5 Ways To Relax After A Competition

It’s completely normal to feel exhausted after a day of competing and going head-to-head with others, and it’s also understandable to feel wired and full of energy. Coming down from the competition day high can be far easier said than done. It’s difficult to calm down and channel your focus into something else when you’ve been feeling excited, apprehensive, and charged all day. Your body and mind go through a whole host of emotions and ups and downs during the day,which is precisely why it’s vital for you to take some time out, to be still and quiet, and recuperate.

Get Some Fresh Air

Chill outside in your yard, a park, or other green spaceswith your friends, and enjoy laying quietly in the sun to allow your batteries to recharge, as it were. Pull up a comfortable chair that supports your back and chill out how you usually would, with the help of a tea, a coffee, a glass of wine, or an e-cigarette, for example. Vaping can be a useful way to try and wean yourself off smoking completely (something you should be doing as a serious athlete), and you can find products and accessories to do so at redjuice.co.uk.

Cook Up A Storm

Cooking can be enormously therapeutic, especially if you’re in a good mood and can cook well. Replenish your energy reserves and eat well after the day of a competition. When preparing your meal, be sure to include plenty of dark leafy greens full of zinc, iron, calcium, and folates. Then add protein, such as cheeses, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, and grains and pulses.

Read A Chapter

Settle down quietly in the company of a good book, and enjoy the feeling of silencing your brain. Whilst doing so, try and focus on the speed of your breathing – inhale slowly and exhale steadily. If reading makes you feel sleep normally, then doing so now is going to speed up the process and you should be able to fall asleep in no time.

Jump In The Bath

Immerse yourself in a warm and comforting bubble bath accompanied with a beer (or two) or a large glass of wine. Remember to always drink responsibly, however, and if you’re worried about alcohol dependence seek assistance and someone to talk to as soon as you can. Turn on some slow classical music, for example, and add a few drops of aromatherapy oils directly into the water. You can use the likes of lavender oil, tea tree oil, balsam, bergamot, and sandalwood. Ice baths can be extremely helpful if you’re suffering from tight muscles and aches and pains. They work by encouraging the expulsion of the lactic acid and other waste products out from broken tissues (microtrauma).

Massage

Consider scheduling a massage to have after the day of the competition, in order to release your muscles and tissues of the lactic acid that will inevitably have built up inside them. If, for whatever reason, this isn’t possible, then why not try using a massaging pillow or a water foot spa to rest your tired feet in? Hydrotherapy can be hugely effective to help you release tension and regain a feeling of calm after a period of commotion.