Interesting but healthy ways to spend the weekend

Interesting but healthy ways to spend the weekend

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Saturdays and Sunday are very precious days especially for most upwardly mobile people of this century. These two days have mentally and naturally been mapped out as a day of rest for most.

However, a quick survey of your colleagues’ activities during weekends will show that they most likely do the opposite.

If we were to ask, majority spent their weekends catching up on social engagement and parties in or out of town while the ones who claim that they rested, must have spent hours on their mobile devices and laptops working on some uncompleted projects.

What are those activities taking up your weekend? How beneficial are they to your health? Experts say that if  you do not want to  suffer both physical and mental breakdown, you must change what you do on weekends.

Researcher at the Public Health Department, Carnegie Melon University, United States, Dr. Jon Delano says that lack of rest is a major reason why the world is witnessing a global epidemic of stress-related diseases such as hypertension, cancer and diabetes.

Delano notes that depriving the body of long periods of rest to relieve stress could harm an individual both mentally and physically.

“Stress is real as we face the burden of meeting tight deadlines, making crucial decisions, or even just managing the complexities of household demands. Most adults have lives that are filled with some form of stress.” he adds.

Also, body rejuvenation expert and surgeon, Dr. Sandra Adejumo says lack of rest leads to chronic stress and also reduces the body’s immune system thereby predisposing the individual to various illnesses.

According to her, several studies have shown a direct link between stress and health conditions such as headaches, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other types of infections acquired as a result of a weaker immune system and taking vacation have been scientifically established to prevent these diseases.

Adejumo says, “Chronic stress takes its toll in part on our body’s ability to resist infection, maintain vital functions, and even ability to avoid injury. When you’re stressed out and tired, you are more likely to become ill, your arteries take a beating, and you’re more likely to have an accident.

“Your sleep will suffer, you won’t digest your food as well, and even the genetic material in the cells of your body may start to become altered in a bad way. Mentally, not only do you become more irritable, depressed, and anxious, but your memory will become worse and you’ll make poorer decisions.”

To help you get the best of your decision to rest, here are some interesting but very healthy ways to spend the next two days.

Listen to music for 25 mins

Have you noticed how listening to your favourite song instantly puts you in a good mood? Music many agree is a mood booster but scientists are now discovering that music can do more than just lifting your spirits. They say that listening to music  helps relive stress .

Consultant neurologist, Dr. Segun Akinpelu,  says that music could be the best medicine that any physician could prescribe for stress.

Akinpelu states that music works well on the autonomic nervous system – the part of the nervous system responsible for controlling our blood pressure, heartbeat and brain function – and also the limbic system – the part of the brain that controls feelings and emotions.

“The brain is the first to pick sounds and music. It is also the first to react to pain. It is your brain that relates the pain sensation to the body even though it seems like it is the body that reacts first. All the systems in the brain react sensitively to music.

“So when people  who are stressed listen to music, the feel-good sensation in the brain overpowers to sensation. The pain neurones also relax to the sensation of the music and this translates to happy emotions for the individual.”

Clinical psychologist, Dr. Franz Wendtner says: ‘Music is an important part of our physical and emotional well-being – ever since we were babies in our mother’s womb listening to her heartbeat and breathing rhythms.

‘Listening to music for about 25 minutes every day for at least ten days can  make you sleep better.’

Dance on Saturday mornings

When it comes to relieving stress, dancing is top on the ladder. Studies have showed that dancing can help you lose weight; stay flexible while also reducing your stress-related hormones.

Get a massage

Okay, this one is not free; and maybe not even that cheap. But if you can talk your husband into giving you the massage it can be. Go for a body massage. A massage will relax each and every muscle of yours, thus making you feel fresh as daisy. Visit a spa for a full body massage. An aromatherapy body massage makes use of natural ingredients like flowers, fruits, berries and leaves.

Just pamper yourself; no one else would do it for you.

Take a warm bath alone

When was the last time you took any form of bath or shower alone? You know if you take a shower when the kids are awake, at least one of them will undoubtedly join.

This time, it is just for you. Do it after the kids are in bed or while your husband promises to keep them occupied elsewhere.

Make the bath warm, add some bubbles or herbs to make it fancy, light a candle, turn on some music and bring a book. Or just take a nap.

Read a good book or magazine

Who has time to read? But make the time. Take it in that bath with you, or just read during nap time or after your kids are in bed for the night. Sit back and get lost in the fantasy world of a novel, or just someone else’s life (like in a magazine). Make it a fun read, though – parenting tomes don’t count. Reading a chapter of a book every day has been proven to be relaxing.

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