How to create wellness at home in everyday life

We appreciate a vacation more when we don’t have one. Or to put it another way: if we’re stuck in the hamster wheel of everyday life, a break seems like the most relaxing thing in the world.

But it’s not always easy to relax on vacation. At least not from a scientific point of view. While some researchers say that only longer vacations help you to recover properly, others claim that several short breaks a year are better (linked articles in German).

Occupational psychologist Carmen Binnewies, on the other hand, says studies have shown no effect on the importance of vacation length for recovery (linked article in German). What matters is how (positively) you experience your time off – regardless of whether you book a trip to Sri Lanka or stay on your balcony.

Even a short break in the evening can do you good

One thing’s for certain, people need a break(s), and not just because the feeling of relaxation always disappears so quickly after a vacation. Short breaks keep you healthy, make you feel good, plus – your employer will be pleased to hear – those who are rested perform better at work. And they’re more cooperative. Binnewies was able to prove this in a study. The effect can even be seen if you just relax the evening before.

No (short) vacation in sight for you? Then make yourself comfortable in your own four walls on your next free evening – with a mini wellness retreat. You can even do it without a bathtub.

10 ways to relax at home in the day spa

1. Turn your phone off

You’ve heard it before and it’s still true: mobile phones are poison for relaxation. Researcher Binnewies found that if you’re on vacation or just taking a short break at the end of the day, every phone call – whether personal or professional – has a negative effect on your feeling of relaxation. We’re all too familiar with it. «Just a quick one» (scrolling through the feed/checking messages/ordering something) is the biggest lie we tell ourselves when we reach for our mobile phones and their ever-present temptations.

2. Put some music on

Your mobile phone is turned off or in another room? Good. Now you need a pleasant atmosphere in your personal day spa – with music, for example. No, not from a streaming service... do you still have old-fashioned CDs at home? Radio’s also okay, as long as it’s a station where there’s no constant chatter. Maybe try the classical station? Studies have shown: classical music has been shown to lower blood pressure and stress levels.

3. Get a nice scent and mood lighting

Relaxing involves all the senses. So set up your aroma diffuser and drizzle in your favourite scent. Essential oils have a very individual effect on the mind but the same effect on every body. Pine, for example, boosts concentration and lavender has a calming effect. Now, a lack of light in the darker months of the year can lead to the winter blues. A few candles alone on the odd wellness evening won’t completely cure it, but the cosy flickering light will certainly put you in relaxation mode more easily.

4. Move your body

Is the music still playing? Then a little dance can’t hurt – no one’s watching. After all, relaxing doesn’t just mean sitting still on the sofa. Get your frustration out with some movement and restore your mental space.

5. Wind down with tea

If you’ve forgotten to drink enough during the day because you’ve been so stressed, now is the time to refocus. As soon as you concentrate on preparing a pot of steaming herbal tea, a freshly squeezed juice or smoothie, the stressful feeling slowly dissipates.

6. Use an infrared lamp

As a child, everyone had to squat in front of an infrared lamp to soothe a cold nose or inflamed ears. But the red light from the heat lamp is also relaxing – it promotes local blood circulation and relaxes your muscles.

7. Have a facial

While we’re on the subject of the face, there’s a beautician in every wellness hotel to take care of the pampering, but you can do the same! You don’t need your own facial sauna for a soothing steam bath that revitalises your skin and gives it a rosy tint. All you need is a pot of boiling water, a handful of herbs and a towel over your head. Follow this with a face mask (also available for men). A sheet mask is the easiest and least messy way – simply put the mask on, remove it after a few minutes, dispose of it and relax. Lie quietly on the bed or sofa while it works its magic.

8. Focus on your breathing

Now that you’re on the sofa, you can devote yourself to one of the most important ways to relax: your breathing. Conscious, slow, «correct» breathing with a short pause between inhaling and exhaling reduces stress naturally. It lowers the cortisol in your blood, giving your body the rest it needs.

9. Shower under the rain

If you have a bathtub at home, wellness after work is very simple: pour warm water into the tub, add a muscle-relaxing, body-warming or simply nice-smelling bath oil and Om! But showering also counts as wellness if you focus on me-time instead of just cleaning your body. Do you have a rain shower? The many small droplets will give your skin a light massage.

10. Make a foot bath

Feet are one of the parts of the body that are most often neglected. It’s a shame, because a foot bath could tackle all kinds of problems such as migraines, sleep problems, but also cold, sweaty or swollen feet. Corns and calluses too. After bathing your feet, dry them well, including between the toes, and pamper them with a nourishing cream.