TOP 50 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO RELAX
Life is full of stressors. Whether it’s work, family, responsibilities or one of many deadlines, there is no shortage of things that wind us tighter than necessary. Lucky for us, there is an equal amount of relaxing remedies. The list below is 50 easy ways to relax and reduce your stress as a result.
1. Soak in the Hot Tub
Nothing says relaxation like soaking in a hot tub with the spa jets massaging your tense muscles. It never fails.
2. Read a Book
By reclining in your favorite chair and reading about a life that is not your own, you’re sure to forget about your troubles for a while.
3. Go Golfing
Whether it’s 9 or 18 holes, a crisp morning on the links by yourself or with a good friend can truly be its own form of therapy.
4. Drink Some Wine
Pick a quiet setting and your favorite bottle of wine and let a little liquid relaxation course through your veins and calm your nerves.
5. Get a Massage
Because tension and stress are literally harbored within your muscles, go to a masseuse and let the magic hands revitalize your body.
6. Watch TV
Sometimes the doctor’s best remedy is brainless television – turn on the tube, put on some pajamas and shamelessly veg out.
7. Lay on the Beach
It doesn’t have to be an exotic beach far away but, if you can find some sand and sun, a day on the beach is a great way to recharge your battery.
8. Take a Vacation
Vacations can be stressful if you’re trying to be everywhere at once; however, if you chose the right spot, it’s easy to leave your stresses at home.
9. Listen to Music
There is nothing more therapeutic than music – put on some headphones, lay down where you please, get lost in the rock n roll and drift away.
10. Lay in the Park
Find a grassy park, throw down a blanket and relax to the sounds of birds chirping and children laughing.
11. Yoga
It’s thousands of years old but its also the newest form of meditation that will help you channel your energy and revitalize your soul.
12. Road Trip
Pick a destination on your Bucket List, put on a mix-tape and hit the open road. As long as you don’t set a timeline, the miles of highway can work wonders.
13. Paint Something
You don’t have to be Picasso but artistic expression can be very therapeutic – let your mind wander and simply paint what you please.
14. Go for a Walk
Take a walk around the block or go for miles on end, regardless it’s some valuable alone time for your thoughts and a low impact kick-start for your body.
15. Put on a Movie
As long as it’s not a suspenseful thriller, putting on a light-hearted movie is a great way to zone out and forget your troubles.
16. Book on Tape
The best of both worlds – the benefit of reading combined with the brainless effort of television – listen to a book and reap all of the relaxing rewards.
17. Go to a Concert
If music is your tonic but headphones aren’t an option, go to a live show and let your soul feed off of the positive sonic energy.
18. Lay in a Hammock
Pick a nice summer day and simply kick it in the backyard hammock – let the breeze rock you back and forth and soak up the serenity.
19. Browse Facebook
Because Facebook is the newest form of mindless entertainment, block off some time and simply snoop around – you just might find your troubles aren’t so bad in comparison.
20. Go Hiking
It doesn’t have to be a colossal display of man vs. nature but a trek through the woods is a great way to release some endorphins and clear your head.
21. Cuddle with Your Lover
There’s no better way to boost your confidence and forget your troubles than cuddling with your lover in the most basic form of sexual healing.
22. Lay Under the Stars
Choose a clear and crisp evening and drive away from the city to marvel in the stars and connect with nature.
23. Go Swimming
Take a dip or take a dive but. Just think of the pool or lake as big hot tubs – the perfect recipe for decompressing relaxation.
24. Steam in the Sauna
If you can stand the heat, the sauna is a great place to cleanse your body, sift through your thoughts and press reset on your stress levels.
25. Write in Your Journal
Many view writing in your journal or blogging as a basic form a therapy – physically writing your thoughts and stresses can ultimately help you understand them and therefore, manage them.
26. Meditate
You may have to read up on proper techniques but the most intense form of relaxation is found through meditation – a spiritual way to fix the physical.
27. Take a Shower
Consider a shower as a baptism of sorts – you may enter with a weight on your shoulders but you’ll no doubt leave as a different person with a lighter load.
28. Curl Up by the Fire
If it’s in the dead of winter and laying out under the stars isn’t an option, find a fireplace, start a fire and curl up in front of the blaze with a hot cup of cocoa. Relaxation is imminent.
