In an increasingly hectic world, sometimes finding the time to relax can seem like an impossibility, especially if you work full-time and have a family to look after. 70% of 2,000 Britons surveyed that they felt overworked, with an average relaxation time of 36 minutes, that’s less than the running time of most Netflix programmes.
Given that everyone is different, the amount of time a person should relax per day is difficult to determine – consider how some people are perfectly happy with 5 hours of sleep while others insist on 9 – and more so, how do you define relaxation? After all, everyone’s idea of a relaxing day would vary.
The advantages to relying on technology for your physical relaxation are the following: it’s cheaper long-term, you can indulge anytime you see fit and the products have been tried and tested. While this list won’t feature any artificially intelligent robotic masseuses (though, with some of the new technology on the horizon, it wouldn’t be surprising), it will include five products designed to destress and relax you.
- Bathtub Caddy – this is a relatively simple one but it’s great for people who love taking a hot bath as a means of relaxation. The wooden slate, resting across the width of your tub, can be used to hold a glass of your favourite wine, a tablet displaying your favourite programme, a book – whatever you’d like!
- Weighted Blanket – at first glance, this could sound like a nightmarish concept, but we’re not talking a tonne of weight, just enough that it almost feels like you’re being cradled. Studies have shown that using this product can increase your quality of sleep as the pressure applied by the weight replicates physical contact, releasing serotonin in your body. Skin-on-skin contact during sleep also has this effect which is why couples who sleep naked together often report a better quality of sleep.
- Wheat Pillow – again a simple enough invention, simply put the pillow (which can vary in size) in the microwave for a minute or so and then rest it on whichever body part you’d like to relax. This is especially useful for muscular fatigue and soreness as it encourages the blood to the area, causing the lymphatic system to flow to the affected muscle and clearing toxins from it.
- Massage Chair – this does not have to involve buying a full chair much like the ones you sometimes see in shopping centres. For less than £50 you can get a large cover with moving parts that you would simply place over your chair, sit upon and relax.
- Wearable Headband – a final inclusion, exploring more futuristic options, would be a wearable headband that you can now purchase which is designed to release electromagnetic pulses to your brain causing it to literally relax. While the product has had mixed reviews, some reporting little change while others calling it a life-saver, this could be the perfect option if you often struggle to ‘switch off’ your brain.