We are a stressed-out nation.
It’s not just you: Americans all over report feeling stressed much of the time. Younger Americans are more likely to report high stress levels than older ones, but stress is significant across the board. And the problem is only getting worse, experts say, as more and more people report higher and higher levels of stress with each passing year.
Why are we so stressed out? Work is a big factor. Americans tend to report work as a major source of stress, and — perhaps not coincidentally — Americans are famous for their work ethic and their reluctance to take days off. Other countries don’t share these unhealthy, work-obsessed habits, and it shows.
It’s obvious what you (and most other Americans) need to do: You need to relax. But actually managing to do that is harder than it would seem. To help you out, we’ve compiled some tips for achieving real relaxation below.
Set rules to limit work’s reach
One of the biggest reasons that work stresses Americans out so much is that it’s so ubiquitous. We don’t just work when we’re officially “on the job” — many of us are also taking phone calls and writing emails long after standard work hours are over. If you’re working on weekends, responding to work emergencies at night, and working from personal spaces like your couch or your bed, then you’re messing with your own mind. You need time to decompress from work, and you certainly need spaces that are psychologically divorced from work (especially your bed — it’s hard to sleep in a place that your mind thinks is an office).
Achieving work-life balance isn’t easy, but one of the most effective ways to make progress is to set strict rules about when and where you won’t work. Set limits and keep work away from certain times and places. It will help calm you down.
Take a vacation
Whether it’s work, chores, or just your daily routine, a great way to get away from your stresses and really relax is to take a vacation. Too bad that so many Americans are skipping theirs. No wonder we’re so stressed.
Whether you go somewhere soothing or somewhere exciting, a change of scenery and a break from your work will help you relax. Try to do something unique that will build great memories, suggest experts who offer parasailing near Palm Beach, Florida. Studies show that these sorts of memories are a part of why taking vacations improves our mental health so much.
Vacations won’t just relax you while you’re traveling. They’ll actually improve your health and mood for when you come back. Study after study has proven that vacations can make us more productive at work — making vacations a win-win even for those with workaholic tendencies.
Put the right things in your body
It’s easy to think about mental health and stress as being divorced from our physical health, but this isn’t accurate. Though we sometimes distinguish between mental and physical health for convenience or practical reasons, the more complicated reality is that the two are intertwined. What you do to help or harm your physical health affects your mental health, and vice versa.
That’s why it’s important to eat well and take the right supplements. A balanced diet will improve your mood and make you feel physically better. And there are powerful supplements that experts believe can help us calm down: such as CBD. CBD is derived from marijuana, but it’s nonpsychoactive. In other words, it won’t get you high. What it will do, experts say, is reduce your anxiety and stress levels. Thanks to great brands like Select CBD, it’s easy to find reliable CBD supplements.
There’s no miracle cure for stress, of course, but finding ways to relax will make your life much better. This is not an exhaustive list, so be sure to try other things. Getting into meditation, improving your sleep, and tackling underlying mental health issues are all great ways to focus on relaxation.
Image credit: Relax via Cookie Studio/Shutterstock