I do not know why it sometimes seems as if the weight of the world comes crashing down on me. One minute I am fine. I might even be laughing or enjoying myself and then BAM! It’s like suddenly reality hits me and I find myself in a bad (or sad) mood and I couldn’t even tell you exactly why if you asked. Generally being a person of good disposition, this is how I know that stress is getting to me. I’m usually pretty good about managing my stress too, but we all probably know how life, with its variable ups and downs, can sometimes take its toll, despite your efforts to the contrary.
This is why it’s so important to take time to unwind. In fact, this should be a regular part of your routine every day. Yes, daily.
For some of us busy adults, this might seem like a challenge but I promise you that not taking time to relax or unwind from the stressors of the day will catch up to you. Daily relaxation helps you manage stress better. It will help you sleep better, which is a very important part of making sure you are healthy and performing your best every day.
Here are some ways that relaxation helps you:
- It makes your heart healthy.
- Helps prevent depression.
- Lowers your risk of stroke.
- Improves decision-making skills.
- Reduces junk food cravings.
- Helps you sleep at night.
- Can improve acne.
- Improves your libido.
There are so many different ways to relax, be it playing your favorite video games, watching anime, reading a humorous novel, talking to a good friend or even taking a nap. Everyone has their thing that helps them. In fact, you probably have several things, depending on the day, your mood, and what you’re up to at the time. Varied interests in relaxation can actually help make it easier to unwind and it prevents boredom.
When we are kids, it’s so easy to find time to unwind. It might seem like all you ever do is whatever the heck you feel like doing. That is the perk of being free of responsibility. But as we grow older and more demands are placed on our shoulders, managing the same amount of time we are all given in the day seems more difficult. You might find yourself actually having to plan relaxing time instead of just letting it come when it comes. See the thing about this is that it creeps up on you…
You’ll find yourself asking one day, “When was the last time I read a good book?” Or looking shocked at your gameplay stats or the last login date of you playing your favorite game. Really, I have not played in eight days? What have I been doing?! Worst of all, you might think When did I get OLD?!
The thing is, taking time to unwind every day keeps you young. It keeps you healthy. It keeps you from being depressed and it makes you more productive in your daily tasks. So it is more important than many people give it credit for. Allow yourself the time to play that favorite game, read a couple of chapters in your current book, meet a friend at the mall and go people-watching, take a nap, meditate, journal, or whatever it is that YOU do. Don’t feel guilty for taking care of yourself.
As for us, we’ll be doing the same and here at Reset After Dark, we invite you to join us. Tell us what you’re doing to unwind. We’ll tell you about our favorite things to do. We’ll learn and grow together as we go.
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