When Social Jet Lag Is Real, Here’s How to Relax

There are 896 new Facebook notifications, 365 unread emails, 2 missed calls and you’ve just discovered that the white shirt you had planned to wear to the conference tomorrow has a terrible coffee stain down the front of it.

In other words, it’s time to relax.

In our modern day world, where everything is all go-go-go and no slow, we ignore our body’s whispers for rest – often forgetting that in order to help others, we must first help ourselves.

This post is here to remind you that the time to recharge is when you feel most drained and provide you with some simple suggestions for making the most of the moments you do take to revitalize yourself.

8 Simple Ways to Unwind

“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.”

Try meditating

Meditation isn’t as intimidating as it sounds. There’s really no ‘right’ way of doing it and you don’t have to be on a special retreat somewhere to reap rewards. Simply find a quiet, comfortable space, close your eyes and begin to focus solely on your breathing. The idea is to (eventually) enter a state that blocks out external thoughts – so you can simply ‘be’ with the body.

There’s an abundance of free, guided relaxation meditation music videos, podcasts and articles online to help you get started and once you do, you’ll never look back. Meditation is an invaluable life tool with the ability to increase self-awareness, enhance inner peace, and calm the mind. 

Keep a journal of your thoughts

These days we email, print or publish most of the things we write, which means it’s increasingly common for us not to keep a log of our true thoughts as a way to unburden and release tension. Opening up in the privacy of a personal diary can be incredibly helpful in terms of giving you the space to process your daily musings.

Writing poetry or lyrics is also said to be extremely therapeutic – so much so some call it an act of ‘self-therapy’. Give it a try and see if it does anything for you. There’s no harm in trying! 

Take a long relaxing bath

There are many benefits to taking a bath that have been scientifically proven, such as its ability to improve heart health, ease muscular pains, and reduce stress levels. Of course, there are many things you do can do heighten the experience in terms of relaxation, like set the mood with candles, put on some music, enjoy a drink, and even throw in some luxury Pure Sanctum bath bombs, enriched with naturally calming ingredients such as Sea Salt, Contact Oil, and Shea Butter.

Whatever you do, don’t rush your time in the tub. Pamper yourself to a position in which you feel renewed – ready to cope with the everyday pressures of the 21st century.

Go for a brisk walk

Sometimes when you lead a hectic lifestyle, it’s really hard just to stay still and relax. If your anxiety gets the better of you, try going for a brisk walk. It may tire the body, but it will also help slow down a fast moving mind. Get a rhythm going and stick to it, bringing your thoughts back to your surroundings whenever work worries and the likes invade!

Again, this is another prime time to listen to some of your favorite music. Keep it upbeat or peaceful – unless you’re looking to evoke unresolved emotions, which is totally cool too. The whole point in this process is finding what you need to do for you and then of course, following through with it.

Watch a movie

Technology can assist us in unwinding, so long as we take precautions! It’s really easy to get side-tracked by Instagram when you decide to watch Netflix on your iPad or catch up on YouTube videos on your smartphone. We suggest actually going to the cinema alone or watching a movie on TV. Anyway you choose to do it, turn your notifications off or put your phone on silent/airplane mode if you don’t want to be bothered for awhile!

And keep in mind that it isn’t rude to give yourself boundaries. Watching a film without being interrupted every once in a while (as a necessary means of relaxation, might we add) is not too much to ask for.

Read a book

Find a book you think you’ll enjoy and gift yourself some time to really get your head into it. Keep it with you so that you can snatch some magic minutes of relaxation in between errands on even the busiest of days.

If you choose the right book for you, you’ll be able to unlock a whole new world at your fingertips! There’s nothing quite like it.

Try your hand at coloring

Adult coloring books are incredibly popular these days and for good reason! Similar to meditation, coloring is said bring about mindfulness and stress relief. This is because it allows us to switch off our brains and focus only on the moment. There’s a lot of tranquility in filling in an image and a real sense of gratification can come from seeing a piece come together.

Just try and see how it feels – once you get past the feeling of being a ‘big kid’ you’re likely to love it! Fun comes in all different forms, and this is an undeniably positive use of your time.

Invest in your rest

Sleep is the cure to social jet lag, but as we all know it isn’t always as straight-forward as hitting the pillow at night and waking up fresh in the morning. There are all sorts of things that can keep us up at night and mess up our sleep cycles. Don’t just endure it – find the source of your problem and tackle it directly.

If your mattress is old and uncomfortable, order a new one. If external sounds drive you crazy, get some earplugs. Make rest your priority and you’ll soon find it has a positive domino effect on the rest of your life.

Do you suffer from social jet lag? What are your symptoms? Let us know your thoughts and coping strategies by tweeting to @Pure_Sanctum!