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Struggling to relax when you finally have time off? Therapist explains why it happens and shares what to do
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Sometimes our brains do not allow us to relax even when we are physically on a break, explains Jeffrey Meltzer, while also sharing a way to get out of it.
It is a universal experience that as our lives get busier, we find it increasingly difficult to actually relax, even when we have some free time on our hands. No matter what we do, our minds drift to the tasks that are yet to be done, and unless someone is running out of time, there are always things to be done.
Taking to Instagram on September 23, Florida-based therapist Jeffrey Meltzer explained the reason behind this phenomenon, and shared what can be done to help ourselves actually relax during our time off.
Why do we have a hard time relaxing?
According to Jeffery, sometimes when we try to relax after a very long day, or while we are on a vacation, all we can think about is responsibilities that we still have, such as pets, taxes, and so on. Therefore, even though we may be doing nothing, we are not actually relaxed.
In the words of the therapist, “Sometimes that happens because your brain doesn't feel comfortable letting go of whatever you're worried about. It's like it doesn't have permission to relax. It doesn't have the green light to chill out.”
Jeffrey explained that this is a problem because it is hard to recover from feeling burnt out when a person’s brain keeps working through their entire break.
How to help our brain relax
The solution to the problem, as per the therapist, involves consciously giving our brain permission to relax. And the way to do that is by putting a time limit on the relaxation.
“You say, ‘Okay, brain, you have permission to fully relax for the next two hours. Then, I'll take some time to look at whatever I'm worried about.’ See, when you tell your brain that you will return to whatever is stressing you out, it can feel more comfortable letting go because you've already decided when you'll deal with it,” explained Jeffrey.
And if the brain brings up the things it wants to worry about again, Jeffrey suggests reminding ourselves that we are on a break, and we will be getting back to the issue in a while.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Jeffrey Meltzer is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor based in Florida. He graduated with a Master's in Mental Health Counselling from the University of South Florida and has been providing therapy services for over seven years.
