Relaxing after a hard day

1. Do some yoga.
   It's almost cliched to mention yoga, but there is science to back it up. Many studies have shown that doing yoga decreases the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol. As well as lowering anxiety, yoga may also fight depression, reduce chronic pain, and improve the quality of your sleep. With all these potential benefits, why not give it a try?
2. See if meditation helps.
   According to scientists, regular meditation has the ability to alter the paths in your brain. This helps you to better handle stressful situations. This will give you a more positive outlook on life, potentially decreasing the amount of days you struggle at work. There are more meditation services popping up all the time, but one of our favourites is Headspace.
3. Eat healthily.
   We've all binged on fast food in the past and felt dreadful afterwards, especially after a stressful day at work. Although this is fine in moderation, it's much better to eat something homecooked, healthy and nutritionally balanced. After all, you won't struggle to find quick, easy and delicious recipes online.
4. Go to the gym.
   For many of you, this sounds far from relaxing, but a hard session at the gym can be a great way to de-stress. Exercise releases endorphins that trigger a positive feeling in your body, meaning you're likely to get a better night's sleep and have more energy the next day. Don't knock it before you try it...
5. Turn off your mobile.
   After a hard day, it's sometimes good to switch yourself off from the outside world. Turn off your phone, ignore your emails and deal with them another day. Often, some quality time with yourself is just what the doctor ordered.
6. Take a long bath.
   A classic end to a hard day is a long hot bath. Add oils and salts to the mix to take the relaxation to the next level. A warm bath not only relieves mental stress, but it also loosens your muscles which is great post-workout.
7. Read a book.
   Sometimes the perfect way to get over a day is to escape into another world. Switch off all the devices around you, pour a glass of wine and enjoy the simplicity of a good book. You'll be surprised how relaxing it can be.