# The Best Way to Relax? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 28, 2009, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832 "2009-09-28T09:59:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/1 "2009-09-28T09:59:09Z")
I just signed up today, so I’m going on a bit of a posting spree. Don’t mind me… Anyway, what, in your opinion, is the best way to relax? After a long, hard day at my high-pressure job I find that nothing is more relaxing than to come home, get a brew from the fridge, make a big-ass sandwich, and then sit down on the floor in front of my TV and start cracking all of my joints. I do my neck, my back, elbows, wrists, hips, all my fingers, ankles, and then finish with my toes. My wife is disgusted by it, but I swear there is nothing more relaxing. I’m curious about your methods, though. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/2 "2009-09-28T10:06:51Z")
I find the best way to relax after a stressful day at work is to do some fairly intensive exercise. I don’t know the scientific details of it all, but it seems to make me feel a lot calmer and happier. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/3 "2009-09-28T13:53:42Z")
Exercise is best for me as well. That or sleep. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/4 "2009-09-28T15:31:40Z")
If possible, when I’m stressed I’ll take a walk outside. I love to come home, my body faintly buzzy, and stretch. This is especially true after an argument with my husband. It’s better to get out, take a walk and cool off until I’m calm enough that my mind can wander than say something I don’t mean because I’m pissed off. I also really value quiet. I love just sitting in my quiet house, doing nothing. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/5 "2009-09-28T19:11:02Z")
I sit and chill out with a video game, something like Rock Band 2 if I have energy, if I’m tired something like Mercenaries 2 or Grand Theft Auto IV. Sometimes it’s fun just to go around exploring in those last 2 games. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8797f3/32.png) [@Brainiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/6 "2009-09-28T19:17:27Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > My wife is disgusted by it I’m with her. It’s disgusting just to read it. Why not find a good book. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/7 "2009-09-28T19:20:01Z")
I’ll grab a pair of clippers and prune throughout the yard. I’ve intentionally grown a very diverse array of flora and there’s always any number of things that need some tidying, shaping, thinning, etc. Lots of times I’ll end up with a nice arrangement that can be put in a vase, thus further extending the soothing benefits. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/8 "2009-09-28T19:26:38Z")
100mg tramadol & an episode of The Joy of Painting w Bob Ross. You can skip the pill in a pinch. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/9 "2009-09-28T19:27:58Z")
Sex. Unfortunately, that’s not readily available for me. So I usually default to reading the Dope, reading a book, eating some food, or staring at a wall. Lately, I’ve gotten better about getting up and doing something as opposed to just sitting there. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/10 "2009-09-28T23:28:59Z")
> [@Brainiac](#): > > I’m with her. It’s disgusting just to read it. Why not find a good book. Come on, now…don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/11 "2009-09-29T03:33:38Z")
After classes I do some exercises and then kick back with a sandwich to watch a movie or TV show that I recently downloaded. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/12 "2009-09-29T03:40:01Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Sex. Yep. I sleep like an angel afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-relax/511832/13 "2009-09-29T03:52:29Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > 100mg tramadol & an episode of The Joy of Painting w Bob Ross. > > You can skip the pill in a pinch. Strangely enough, I always did find that show particularly soothing. Must be something to do with Bob’s gentle voice and all those rainbows and “happy little trees.” In fact, when I was a kid I always used to wake up early to catch my cartoons on the weekends. I would always get up too early, though, and find Bob Ross on PBS while flipping through the channels and eventually nod off in front of the TV. Shortly thereafter my mom would shake me awake to tell me that I was missing my cartoons.