Leisure Time and Relieving Stress

Who doesn't like a bit of leisure time every once in a while? In the world we live in, people are constantly busy with school, work, kids, etc. We may have so much to do that it can become overwhelming if we feel like we don't have enough time to do it all. It can be refreshing and beneficial to just sit back, relax, and do nothing for five to ten minutes. That leisure time could be spent sitting on your front porch, reading a chapter or two of a good book, or watching your favorite TV show.

If you have a full day of activities or errands scheduled, that leisure time may not come until bedtime. Bedtime is the perfect time to relax and forget about all the stress of your daily life or that day in particular. Sleeping is one of several stress relievers that can be beneficial to your health. Sleeping refuels your energy and recharges your brain for the next day. Sleeping is our mental escape from anything in our lives that we may be worried about or stressing over. You're not going to be able to relax and fall asleep unless you have a comfortable bed with the best pillow. It won't be relaxing if you're constantly tossing and turning trying to find the most comfortable sleeping position.

Constantly being stressed can take a toll on your physical and mental health. It has you thinking about all the things you need to get done and feeling like you just don't have enough hours in the day to do it all. Not giving yourself a chance to relax and take a moment to breathe could lead to a mental breakdown. Aside from your mental health suffering to the point where you get put on medication (bedridden, hospitalized, etc.), not being able to relieve stress can also affect your overall health sooner or later.

Sleep is beneficial to your mental and physical health. A comfortable bed makes it easier to be able to sleep well. But a comfortable bed also means being able to just chill and have a bit of alone time. You could just lay there and space out letting yourself get lost in your own thoughts. A comfortable bed makes a comfortable place to read a book or watch TV (if you have one in your room).

Aside from sleeping, your stress reliever can be anything that makes you happy. A stress reliever is anything that takes your mind off of your busy schedule or any problems that are causing the stress. It can be watching a movie, going out for a short walk, some form of exercise, or meditating. It can be any sort of hobby or activity that you enjoy doing. If you're able to, include fifteen minutes to half an hour of leisure time into your schedule. It'll be a favor to your health and can have a positive effect on your ability to be productive. If you're struggling to schedule some leisure time, try to see if there's anything in your schedule that can be put off until a later time.

We've already discussed the effects of stress on mental health and even mentioned it affecting our overall health. Even though sleep is good to relieve stress, being too stressed can affect us being able to get a good night's sleep. Stress can also affect your immune and digestive systems. Too much stress can put you at risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. Continuous stress can cause you to develop anxiety or other mental disorders.

Everyone experiences stress throughout their lives. Several people can experience quite a bit more stress than others do. No matter how rare or often we experience it, or how much, it's important that we have a way to relieve it. Everyone can agree that stress is never fun to deal with. If you're fortunate enough to rarely experience stress, you may barely feel the need for a stress reliever. If you deal with stress on a somewhat regular basis, then you've likely figured out what works best to be able to relieve it.