How To: Maximize Relaxation
After Any Smoke Sesh
Sometimes you try to smoke and chill but have so many thoughts running through your mind, it’s impossible to shut them all out and just unwind. Check out DHC’s top ways to be the most relaxed after any smoking session.
Cue Up The Tunes
When it’s time for you to relax with your favorite pipe or bong, it helps to have a good playlist handy. Build a list of your favorite songs so it’s ready for you when you light up. For extra relaxation, press play in the dark. Smoking combined with being alone in the dark or low, soft lighting and listening to music is nothing short of an immersive, unrestricted experience. You can leave the whole world behind and lose yourself in the ebb and flow of the melodies.
Get to Sippin’
Black and green teas are full of catechin, an antioxidant that binds with your brain’s CB1 receptors, conjuring up calming feelings of bliss and relaxation. When your sipping is combined with smoking, you should experience a significant increase in mood elevation and stress relief.
Soak the Stress Away
It may be a cliche or a “girl thing,” but it’s also a method that really works. The hot water relaxes your muscles and helps you ease the nonstop thoughts and worries clouding your mind. PRO TIP: Add two cups of detoxifying Epsom salts for an added release. Candles or incense wouldn’t hurt either.
Simmer Down with Some Shows
While this may seem contrary to a nice wind down, watching something light or reruns of your favorite show can actually help you tune out while you tune in. There’s a reason it’s Netflix & Chill - the literal definition, not what you mean when you’re planning a late night date.
Get Intimate
Okay, so the other definition of Netflix & Chill is okay too. Engaging in a deep conversation or certain activity with your significant other can help distract your mind from the worries of the day, or let you physically release some of that tension you’ve been carrying around.
Sniff Stress-Slackening Scents
Aromatherapy is all the rage right now, and for good reason! Essential oils are extremely effective, natural remedies that are amazing at alleviating stress or anxiety, as well as inducing certain emotions like happiness or improving aspects of your health like your immunity, skin and hair revitalization, metabolism or digestion. For relaxation specifically, try rubbing a few drops of medical-grade essential oils on your temples and wrists, or putting them in a diffuser. The best ones for unwinding: lavender, chamomile, peppermint, bergamot, sandalwood or rose.
Establish the Ambiance
Dim the lights, spark up some candles and bask in the gentle glow. Set up your own sanctuary with soft pillows and blankets, mood-enhancing lamps or soft string lights. Make your own, completely stress-free inner-sanctum that makes it impossible not to relax and completely mellow out.
Take a Temporary Tech Detox
With the exception of your mood music, take time to turn off your phone or put it on silent and far enough away from you that you’re not constantly tempted to touch it. You don’t necessarily have to take a break all night, but you would be amazed at the benefits of habitually taking a short breather from social media, emails, and your phone’s incessant buzzing.
Practice Hobbies
Get creative with a paintbrush or pencil, letting harmful emotions or pent up aggression flow from your clouded mind to the page or canvas. Or read a book and let yourself become engrossed in an alternate world away from the stress of the day.
Journal Through the Chaos
You don’t have to call it a diary, but keeping a journal of significant moments can help work through any turbulent situations or feelings you encounter. Reflecting like this on a daily basis can make it easier to identify common stress triggers, bring a new perspective to trying circumstances, and allow you to appreciate positive experiences.
Practice Yoga and Deep Breathing
You don’t have to dive headfirst into intense pretzels, but practicing light yoga stretches and simple restorative poses is amazing at helping your body wind down from the craziness of the day. Deep breathing before, during and after smoking can really clean out the lungs and enhance the smoking experience while fostering optimal relaxation.
Get Physical
In the same vein as practicing yoga, performing any kind of low-intensity activity relieves tension by giving you time to think and take a mental break while also releasing endorphins that make you feel better both mentally and physically. Try taking a walk outside, either around the block, through the park, or a brief nature walk if you can. If it’s available to you, go for a short swim. The sensation of being submerged in water and being weightless ends up being a great way to take mental weight off your mind.
If you don’t want to be outside, or you’re not in the mood to be around people, move around the house by cleaning your room or organizing and freshening up your space. Menial tasks where you’re physically moving around is an effective trick to take your mind off of the day and start unwinding.
Now that you've read all the tips and tricks for relaxing, browse the DHC store to make sure you're fully stocking on smoking supplies for your next session!
1 comment
Watching Rick & Morty is by far my favorite pastime after a good sesh