10 Ways to Unwind After a Stressful Day

Sharing is caring!

With all the things that go on in our everyday lives, it is no surprise that we need to learn how to unwind after a stressful day. There is so much happening that can make you feel stressed or wound up – from having to work too much to the pandemic, natural disasters, social injustices, and any of the negative things that could be going on in your personal life.

Since you don’t have much control over some of these things, and they will probably occur often, it would be good for you to know how to unwind after a stressful day in order to protect your mental health. You will feel well-rested, relaxed, recharged, and ready to go back out there to face any challenges that may come your way.

If you are feeling wound up lately, this post will provide you with some of the best ways to unwind after a stressful day.

RELATED POSTS:
* 8 Reasons Why You Should Start Slow Living (and How to Practice It)
* 11 Things You Should Prioritize in Life (Top Priorities to Have)

How to Unwind After a Stressful Day

1. Take a long bath

Have you ever noticed how refreshed you feel after bathing? It feels as if your burdens and stressors were washed away as you scrubbed your body and the water ran over you.

When learning how to unwind after a stressful day, taking a warm shower or a long bath in the bathtub should be one of the first things you do once you get home from wherever you spent the day.

Taking a bath relieves stress and boosts your mood because your body releases endorphins in response to the warm water. The water also helps you relax by soothing your tense and sore muscles.

Bathing before bed can help you beat insomnia and sleep better at night.

READ ALSO: 10 Things to Do When You Can’t Sleep at Night

2. Do a hobby

One of the best ways to relax and raise your spirits is to do something you enjoy doing, such as your hobbies.

Some hobbies you can do to relax and unwind after a stressful day include cooking, knitting, blogging, fishing, listening to music, painting, playing an instrument, dancing, gardening, and gaming.

Personally, playing online games and listening to music work best as ways to unwind after a hard day.

I recently discovered this website called Plays.org, which has a large collection of free online games that have helped in relieving stress and boosting my mood.

As a Marvel movies fan, I’m currently enjoying playing their Incredible Hulk Chitauri Take Down, Avengers Hydra Dash, and Spider Man Mysterio Rush games the most.

If you also want to learn how to unwind after a stressful day, head over to Plays.org and have fun trying out some of the games as well.

Most are easy to play, and others are similar to some classic games you probably played as a kid, such as Solitaire, Tetra Blocks (which is inspired by Tetris), and Pac Rat (which is similar to Pac-Man). You, therefore, won’t have to worry about not having the skills to play if you aren’t an avid gamer.

Plays.org is constantly adding new games, even on weekends, which ensures you will never lack something to play whenever you need to relax or lift your mood.

There is a game for everyone to love on this website, but remember to play in moderation.

READ ALSO: 6 Mental Health Benefits of Playing Solitaire

3. Make your home relaxing

Your home environment can either make you feel relaxed or more stressed. It could be something about the tidiness, organization, décor, smell, lighting, and the energy in the house, or other factors.

If you always feel stressed or tense whenever you enter your house from work or elsewhere, you should consider making your home feel more relaxing.

A relaxing home will make it possible for you to unwind after a stressful day. You can make your home more relaxing by cleaning, decluttering, and becoming organized.

Other ways to create a calm and tranquil atmosphere at home include using relaxing color schemes in your interior décor, practicing aromatherapy, lighting some scented candles, and using crystals for protection against negative energy.  

4. Take a nap

Napping is one of the best ways to unwind after a stressful day, even if it is only for a few minutes. Just don’t make it a habit, because not only will taking naps during the day or before your actual bedtime reduce your productivity, but it could also mess up your sleeping schedule.

Take naps only as a way to unwind when feeling stressed or to rest when too tired.

Napping will reenergize you, ease stress, and clear your head, thereby improving your problem-solving abilities.

READ ALSO: 7 Types of Rest Everyone Needs (and How to Get Them)

5. Read a book

An escape to the fantasy worlds created by authors in books may be just what you need when learning how to unwind after a stressful day.

If things feel too heavy in the real world, unplugging for a bit and curling up with a good book will help you get your mind off of whatever is making you feel stressed.

Choose whatever genre of books brings out positive emotions for you, those that motivate or encourage you to keep going during tough times, or those with stories that thrill and suck you into the fantasy world, thereby helping you forget your problems for a little while.

6. Watch some videos

Movies, TV shows, or videos on TikTok and YouTube, work similarly to books as ways to unwind after a stressful day.

If you prefer movies, you can go to the cinema or have a marathon from the comfort of your couch. You could also rewatch your favorite TV show or movie in order to bring up the positive emotions you experienced when you first watched it.

For a new experience, choose a film or series you have wanted to watch but never had time to do it.

The characters’ experiences in the movies could change your way of thinking about your problems or give you tips on how to overcome whatever is making you feel stressed.

On the other hand, videos on YouTube and TikTok are entertaining, and watching them will shift your attention from what is stressing you for a bit.

READ ALSO: The Impact of Video Games, Music, TV Shows, and Movies on Mental Health | MENTAL HEALTH AND MASS MEDIA

7. Exercise

Everyone knows the benefits of exercise to their physical health, but many underestimate its effects on mental health, such as helping in stress relief.

When feeling like you are wound up too tight and stressed, exercising is one of the best ways to unwind after a stressful day.

Exercise increases serotonin levels in your brain, hence improving your mood and overall sense of well-being. It also increases alertness and improves your memory as well as sleeping habits.

You could do workouts such as yoga, stretching exercises, swimming, running, or taking a walk to clear your head and unwind after a hard day.

READ ALSO: 20 Healthy Habits to Start in Your 20s

8. Practice meditation

In recent years, meditation has become a popular way to calm your mind and relax. Thus, if you are looking for tips on how to unwind after a stressful day, you should consider meditating.

Meditation involves sitting quietly and focusing on the present moment while observing your thoughts as they pass through your mind without any judgment or validation.

It helps you relax and unwind by clearing stressful thoughts from your mind and eliminating worries about the past or the future.

9. Write in a journal

Sometimes the things we think are so bad aren’t as bad when we look back at them more objectively. Perhaps you could even find something good that happened that day, even amid the chaos.

When you want to learn how to unwind after a stressful day, you can start journaling as a way to record the events of the day, track your thought patterns, and sort out your feelings.

As you reflect, you will most likely find something to appreciate and be grateful for each day which will help change your attitude.

Writing also reduces the burden on the brain having to remember everything.

READ ALSO: 10 Things to Remember When Going Through a Difficult Time

10. Spend time with your loved ones

Spending time with people and things that bring out positive emotions in you is another effective way to unwind after a stressful day.

These could be your family, friends, or even pets. They are your support system, whom you need most on such a day.

You could tell them about what is making you feel stressed, and as the adage says, a problem shared is a problem half solved.

Your loved ones don’t even have to offer advice or solutions to your problems. You only need their company and to have someone you can vent to without fear of judgment.

READ ALSO: 12 Best Ways to Show Someone You Love Them with Actions and Words

Wrapping Up

And there you have them! Above are some of the best ways to unwind after a stressful day. They will help you relax, rest, and recharge so you can stay healthy, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

What do you do to relax and unwind after a stressful day? Do you do any of the above activities?

---

Did you enjoy this post? Please share it.
Let’s connect: Twitter . Pinterest . Facebook . Instagram . TikTok . VK

Read more articles from Aisles of Life here.