Modern life is fast-paced and sometimes stressful, and most people can tell us that the best way to relieve stress is to go on a vacation alone or with a partner away from city life and spend some quality relaxing time. However, few people realize that spending time with your family and having fun is a perfect way to reduce your overall stress level. Whether it’s a sudden illness, financial problems, or disagreements over a topic, every family will experience stress at some point. Families that are prepared for these difficult times tend to be much stronger and better prepared to cope with challenges that might arise.
Spending time with family is such an important part of living a complete and fulfilling life. Remember the family does not always have to be blood relatives. Close friends, a guardian, or step-siblings all fall into the category of “family.” Cooking and eating more meals at home, as well as participating in physical activities (such as sports) with your family, can provide an unexpected advantage and improve your physical health. Physical games can aid in the development of strength and endurance. Both are excellent ways to improve one’s fitness and mental strength. To keep your mind busy you can either do group work with family or play board games which is one of the best ways to release stress. Since stress affects the mind more than the body, it’s always a good idea to consult a doctor online, such as a psychiatrist or your family practitioner, if you’re having trouble managing stress. Telehealth allows you to get answers to your issues while sitting at home.
Here are a few things that families can do together to help everyone relieve stress. These tasks would be enjoyable and beneficial to your health:
- One of the best ways to relieve tension and also stay fit is to exercise as a unit with family. Running or walking for at least half an hour a day will make a significant difference health wise especially mental health. Exercising makes you feel healthier and more energized by releasing feel-good endorphins. Try things that the entire family will enjoy, such as taking a stroll, hiking, or biking.
- In today’s fast-paced world, even young people must take time to reflect and slow down. Praying or meditating together as a family is a wonderful way to spend quality time together in a relaxed environment. Through online consultation via video chat, you can take guidance from professionals in the meditation field who can advise you on the best way to meditate and remain stress-free. Performing meditation at home is a better option because you can relax at your will and you perform this activity together in one place.
- To get relief from stress, going outside can help you but engaging in a family activity like gardening, watching movies or theatre shows, or do some group work can help even more. Try to watch shows, serials, or movies with family rather than watching alone. When you watch a movie together there could be many scenes that you can relate to your or your family life. Through such scenes, there can be more fun conversations with your family discussing old-time events and have some time remembering old memories.
- When it comes to stress relief, playing games, especially group games such as cards and board games that are mental activities, can be quite effective. A family art project, even if it’s as easy as making a scrapbook or a collage, is a wonderful way to get your family together and concentrate on creating something artistic and meaningful. During the pandemic, I’m sure many people began playing carrom, chess, or cards at home, which they had previously neglected due to their busy schedules.
- You maintain a cheerful attitude at work, but when you get home, you can let your family down. You may be unintentionally putting the burden on your family and causing harm without even understanding it. Before entering your house it is always better to stand for a while, take a deep breath especially when you had a tough day in the office. Try to leave your office work outside your home as much as possible. Deep breathing or relaxing music will help you relax and will make you feel better before seeing your family.
How spending time with your family can benefit your health:
Better Mental Health: If you communicate with your dear ones in person rather than via an online platform or mobile, it significantly lowers the risk of depression or other mental illness. Being physically present with loved ones provides a good emotional support system to help you get through life’s difficulties.
Reduces behavioral issues: This is especially related to children or teens. If a child is spending more time with family then he or she is less likely to develop behavioral problems such as aggressiveness or involve in drug consumption. When they receive a positive response from family members for good behaviors, it encourages them to continue a good way. In this way, parents are also less worried about their children taking the wrong steps.
You learn how to successfully solve a dispute: Being a member of a family can be enjoyable, but it can also be challenging. You can’t just walk away when a disagreement arises. Since you’re all in this together, you’ll have to work together to resolve any problem that arises. Through interpersonal conversation or debate, you can solve problems much better.
Encourages resiliency and adaptability: A close family relationship improves your ability to deal with life’s changes and challenges. Knowing that you are loved, cared for, and needed gives you a sense of belonging and purpose. This assurance motivates you to keep moving forward towards success.
Extends one’s life span: It is believed that strong relationships extend your life expectancy up by 40-50%. When you consider all of the physical and mental health advantages mentioned above, it’s easy to see why spending time with family has been related to living a longer, healthier, and happier life. And those who have bad physical habits but have a good social network live longer than those who do not.
With all of these amazing advantages of having a strong social network, it’s easy to see why spending time with family is so vital. Spending quality time with family is enjoyable but the other side is that it is very important for your mental health as well. If you’re not sure how to handle or increase your time with family, seek advice through online consultation with a doctor as a psychiatrist or a family practitioner. Put the phone down, gather with family, and make some fun, lasting memories. Taking time to interact with family takes some planning and often some money also but the investment pays off in the form of healthier people and excellent family relationships which in turn helps you mentally as well.
