How do you relax

lisathomas50 · January 4

I relax by putting a bath bomb in my bath light my candles and turn the light out and afterwards I put my pjs on and have a nice hot choclate horlicks

I appreciate not everyone can get in the bath so would like to hear how other people how they relax its not an easy thing to do look forward to seeing your comments

woodbine · January 4

I read, I can get through a book in a week, I've been an avid reader now for more than 50 years.

lisathomas50 · January 4

I am hopring to be able to read a book again I am hopeing my glasses will allow me I had cataracts I have had one removed I can drive now but its a distant lense I use a magnifying glass hut no hood for reading a book

Thank you for your comment

MrAllen1976 · January 4

I listen to classic rock music, can't beat a bit of rocking out to Meat Loaf.

lisathomas50 · January 4

Mr Allen I love meat loaf my favorite album is bat out of hell thats an amazing way to relax

lisathomas50 · January 4

Thank you for your comment Mr Allen

66Mustang · January 5

I like

- going for a drive
- going for a walk

- posting on this website
- watching videos on YouTube

- in the evening I like to have a wee dram and sometimes something nice to eat; I appreciate not the healthiest way to relax

OverlyAnxious · January 5

Watching comedy shows on TV & listening to music.

janer1967 · January 5

A hot bubble bath is my relaxing method with music playing followed by getting into pjs a nice cup tea b4 bed and clean fresh bedding

lisathomas50 · January 5

I love your comments i

Ross_Scope · January 5

Great thread @lisathomas50

I relax by putting my headphones on and listening to music

66Mustang · January 5

OverlyAnxious said:

Watching comedy shows on TV & listening to music.

I’m just wondering, do you prefer old comedy shows or new ones?

I used to like “current” shows like Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You but I think those shows and others peaked around 2008-2010 and now are a victim of political correctness and are so sanitised these days. I do still quite QI with Sandi Toksvig but again preferred the old ones under Stephen Fry.

MrAllen1976 · January 5

I prefer old school "slapstick" comedy to be honest, back in the 80's, the highlight of my Sunday nights was watching Hi De Hi! I also love Fawlty Towers, Bread, Duty Free and a lot of the older comedies, except OFAH for some reason, I just don't think Sir David Jason is all that funny.

66Mustang · January 5

@MrAllen1976 I love some of those you mentioned. Have you seen a comedy called It Ain’t Half Hot Mum? I’ve been told that’s worth watching.

lisathomas50 · January 5

I justcrembetd another one on the busses I liked thst I like gavin and Stacy aswel

MrAllen1976 · January 5

lisathomas50 said:

I justcrembetd another one on the busses I liked thst I like gavin and Stacy aswel

Oh yeah On the Buses was class, just a shame that apart from Anna "Olive" Karen, most of the original cast are no longer with us.

It's also a crying shame that most of the good comedies of the early 70's wouldn't pass censorship nowadays as some of the humour was a bit un-PC.

Particular attention to that story that came to light towards the end of last year where the BBC banned a Fawlty Towers episode about Germans, a move which even John Cleese himself said was PC gone mad, it's since been put back on streaming service Britbox.

lisathomas50 · January 5

I think the world has gone mad worse things are said and done in real life tv is just a bit of fun I used to like watching are you being served aswel and the liver birds csnt even watch tom and Jerry as its got violence in it

MrAllen1976 · January 7

lisathomas50 said:

I think the world has gone mad worse things are said and done in real life tv is just a bit of fun I used to like watching are you being served aswel and the liver birds csnt even watch tom and Jerry as its got violence in it

It's cartoon animated violence for God sake! They show a LOT worse on the Itchy and Scratchy parts of the Simpsons.

lisathomas50 · January 7

@MrAllen1976 I know but the Simpson is after a certain time tom and Jerry were for children not being horrible but children probably see more violence out on the street

OverlyAnxious · January 7

66Mustang said:

OverlyAnxious said:

Watching comedy shows on TV & listening to music.

I’m just wondering, do you prefer old comedy shows or new ones?

I used to like “current” shows like Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You but I think those shows and others peaked around 2008-2010 and now are a victim of political correctness and are so sanitised these days. I do still quite QI with Sandi Toksvig but again preferred the old ones under Stephen Fry.

