Many of us want to spend our evenings relaxing and recharging after a long day at work, but are our evening routines actually causing us even more stress?
With 41% of adults worldwide experiencing a lot of stress, the experts at Northerner set out to discover which common post-work habits could be harming our health and contributing to stress levels, and how to break them.
5 evening habits that could be stressing you out
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Sky-high screen time
When we get home from a long day at work, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of non-stop scrolling on our phones. Although it may feel like a welcome break for our brains, endless hours of screen time could be doing a world of harm beneath the surface, and causing more stress than it relieves.
The physical impact can range from eye strain causing headaches and migraines, to pain in the neck, shoulders, and back. And the impact on our brains can be equally as damaging, with some studies suggesting that our smartphones and social media could be dangerously addictive.
You should be extra careful if you have a tendency to scroll and you wind down for bed, as the light from your screen could disrupt your natural internal clock and cause sleep issues, or even insomnia.
Instead of reaching for your phone, try to find a no-screen hobby to scratch that itch: reading, journaling, crafting, and cooking are just a few examples that could bring you more long term satisfaction and health benefits than scrolling sessions.
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After work coffees
A coffee is tempting after a long day when you need a boost to head into your evening activities, or as treat after dinner, however many people don’t realise the impact this could be having.
Shockingly, studies show that the effects of caffeine can last up to 12 hours. So although you may not link your post-work coffee to the tossing and turning you experience when trying to fall asleep, science suggests that it could most definitely be the culprit. Moreover, high levels of caffeine can mimic anxiety in the body, from restlessness and nervousness to headaches and sweating.
Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives. A brisk 10 minute walk or a quick power nap could have the same energy boosting effects, and reaching for a mug of decaf could help scratch the coffee itch.
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Too much sitting
Lounging on the sofa until bedtime is often all we want after a long day, however, for those whose jobs also involve sitting for long periods, this choice of evening activity could be doing more harm than you realise.
The risks of too much time spent sitting should not be underestimated: studies have linked sedentary lifestyles to vascular musculoskeletal issues, heart disease, obesity, and even cancer. Not only are there physical risks to our bodies, but those who spend more time sitting are at a higher risk of developing both anxiety and depression.
Where possible, changes should begin in your working day: try setting timers to get up and move, using a standing desk, walking with colleagues during meetings. However, our after-work habits are equally as important. Even something as simple as standing whilst you watch TV, or fitting in a quick yoga session or dance party whilst you wait for your dinner to cook, could have long term benefits and help you avoid serious health risks.
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Snacks, snacks, snacks
For many people, cooking a meal is the last thing they want to think about after a long day. This can lead to the familiar habit of snacking on anything that is easily available instead of cooking a full, balanced meal.
There are real risks when falling into this routine. It is all too easy to spend the evening munching on ultra processed snacks, often high in salt, sugar, and fats, and low in the nutrients that we need, instead of having a proper meal. Studies show that this habit “can increase a preference for these types of foods, leading to a change in eating behaviours and diet quality.”
Not only can this impact long term physical health, but the rapid increases in blood sugar levels, and the insulin crashes your body goes through trying to control this, can lead to an increase in cortisol: the main stress hormone.
There is a solution that many have found to eliminate this habit: meal prepping. This could be anything from pin order to limit the effort required to make a proper evening meal.
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Bedtime is not the time for problem solving
For many of us, one of the hardest habits to kick on an otherwise relaxing evening is running through every problem we may face at work the next day and trying to find solutions.
This might look like replying to work emails when you should be winding down for the evening, or tossing and turning in bed as you think of work dilemmas instead of sleeping. Either way, the impact not switching off can have on our sleep quality, stress levels and mental health should not be understated.
Though it can be tricky to kick this habit and banish stressful work thoughts from your evening routine, there are tactics you can employ to help. Research suggests journaling about your stresses, or keeping a notepad nearby to jot down ideas as they pop into your head late at night. Getting these thoughts down on paper can stop the feeling that you need to action them immediately, in turn allowing you to return to more relaxing thoughts and activities.
