How to Unwind in The Evening After Work

Unwinding after work is a must for a good night’s sleep and we understand how difficult it can be. Picture this, you’ve finished another endless day with too much to do. After work, you threw dinner together and tried to do a few more things before crashing in front of the television. You feel mentally and physically worn out and long for a good night’s rest. But yet again, when you finally get to bed, you can’t sleep. Your mind races, and as the minute’s tick by on your clock, you feel increasingly anxious about your inability to unwind from work and fall asleep.

However, there’s no need to worry. With the help of Dr Susan Biali, we’ve put together some helpful tips on how to unwind after work, and how to unwind before bed. Let’s explore some relaxing techniques to help you feel calm:

Rest under a weighted blanket

A study suggests that there are plenty of positive effects of using a weighted blanket for those with insomnia. The findings from the study show that weighted blankets provide a ‘cocooning’ feeling for those laying underneath one. This is great because it aids relaxation. So, grab yourself a weighted blanket after a long day, then snuggle up with a good book and let those work worries drift away.

Unwind with a good book to clear your thoughts

Slow your pace in the evening to unwind

If you race and push through your day and then continue that pace into your evening, it will naturally be hard for your body and mind to calm down. Try to peacefully transition from your busy day into your evening. You can do this by staying away from your work and your computer after dinner. As time starts to pass into the evening, gradually turn your lights down low and engage in quiet activities that help you relax. This could mean reading a book, watching television, knitting, going for a walk, or cooking dinner.

Don't check your emails

Unwinding after work requires you to take a step back from your emails. Research shows that people who use e-readers, tablets, laptops, or smartphones right before bedtime take longer to fall asleep. They also don’t sleep as deeply, and feel less rested the next day due to the melatonin-suppressing effect of the blue light from screens.

Checking your emails in the evening is also particularly risky, as discovering a stressful email or being reminded of challenging work situations right before bed additionally stimulates stress, tension and preoccupying thoughts.

Plan your post-work relaxation time

Setting aside time for relaxation after work will do wonders for your evening routine before bed. Whether that be half an hour set aside for a warm bath, or an evening stroll. Set this time aside to ensure that you can relax and reflect on the day. This will help you move away from work and into your personal time in the evening.

Your time for relaxing doesn’t have to be solo. If you find it most relaxing to chat with a friend on the phone over a (decaff) tea, call them up and get the kettle on.

How to unwind before bed

Now we’ve covered how to unwind after work, it’s now time to talk about what you can do before bedtime to relax. Let’s explore the best ways to unwind right before bed:

Focus your mind on something specific and repetitive

Dr Susan Biali advices to “try counting backwards from one hundred, or recite something that you’ve memorised in your mind. I have some verses that I cycle through when necessary; it’s rare for me to repeat them more than once.”

Practice guided relaxation or mindfulness

She continues: “I struggled with insomnia as a child, and my mother taught me to progressively tense and relax all my muscles to help me fall asleep. Mindfulness meditations that focus on sensations in the body are also marvellous ways to get out of your head and relax. Try out one of the many meditation apps available to find a relaxation practice that works for you.” – Dr Susan Biali

Write down your worries before bed

Dr Susan Biali suggests: “If there is a specific problem or worry that is keeping you up, try writing about it in a journal before bedtime. Worries seem less daunting once you put them on the page, and you might even discover some solutions in doing so. If something is really bothering me, I find it soothing to write my worry out. This can really help when you’re looking to unwind from work in the evening.”

Summary

You now have our best tips and techniques for a wonderfully relaxing post-work evening. We hope that with our advice and that of Dr Susan Biali, you have discovered new ways to calm down before bed. Remember, if you think you’re having trouble sleeping and relaxation techniques aren’t working, contact your GP.

About the author

Susan Biali

See all articles by Susan Biali

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