Just whichever is on at the time really! I suppose if both were on at the same time I'd probably choose the older ones, but ultimately it's just something 'gentle' where I can be fairly sure of not seeing any triggers. I do like QI but that isn't always trigger free...with the older ones that I've seen several times I know where to switch over for a few minutes lol.

lisathomas50 · January 7

Smell triggers things for me and things with domestic violence but I turned my triggers into positives by helping people who are in similar situations that I was in

MrAllen1976 · January 7

lisathomas50 said:

@MrAllen1976 I know but the Simpson is after a certain time tom and Jerry were for children not being horrible but children probably see more violence out on the street

Actually, The Simpsons are on pre watershed most days.

lisathomas50 · January 7

@MrAllen1976 it comes on after 8pm here lol but parents let there kids watch things I was never allowed to watch when I was younger lol 😆

Tori_Scope · January 7

I'm not a big fan of baths, but I do love a nice hot shower! I also like to do puzzles, especially sudoku, watch TV, listen to music, or sometimes play online games.

I like the smell of scented candles but I get overly worried about starting a fire, so I try and remember to buy reed diffusers for my bedroom

66Mustang · January 7

OverlyAnxious said:

66Mustang said:

OverlyAnxious said:

Watching comedy shows on TV & listening to music.

I’m just wondering, do you prefer old comedy shows or new ones?

I used to like “current” shows like Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You but I think those shows and others peaked around 2008-2010 and now are a victim of political correctness and are so sanitised these days. I do still quite QI with Sandi Toksvig but again preferred the old ones under Stephen Fry.

Just whichever is on at the time really! I suppose if both were on at the same time I'd probably choose the older ones, but ultimately it's just something 'gentle' where I can be fairly sure of not seeing any triggers. I do like QI but that isn't always trigger free...with the older ones that I've seen several times I know where to switch over for a few minutes lol.

While my triggers are likely different to yours I know what you mean and that QI has quite a lot. I have got to the point with a lot of shows where I know when to turn it off and even got some down to just a few seconds of being off before I know it can go back on haha.

If you want a gentle show that’s also quite funny I recommend Keeping Up Appearances. The main character does show signs of OCD so I’m not sure if that’s a trigger for you though but if not it’s worth watching!

Arjuna · January 7

I love listening to Jahnavi Harrison , her kirtans are so beautiful and her visualizations just relax me completely ,

csno01 · January 7

Hi @lisathomas50,

I relax by:

Going for a walk
Watching a good tv drama or film. I have just participated in the latest film game. Lol
Listening to music & audiobooks. I love my audiobooks.

MrAllen1976 · January 7

csno01 said:

Hi @lisathomas50,

I relax by:

Going for a walk
Watching a good tv drama or film. I have just participated in the latest film game. Lol
Listening to music & audiobooks. I love my audiobooks.

Do you subscribe to Audible? It's pretty good for £8 a month, you get 1 credit a month on the 26th of the month (even if it falls on a Sunday) to download free books (well it's for a credit, which you pay the £8 a month for)

Ross_Scope · January 7

Reading anything interesting on Audible at the moment @MrAllen1976?

lisathomas50 · January 7

I have audible i have a few books on there but now I have had my eye operation I can read my books again

I love the way people find a way to relax itd fab

lisathomas50 · January 8

@csno01 hi thats a lovely way to relax I am hoping to do try some of the things people have said they do to relax

Arjuna · January 8

That's wonderful news Lisa ,

MrAllen1976 · January 8

Ross_Scope said:

Reading anything interesting on Audible at the moment @MrAllen1976?

Yeah, last month's credit was used on a book to learn the Japanese language.

OverlyAnxious · January 8

66Mustang said:

OverlyAnxious said:

66Mustang said:

OverlyAnxious said:

Watching comedy shows on TV & listening to music.

I’m just wondering, do you prefer old comedy shows or new ones?

I used to like “current” shows like Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You but I think those shows and others peaked around 2008-2010 and now are a victim of political correctness and are so sanitised these days. I do still quite QI with Sandi Toksvig but again preferred the old ones under Stephen Fry.

Just whichever is on at the time really! I suppose if both were on at the same time I'd probably choose the older ones, but ultimately it's just something 'gentle' where I can be fairly sure of not seeing any triggers. I do like QI but that isn't always trigger free...with the older ones that I've seen several times I know where to switch over for a few minutes lol.