29. Enjoy a Nice Meal
It’s called comfort food for a reason but sometimes a nice meal and some hearty calories can take the edge off.
30. Call a Friend
Sometimes a conversation with the people that know you best can be the greatest source of comfort. Call a friend or your family and let them talk you off the ledge.
31. Walk the Dog
When your friends can’t be reached on the telephone, try spending some quality time with Man’s Best Friend. A simple walk around the block with the dogs can turn your attention to another being, distract you from your own problems and get you some exercise in the process.
32. Go Kayaking
A day on the lake in your own personal pod can be a serene sensation; therefore, kayaking is a great way to enjoy nature’s peacefulness and apply it to your life.
33. Go Shopping
There’s no need to rack up crazy credit card bills but sometimes shopping can be an effective way to curb your stress. Even if you don’t purchase, simply browsing can be therapeutic.
34. Enjoy the Porch Swing
Much like the hammock, a porch swing is another great way to drift in the breeze, enjoy a summer evening and feel like a child again.
35. Browse YouTube
Much like Facebook, YouTube is another avenue for brainless entertainment. Yep, go on a browsing spree and find yourself laughing like never before (and decompressing as a result).
36. Play an Instrument
Granted, if you’re just learning an instrument, it might be a stressful scenario but if you’re decently versed, creating music can be a phenomenal physical and mental release.
37. Cat Nap
If you’re over worked and under-paid, block off an entire Saturday or Sunday to simply lay around and cat nap as you please. Sometimes the best remedy for stress is laziness.
38. Go Camping
Any time you can get away from work, traffic, clocks and responsibilities is the best time to relax. Try a camping retreat in the mountains or woods where your only responsibility is maintaining a fire.
39. Exercise
Yes, exercise is physical exertion but in its healthiest form. Rather than thinking of it as a chore, consider the physical gain and enjoy the rush of endorphins.
40. Count to 10
Sounds elementary but try this technique anytime you just need to slow things down a bit. 10 can actually turn into your happy place.
41. Play a Video Game
Unless you take competition a bit too seriously, video games can be another great way to zone out and get lost in an alternative reality.
42. Use a Stress Ball
It’s a bit more old school but sometimes rudimentary remedies are the most effective – squeeze a stress ball until you’re blue in the face and see where it takes you.
43. See a Psychiatrist
Sometimes conversation with an expert can help you identify your stress, target the problems in your life and provide a system that will help you get back to a relaxed state of mind.
44. Pop a Pill
If your stress is linked to a medical condition like anxiety, depression or pain, just pop a prescribed pill and let modern science work its magic.
45. Watch the Waves
The ocean waves and their ability to roll in and out can be very hypnotic – perch yourself on a beach and simply watch the waves as a way to settle your soul and appreciate the bigger picture.
46. Go Dancing
Who knows, maybe a night on the dance floor is just what the doctor ordered for your tightly wound core? Get out there and shake it until you’re loose as a goose.
47. Daydream
Yep, just let your mind drift away from the real world and find a happy place – a place that is free of stress and full of hope.
48. Go Skiing or Snowboarding
A brisk run down the mountain can do wonders for the psyche. Not only is it another chance to connect with the majesty of nature but it’s also a great form of exercise.
49. Cook Something
Even if you don’t intend to eat it, you might try cooking or baking something for you or the neighbors – the process can be very therapeutic and a great form of constructive relaxation.
50. Take a Deep Breath
No need to get too fancy about it; the best quick fix for stress is breathing exercises – deep breaths – in through the nose and out through the mouth.
You finally found some time to relax in your hot tub. The swirling waters warm your muscles and increase your blood flow. Make the most of your hydrotherapy by adding some additional relaxation techniques. These three techniques practiced in the spa can increase the benefits of hydrotherapy and make you feel great:
A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep. Avoid arousing activities before bedtime like working, paying bills, engaging in competitive games or family problem-solving. Some studies suggest that soaking in hot water (such as a hot tub or bath) before retiring to bed can ease the transition into deeper sleep, but it should be done early enough that you are no longer sweating or over-heated. If you are unable to avoid tension and stress, it may be helpful to learn relaxation therapy from a trained professional. Finally, avoid exposure to bright before bedtime because it signals the neurons that help control the sleep-wake cycle that it is time to awaken, not to sleep.