My Favorite Ways to Unwind After a Stressful Day

You have had a hard day at work, had to run too many errands, or just had so much on you that you felt like you would never get it all done. That all adds up to stress with a capital "S". So, how do you go about unwinding after a hard and stressful day? Here are my top favorite things to do.

The first thing is I like to sit down and read my Bible or an inspirational book. Reading lets me escape into the book and not think about my day at all. When I am done reading I am usually calm, cool, and collected again.

The next thing I find comforting and helpful to relieve stress is to play a game with my child. Since he is only five we cannot, of course, play the games for older children and adults. However, we can go outside and run and jump and play until we are both so tired that I have completely forgotten about anything that my day held. And it also helps my little boy to go to bed earlier and get a good night's sleep. If you do not have children, pets are also absolutely wonderful stress relievers. It has been said that just having an animal on your lap and petting it can actually lower your blood pressure also.

Watching a comedy (sit-com) is another excellent way to relieve stress. Laughter is truly one of the best "medications" of all times. It not only relieves stress but also lowers your blood pressure, slows your heart rate, and has been said to fight colds, the flu, and certain other viruses and diseases.

And then there is the all time favorite for most women, the warm bubble bath surrounded by lavender and chamomile scented candles. Make sure to lock the door and threaten anyone who tries to bother you!

Sipping chamomile or other decaffeinated tea is also a wonderful stress relief. One of the best teas I have found to relieve stress is actually a peppermint flavored tea. It is wonderful with honey and lemon which also both helpful in relieving stress. The peppermint flavor perks you up while the honey and lemon tend to sooth.

Now the last one may sound a little weird but it works almost every single time for me. I actually like to play the game Solitaire on my computer. This helps me relax by making me think about something other than what went on during my day. Also, it has been said that playing games (even card games) can keep your brain working better thus warding off Alzheimer's. So you can actually get two benefits in one by playing a game.

Therefore, stress is a part of everyone's day. However, it does not have to ruin it. I hope these few tips help you as well as they do me.

Source:

Personal experience