While my triggers are likely different to yours I know what you mean and that QI has quite a lot. I have got to the point with a lot of shows where I know when to turn it off and even got some down to just a few seconds of being off before I know it can go back on haha.

If you want a gentle show that’s also quite funny I recommend Keeping Up Appearances. The main character does show signs of OCD so I’m not sure if that’s a trigger for you though but if not it’s worth watching!

Yes, KUA is one of my go-to programmes lol. At the moment Drama are showing To The Manor Born followed by Are You Being Served at tea time, both of which offer a nice distraction without any triggers!

Seeing OCD isn't really a trigger for me, mine are mainly based around harm/medical stuff. Despite that, I'm actually a fan of action films (Die Hard, Bourne, Bond, etc) but know pretty much all of the switch off points in them! Can't say they're relaxing though so not really relevant for this thread lol.

Tori_Scope · January 8

Have you got any good books lined up @lisathomas50? I read The Thursday Murder Club over Christmas and really enjoyed it.

lisathomas50 · January 8

I have a collection of Shakespeare so I am going to have a go at them I also have alot of true stories to read so I will see when my eyes aren't always tied because of my sleep problems

Arjuna · January 9

The original 'Frankenstein ' by Mary Shelly is a Brilliant book , I'm going to have to get around to reading that again!

lisathomas50 · January 9

I have read Mary shelly frankinstein iits a good read some people I know think its a horror story but its not its a different take on a love story becsuse he can't bear the pain of losing her 💔 his heart is broken and he is trying to bring her back

Arjuna · January 10

Yeah, Cant really remember him and the love story angle , I just remember him leaping and bounding over continents , I think he ended up in the North Pole and then in Eastern Europe or Italy, , and really vivid memory of him grinning through a port hole window, i can remember struggling with Shelly's Prose of her time but once I got past that it just became a terrific book.

Grinchy · January 10

I like to read, i like Terry Pratchet and autobiography's, just working my way through George Lucas now which my son picked me up for christmas, very interesting
I like to go sit in my star wars room, it helps me destress a lot just sitting there taking it in, looking at all the collectibles, each one has a story

endowarrierqueen96 · January 11

Art helps me to relax. Also a cup of really strong wine and a old classic film like Home Alone and a nice toasty heat pad. I love having homemade biscuits too. Try meditation as well. I recommend strongly avoiding naps however.

66Mustang · January 11

@endowarrierqueen96 I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one that likes a little drink to relax with. (I also like homemade biscuits.)

Eliz31abeth · January 11

This has been a lovely thread to read. I used to have several hobbies but i had a big life event resulting in PTSD, loss of my job and then career .i ruminate constantly..
A friend sent me a beginners diamond drill art kit..i was hooked within 15minutes! I did super easy ones to start and now do about an hour a day and listen to podcasts and am completely absorbed like ive not been with anything else. I plan to frame and donate to charities for raffle gifts

lisathomas50 · January 11

@Eliz31abeth that's sounds realy cool 😎

csno01 · January 12

That sounds really good @Eliz31abeth.

leeCal · January 12

I just switch off by meditating.

chiarieds · January 12

Hi @leeCal - just the person. I've been looking for your link to meditation, which I hope you still have. I think it would be really useful for the recent 'Coping with stress thread.' Please post it on there or send it to Tori_Scope , thank you.

Tori_Scope · January 12

Yes, please do comment or send to one of the team @leeCal! It'd be a great addition.

leeCal · January 12

I’m hoping this was the link , it’s pertinent anyway @chiarieds
https://www.lionsroar.com/mindful-living-thich-nhat-hanh-on-the-practice-of-mindfulness-march-2010/

this is another method
https://www.lionsroar.com/category/how-to/

Personally i find counting breaths out from one to ten then one again and so on most helpful, once you’ve reached a calm abiding state you can slip into meditating on a subject and back again to counting breaths quite easily. The idea is to maintain a calmness, like the tuning of a guitar string, not too tight, not too loose. I started with five minutes and increased gradually to half an hour. Often we try to carry out an exercise for too long and because it interferes with our everyday lives too much we discontinue, which is why I limit my sessions to a half hour which I can afford and which I find repeatable.

How do you relax

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