise in solitude. Otherwise, there is a high risk of ending up seeing a psychiatrist.

Pets

Cats, dogs, horses and other animals, being close to a person, help relieve stress and calm. If you have a pet, pick him up, pet him, and play with his favorite toys.

If you haven't got a pet yet, feed homeless animals or go to a shelter: volunteers are always needed there. This way you will not only relax and relieve stress, but also do a truly good deed. And who knows: you might find your best friend for life.

In the modern world, people are exposed to stressful situations every day, every minute to a small or large extent. We all work and have a social circle, a loved one or are looking for one. There are times when it is difficult to concentrate, or you make a mistake in your work, or there is a conflict in a relationship or communication. Sometimes it’s even just that today was a hard day. Because of this, our body is tense and psychologically we are also tense. And often we ask ourselves: “How to relax?” And in this article we will give the answer, breaking it down into the following points:





How to learn to relax psychologically?

Learning to relax psychologically is the first stage of knowing yourself. Unfortunately, nowadays people rarely do something they love. We get used to living in a work-home rhythm.

If you often feel tense and constantly cannot relax, it’s time to think about the fact that you are not paying enough attention to yourself. You are so carried away by your rhythm of life and solving problems or household chores that you have forgotten the most important thing - yourself. You forgot that you need to pay attention to yourself. First of all, you must be aware that you are under the influence of stressful situations, that your body can be tense, and that you may feel depressed. Each person has individual needs and each has their own methods for relaxation. It all depends on your tastes and hobbies.

In order to learn to relax psychologically, decide what you would like to do. Someone may like to do handicrafts, someone once wanted to write a book, maybe you dreamed of working with children. It could even be playing sports. Ask yourself the question: “What do I need to relax?” Look inside yourself and you will definitely answer it. Look at your daily schedule and set aside time for yourself, at least one or two hours a day for yourself.

Meditation techniques and some yoga practices also help you learn to relax. They consist of a set of activities to obtain a guaranteed result: relaxation and inner peace. Start going to yoga or take up relaxation classes at home.

How to relax without alcohol?

It is considered a misleading opinion to say that I relax with the help of alcohol. In principle, in small quantities, alcohol gives relaxation, but in practice, in fact, alcohol does not relax, since after a stressful situation, a person trying to relax with alcohol, most often after the first glass, already reaches for the second and subsequently becomes heavily intoxicated, and this will only aggravate stress and give the opposite reaction, the person will become irritable and nervous.

What to replace alcohol with? In fact, stress is a surge of adrenaline into the blood. A person begins to think faster in a stressful situation, and his body requires physical action.

One option to solve the problem is to play sports. What type is at your discretion. The main thing is that you can throw out your emotions. Or if you feel depressed after stress, a walk around the city or park will help.

How can you relax at home before bed?

After a hard day, especially if it was very active. There are times when it is simply very difficult to fall asleep. There are thoughts swirling in your head that don’t allow you to relax, and you’re spinning on the bed like a spinning top. What to do? How to relax yourself? There are several options:
  1. Clear your head of thoughts that make you tense and constantly think about the situation. Just force yourself not to think about your problem, since tomorrow it will definitely be resolved with a positive result. You need to distract yourself with something, for example, think about something pleasant for you. Can be used to relax meditation techniques.

  2. Exercise. This does not mean that you need to get up and jump and overload your body even more. No, just do a few exercises to relax your muscles, the main thing is that they are light and not forced, without heavy load.

  3. You can also get a massage. It will definitely relax all your muscles and give your body and inner world peace. During massage, you can use aromatic oils for relaxation and tranquility.

  4. Take a warm bath, it will help relax your body muscles, and you will begin to feel sleepy. Your body is relaxed and you will fall asleep peacefully.

How to learn to relax during pregnancy?

During pregnancy there can also be stress. And when the expectant mother is worried not only alone, due to stress, but also at this time thinks about the child, her worries double.

If your tension is caused by worries about future childbirth, do not hesitate, tell this experience to your doctor, or to relatives and friends who have also been pregnant and know and remember how you also worried. They will definitely advise you and dispel your worries. Always remember that you are already responsible for the life of your unborn child, and what you experience, he experiences with you. Learn to relax. Give yourself time to relax. Even if you do not attend any classes and are constantly at home, you can do this at home:

  • First of all, you need to find a place where no one will distract you and where it is quiet.

  • Turn on relaxing music that you like, preferably classics.

  • Sit comfortably, this could be your favorite chair, or reclining on the sofa. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Feel how energy spreads throughout your body as you inhale, bringing you warmth and happiness.

  • Remove all interfering thoughts. To do this, you can use the following technique: your thoughts are clouds, behind the clouds is a clear blue sky. You mentally push the clouds away, clearing the sky.

  • Dream about how good it will be when your baby is born. Give free rein to your imagination, enjoy the feeling of love and happiness. After the end of relaxation, the main thing is not to get up suddenly.

  • Open your eyes, move your arms and legs. Tighten all parts of your body in turn. Now you are ready to stand up. And if at this moment you look inside yourself, you will understand that it is warm and calm there.

Give yourself 10-15 minutes every day to practice.

How to relax after stress?

If something happened in your life and your body experienced stress, what to do in such a situation? When common sense flies out of your head, when you yourself don’t understand what’s happening around you. Naturally, at the moment of stress and for several minutes or hours after it, a person does not think about how to avoid a stressful situation or how to calm himself down. The nervous system is overstrained. In such situations, people behave differently. More often they withdraw into themselves, they think and do nothing.

What do we have to do? The first thing is to rid yourself of thoughts. Do something. Go, walk around the city, take a contrast shower, go to the gym, tell the situation to a loved one. Do something - don't isolate yourself. After you have done something, a few hours will pass and the stressful situation will no longer seem so shocking. When your brain is freed from unnecessary thoughts, it will begin to work and look for ways to solve the problem.

It is impossible to rid yourself of stressful situations in life altogether. And for what? In minor stressful situations, we think better and find ways to get out of the current situation. That is, stressful situations help a person. But how you perceive stressful situations is another question. There is no need to try to run away from stressful situations, because running away is already stress. You just need to start perceiving the world not from the black side, but from the white side. Look at it from the other side, as an optimist. Know that everything that is not done is done for the better.