You work from Monday to Friday, the weekend comes and, instead of disconnecting and having a rest, you are worried about the things you have to do at work on Monday. Do you recognize this situation? Well, this is ‘stresslaxing’
Simply put, it’s the combination of ‘stress’ and ‘relaxing’. It’s the stress caused by having to relax that affects some people. Although it may sound strange, it is as real as life itself.
The problem with stresslaxing is that the brain prevents the rest of the body from enjoying vacations, free time, days off, or having a good time.
And the reason doesn’t necessarily have to be work. School, family, paperwork or personal tasks can all lead to the inability to disconnect and rest.
And when we talk about rest, we mean weekends, free afternoons or mornings, taking a nap, going out for a drink, watching a movie or something as simple as sitting and looking into the distance.
Is it a matter of today’s hectic society? It’s possible, but stresslaxing has been around for decades. The American Psychological Association published a study in 1983 in which more than half of its participants felt stressed out after a relaxation session.
According to an article published in the Journal of Affective Disorders (JAD), those most at risk of stresslaxing are people with anxiety disorders.
What’s more, this publication points to two very specific personality types to define those who find moments of relaxation stressful: controlling people and workaholics.
How does this issue manifest? According to JAD, it can be seen in problems falling asleep, procrastination of leisure activities, lack of attention during family or friends gatherings, or feelings of guilt during resting moments.
The problem is that those who suffer from stresslaxing put perfection and productivity over the need to rest, without considering that one can be more productive after resting body and mind.
Obviously, the environment, whether work or personal, often has an influence, since the pressure is often high.
To deal with this problem, you should try to put work aside during your break time, and one simple way to do this is by setting schedules and limits. Another measure is to value the work done up until the time you stop.
It also helps a lot to do something relaxing, such as meditation, yoga, or going for a walk. Something that separates the time of activity from the time of relaxation.
And if none of this works, don’t hesitate to seek professional help, someone who can unravel the origin of the problem and help you find a way to solve it.
