Do you feel like some days you’re so drained you could close your eyes and fall asleep at any moment?
It would be great if this were possible, but unfortunately, we all lead busy lives and there is so much to do. Still, you do need to find ways in which you can relax without falling asleep.
You just have to learn how to do it without accidentally waking up 4 hours after you closed your eyes while sitting down. We’re going to look at ways to relax without falling asleep, and you can implement them when you need a boost of energy.
How To Relax Without Falling Asleep
1. Learn how to meditate
This is perhaps the closest you will ever come to sleeping without actually being asleep, but just make sure you don’t fall into the dream world.
A pro tip is to do it while sitting on a hard chair, at least until you become accustomed to it.
Try learning to meditate on a soft sofa and it will end in disaster. Once you actually hit the stage where you can reach a deep meditative state, you’ll never find a better way to relax in your life.
Read more: Inner Smile Meditation: A Powerful Taoist Meditation Technique
2. Read a fiction book
There are going to be those out there who prefer non-fiction books, which is perfectly fine, but for the purpose of relaxation, you need to read fiction books for a specific reason. Once you’re a few pages deep you’ll be transported into this mysterious world where anything could come true. Read a non-fiction book and your brain will try to think, which we’re trying to avoid in the first place.
3. Write down what you’ve accomplished
Can you remember the last day you didn’t feel stressed because you had so much to do? The weird thing is, your brain finds it very hard to switch out of this mode unless you can convince it otherwise. Luckily there is a sneaky little trick you can do to overcome it, and all you need to do is find a piece of paper so you can write down all the things you’ve managed to get done. Your mind will suddenly feel a lot lighter.
4. Go pay a visit to the gym
Although this sounds counterproductive, it’s one of the weirdest ways you can relax without falling asleep. Why do you hear so much about people taking out their frustrations on a punching bag? The type of exercise you perform shouldn’t be too intense, so yoga or light cardio might be a good choice. If you don’t have a gym membership, please feel free to work out at home or in your local park.
5. Cuddle up to your partner
If you have a partner, you can cuddle up to them on the sofa. Just make sure if someone falls asleep the other person wakes them up straight away. The reason this will help you feel relaxed is that you’ll feel safe. Not necessarily in the physical sense, but your mind will feel safe and relaxed knowing there is someone out there who loves you. If you don’t have a partner you can cuddle up to a carton of ice cream.
6. Play with your family pet
This is similar to the last relaxation technique we talked about, but I’m sure you’ll agree this one is even better. There is something about holding a pet that melts your heart, which causes your brain to release natural relaxation chemicals. I know everyone doesn’t have a pet, but this will generally work with any animal. All you have to do is make sure it’s not one likely to bite you.
7. Watch a funny movie
Whether or not laughter is the best medicine is still up for debate, but there is no denying when you have tears running down your face due to chuckling so hard you’ll feel relaxed. Did you know it’s humanly impossible to feel relaxed and stressed at the same time? A comedy movie will also help to keep you awake thanks to the sounds of laughter, and you’ll also feel energized after laughing so hard.
8. Chew on a stick of gum
You’ll be able to use this one while doing almost anything, and you will also have the added bonus of having so many different flavors to choose from. Simply stick the gum in your mouth and start chewing away. In only a few minutes your cortisol levels will drop and any anxiety you’re feeling will begin to disappear. If you were to fall asleep while chewing gum you would choke, so it’s very unlikely to ever happen.
9. Go for some type of massage
If meditation is the best relaxation technique for your mind, a massage definitely qualifies as the best one for the body. It just can’t be the kind where they fold you into all of those crazy positions as if they’re trying to break you in half. I know a massage isn’t cheap, so you could give yourself a hand massage instead. There are also those electronic head massagers, plus what about those stress balls for massaging your hands?
Read more: Top 6 Health Benefits Of Self-Massage
10. Get outside for a long walk
Last but not least – one of the best ways to relax without falling asleep – walking.
The majority of the population spends far too much time indoors, so how are we supposed to let Mother Nature help us relax? When you’re walking along the side of a river or through the woods you’ll enter a state of zen. It’s even better when the sun is out if you’re wearing protection for your skin. Even though this is a lovely way to relax without falling asleep, please don’t walk anywhere where you won’t be completely safe at all times.
Read more: Mental Health Benefits Of Walking – Go For a Walk and Your Brain Will Benefit Greatly
You’ll be able to keep going until bedtime.
If you use any one of these ways to relax without falling asleep, you’ll be able to stay fresh during the day until it’s time to climb into bed.
There is a huge selection of them, so I’d encourage you to try the one that sounds the most appealing. Your circumstances might also dictate which ones you can use, but you’ll always be able to do at least one of them.
It’s hard to feel energetic for the entire day with everything we have going on, but remember you shouldn’t try to fight too hard if you do need a little relaxation. Everyone performs better when they’re feeling their best.
