Breathe Brain Breathe

Booze? Gangnam Style? DailyMails Comment Section or Extreme Exercise?

I am sure everyone has their own way of disconnecting from their routine life or stressful situations, to do something that takes their mind to a whole different place.

What works for me, is spending time in nature and going to a spa. Nature has its natural soothing effect and spas just spoil your body so much that it is impossible not to relax.

I remember one summer when I was a teenager, and I needed to disconnect (my boyfriend had left me) so I started running but running until I felt the taste of blood in my mouth. And it helped until my Irish setter decided to escape and I had to scream for it like a madman, then I got the stress back again. My Irish setter was so kind and lovely, but I am never in my life going to have one anymore. When I take my sisters Collie out for a walk, not only he obeys everything, but he never leaves my sight or leaves me out of sight. My Irish setter was like a nomad; you never knew where it went or when it returned, or when it was in the mood of obeying.

But back to disconnecting...

I have noticed that people have different ways to disconnect, many unfortunately use alcohol and cigarettes, and many exercises and read books. I think that traveling is also important, especially for us who live in the north and have to endure Real autumn and winter. I say Real because we argue with my husband about what is autumn and winter. He (Spanish) is used to having sunny autumn with 20 degrees and a sunny winter with 5 degrees. I (Finnish) am used to cold, rainy autumn, then a month long season without sun whats so ever and snowy winter, temperature between 0 and minus 20 degrees.

So, we northerners really appreciate trips to Thailand in winter, more than the Spaniards I am sure.

But as it was taken away because of the pandemic, people had to find new ways to disconnect, which I hope resulted in traveling close by (and supporting local businesses).

Oh, I forgot one obvious way to disconnect; watching sports. We don't watch any sports in my family and therefore I often forget that other people do. I haven't ever understood that, watching sport, the only sport I sometimes watch is snooker, but that's only because I find Ronnie O'Sullivan so funny and I like watching his small gestures and movements. Maybe I could watch football, but the cameras are too far away from the players, so although Ronaldo would be playing I wouldn't see him, only a ball bouncing around and a bunch of people running to get it.

But, I can't deny that the atmosphere in sporting events is thrilling. But some people act like it is the second world war and ruins it.

Then, music of course can disconnect, like relaxing lounge music, hilarious Gangnam style, empowering Bach or Weeknd. But I haven't found music to help long, for a longer disconnection I need a bigger scene, not just a list of songs.

My best way of disconnection, is surprise, surprise, The Sauna.

The sauna works every time and everywhere. When I lived in Spain, the worst thing was not having a sauna because eventually, it resulted in me being stressed quite a lot, not being able to really disconnect the way that works for me.

Now, that I live in Finland again, I go to the sauna on the weekend, or when I have had a Really crappy day. One familiar of mine goes to a wood-heated sauna every day (poor climate change) which I don't understand, I would be a walking spaghettis if I did that every day.

But now I feel like finding a new way to disconnect, I know that there are many. And I know that many would propose mindfulness, yoga, and rock healing but I like New Age stuff more in thought than in actual practice.

So, any good ideas?