How to relax at the end of the day

5 fast and easy ways to calm the flip down

Some people seem to have mastered relaxation and winding down. I want to, too! How about you? While I am still learning how to relax, I’m happy to report that I’ve found a routine that really helps me, a life-long anxiety battler!

No matter the external factors – (hey, work this week, talking about you) – I often find myself worked up at the end of a day.  I leave my office feeling overwhelmed about my mounting to-do list and worried about a project/deadline. By the time I arrive home, the what-ifs have taken over and my stress level has catapulted to a very un-fun level.

My evening relaxation routine is critical. If I do nothing to relax and wind down, my stress snowballs into an almost unmanageable state. So, I’m sharing what I’ve learned to do to relax. 

Before I jump into that, I must say the most important self-care activity that directly affects stress management is sleep. Do everything you can to get 7-8 hours of quality sleep. This will have a big impact on your ability to manage stress.

Basic, right? Yet most adults do not get enough sleep during the work week.  I used to think I was so tough, I didn’t need sleep. Sleep, I believed, was for people who had cushy, fluffy, stress-free lives. Then I got educated and thought, OMG. No wonder I’m stressed.

The more I learn about the science of sleep, the more it blows my mind how critical this is to our ability to be healthy in every way. When you are sleep deprived, your body and mind are stressed, which erodes your ability to manage stress. If you haven’t read Arianna Huffington’s The Sleep Revolution yet, do it.

5 ways to relax and wind down every night

1. Sit in quietness and write a list of what’s going well or what you’re grateful for that day.   

This is meditation meets journaling. It can take less than a minute, but it is extremely powerful in resetting your mindset to focus on all of the good in your life.

Most people I know, those with children and those without, jump down the TV/Netflix/Hulu/Roku/social media hole at the end of day. It’s tempting to settle on the couch and escape to those other worlds. That’s fine sometimes but that media fires up your brain. For me, consuming that content may distract from my immediate stressors (i.e. to-do list) but ultimately, make me feel more stressed.  I’ve been limiting my screen time on weeknights to 30 minutes.

2. Pick up your space.

I can’t truly relax if there’s a mess around me. I guess this is the backbone of the Marie Kondo stuff; clean up your space and you clean up your mind.  

If I spend 15 minutes every day tidying, I am way more relaxed because I don’t have that-needs-to-be-cleaned-up nagging thoughts squashing my serenity.

3. Move your body.

Have a solo dance party or take a walk. I’m not talking about intense exercising of your body; rather, simple movement to relieve stress from your mind. Exercise is important, too, of course but for the purpose of achieving relaxation, just move.

 4. Listen to relaxing music or sounds.

Music has always been magical for me. When I was a teenager and young adult, my headphones transported me to a different place – one that was serene and predictable when my reality was the opposite of that.

Today, music to relax comes in the form of playing my dad’s old Motown records and asking Alexa to fill my home with her best relaxing music.

When I’m in this listening mode, I avoid new songs with lyrics that my word brain will analyze. Instead, I pick ones I’ve known forever.   

5. Retreat to your relaxation zone.

For me, this is wherever Rocco (canine best friend) and Larry (feline best friend) are hanging out. Let’s be real; animals are greater than people.

But when I was growing up in my parents’ house, there was an extra bedroom with a super comfy pink chair beside a reading lamp. It was tidy and quiet. This was my retreat.

Create a designated zone for you to simply be…relaxed.

What works for you?  Share in the comments!