5 Ways To Unwind And Beat Summer Stress
Been on the go all season? Give yourself a much-needed break on National Relaxation Day.
Summer’s supposed to be the season to slow down and unwind, but let’s be real: Between shipping kids off to camp, shuffling weekend schedules and shuttling down the Shore, you’ve hardly had a moment to chill. Well, the dog days are the perfect time to give yourself a moment to relax.
Today, Aug. 15, is National Relaxation Day, when everyone is encouraged to take a deep breath, slow down and take it easy. Choose your method: a couple of hours binging shows on the couch, sipping an iced tea on the patio with a good book, stargazing with family and friends. If it puts you at ease and makes you happy, you’re doing good.
Here are a few ways you can loosen up, destress and relax in Bergen County:
Take a yoga class. The exercise can clear your mind but it also has physical benefits: Yoga improves strength, flexibility and can help relieve ailments like back pain and arthritis. Bergen has many yoga studios with a variety of classes and times. Check out our most recent Readers’ Choice winners Femme in Hackensack or Shree Yoga in Saddle River, for instance, or try the discipline outdoors. The City of Hackensack offers free sunset yoga on Mondays, Aug. 18 and 25. Sessions are offered at 6 and 7:30 p.m. each night at Atlantic Street Park.
Laugh out loud. Laughter, at times, can be the best medicine. Getting a few chuckles in does a body good: Laughing improves your immune system, lifts your mood and improves your sense of humor, among other things, according to the Mayo Clinic. Catch your favorite shows or movies on TV, or grab your pals and head to a local comedy performance. Veteran funnyman Rod Man will be entertaining crowds on Aug. 15 and 16 at Bananas Comedy Club in Rutherford, or check out the mischief and music at Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery’s “The Trouble with Angels,” happening on Aug. 17 at bergenPAC in Englewood.
Connect with nature. There is something so soothing about birds chirping and trees blowing in the wind. Unwind by getting out into nature, whether that means going on a hike, having a picnic or birdwatching. The good news is there are plenty of places to do all of the above and more in Bergen County. Feed butterflies at Tenafly Nature Center, go fishing or paddling at Overpeck Park in Leonia or take in the skyline on the walking trails of Shore Trail in Alpine. Pro tip: If you vow to leave your screens at home, you’ll get even more out of the experience.
Treat yourself. Has your body tensed up from summer stress? Readers’ Choice winners Pamper & Polish Day Spa in Woodcliff Lake, Araya Rebirth in Ridgewood and The Fountain Spa in Hackensack and Ramsey, among others, specialize in full-body massages that help keep you in tip-top shape. Sojo Spa Club in Edgewater is the ultimate escape, with treatments like massage, acupuncture, body scrubs, saunas and pools (the skyline views help you relax too) to soothe body and soul.
Catch a flick. Wait for the sun to go down, grab some popcorn and watch a blockbuster under the stars. Sounds great, right? Bergen County’s next Movie in the Park is Aug. 15 at Van Saun Park in Paramus, where Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be screened at 8:30 p.m. Return on Aug. 20, when the night’s feature will be Wicked. Would you rather watch a classic indoors? The Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee will be showing The Godfather and The Godfather Part II on Aug. 16 and 17.
How do you relax during summer? Share your secrets with us on Instagram @bergenmagnj.
