10 Ways to Mentally Recharge After a Stressful Day

You know when you’ve just had “one of those days”? I’m talking about the kind of day that makes you feel the main character in Judith Viorst’s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. (If you have not read it, this is an adorable and relatable story your little ones will love!)

Everyone has this kind of day once in a while. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or what is causing your stress. Because the truth is, stress looks different for different people. You don’t need anyone to confirm that your stress is valid.

Maybe your kids had meltdowns ALL. DAY. LONG. Perhaps work kept piling up until it was completely overwhelming. Your family drama may have rivaled the Kardashians. Or your day could have been the definition of Murphy’s Law, where everything that could go wrong, did.

Regardless of what caused you to curl up into a ball by the end of the day, it is important to take some time to reset, recharge, and get back to a healthy state of mind. Here are 10 suggestions for how to do just that:

• Do something that you enjoy. Maybe you want to sink into your couch with a really good book, binge watch a few episodes of your favorite show, or channel your feelings into an arts and crafts project. Whatever it is that you find joy in, do it!
• Indulge in some self care. If you have the means (or maybe a partner looking for some brownie points), take a long bath, get a massage, or get that pedicure you have been putting off. Self care is something we should all be doing on a regular basis, but it can be especially needed after a mentally taxing day.
• Get outside for at least 15 minutes. Being outside can do so much good for the soul. Studies have shown that being in nature can restore and strengthen our mental capacities, increasing focus and attention.
• Meditate. Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace, and balance. After a stressful day, this can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health . It can be used to help you relax and cope with stress by refocusing your attention on something calming.
• Take a break from technology. While some may feel that technology is a way for them to “check out”, screen time before bed actually has been known to affect one’s sleep, and ultimately one’s mental state. The correlation of excessive screen time and depression or anxiety is also something worth noting.
• Practice gratitude. Making a conscious effort to note the positive things that you are thankful for has been shown to improve sleep, lower stress, and improve interpersonal relationships.
• Exercise. The relationship between exercise and mental health has been well established. Exercise gets your endorphins going, which makes you feel good and improves your mood.
• Journal to process your day. Journaling provides an opportunity for identifying thoughts about what negatively impacted your day. In this way, you can address the events that were stressful and respond to them exactly how you would like.
• Listen to music. Listening to music that you love can have an impact on your brain chemicals, including increasing the “feel good” chemical dopamine, and decreasing the “stress hormone” cortisol.
• Spend time with or talk to someone that makes you feel happy. This one is pretty simple. Being with those that you love and enjoy being around will most definitely make you feel better and less likely to focus on the stresses of your day. Feeling connected to others is such a positive experience and will do wonders for your overall mental health.

Don’t put your mental health on the back burner. Taking even a little bit of time to pursue one of these activities after a stressful day is necessary to help keep you being the awesome person that you are. You deserve to feel your best and should focus on ways to do that.

If you feel like this is an area that you could use more guidance in, send Angela an email at info@bee-healthy.net and she can help you make a plan for when these days inevitably come around.