How To Destress After Work

Stress can occur for many reasons. However, when asked the root cause of stress, many people will likely share that work plays a huge factor. And, with many people returning to the office after either a year or many, many months away, stress and anxiety levels are surely a bit higher than normal.

As we’ve discussed before, stress impacts sleep and sleep quality, which can then impact overall health. 

If you’re looking for a few stress busting tips that are easy to incorporate after a long day of work, read on!

How To Relieve Stress After Work

1. Take a warm bath. After a long, stressful day at the office (or home office), nothing says unwinding like a relaxing bath. Grab your favorite soothing bath and body products, set a nice, warm water temperature (not too hot - you want to protect your skin barrier!), and take a few minutes to yourself.
2. Exercise. You probably hear this all the time, but exercise is a proven way to reduce stress, feel well, and get great sleep. Even if it’s just a walk around the block (sometimes I even just exit a stop or two early on the subway. Hey, it counts!) or a quick workout video from YouTube, getting moving is always helpful. 
3. Go out for a nice, quiet dinner with friends. While I am a bit of an introvert myself, I do have friends and family who enjoy social activities after work or a particularly stressful day. Gathering a few close, supportive friends for a quiet dinner is a great way to boost happiness and keep stress at bay if you’re a social butterfly! 
4. Watch an uplifting movie. Sometimes, a funny, mindless, or an all-time favorite movie is just what we need. Queue up your favorite movie and make a fun snack as a nice way to wind down after a busy and stressful day.
5. Listen to music. Music is a great way to feel uplifted or to relax. Create a special playlist of slower or more soothing music for nighttime. Instrumental music is also a great choice, especially if you’re combining activities like reading or journaling with your music time.
6. Read a book. Reading is one of my favorite activities, and it allows you to escape into a wonderful world of characters, or to enjoy stories of fascinating lives or innovations. Not only does this help reduce blue light exposure after work/before bed, but this is a lovely way to set aside worries and delve into something fun. 
7. Take a nap. Not quite ready to go to bed, or working irregular hours? Getting in a quick nap will help reduce stress! Curl up in your favorite Sijo sheets and bedding for the ultimate, luxurious nap experience.
8. Try aromatherapy. Essential oils help activate the limbic system, which handles feelings and memories. Associating aromatherapy oils with calm and relaxing times will help relieve stress. We suggest diffusing your oils for best results.
9. Switch to comfortable clothing. Sometimes, just getting out of your work clothes helps you shed the pressure and anxieties of your day. Luckily, at Sijo, we have super comfy loungewear to help you transition into the most relaxing part of your day.
10. Disconnect from technology. We all know that blue light isn’t the best thing to be exposed to when trying to sleep or relax. Stress already causes sleep issues, and we wouldn’t want that to compound because of blue light exposure that keeps you awake. Analog activities like reading, journaling, drawing, or coloring are great ways to keep occupied without being glued to tech.
11. Meditate. Taking a few minutes and engaging in a meditation practice is an excellent way to tie a mindfulness activity to stress relief. You can meditate for as few as five minutes, or extend your practice to help keep calm on particularly stressful days.

No matter which of these options or combination of options you choose, taking the initiative to reduce stress will help your sleep, keep you in strong mental health, and may even grow into finding a new hobby. Getting stress under control is also beneficial for overall health, and will hopefully aid in reducing any uncomfortable moments at work.

What are your favorite ways to reduce stress? Let us know!