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Ask HN: How do you unwind at the end of a day?
- Artlav 10y agoLet my thoughts randomize, about 2 hours before going to sleep. It's the only way to attain the capability of falling asleep...
- roryisok 10y agoI fall asleep by randomizing my thoughts but it only takes a couple of minutes
- billly 10y agoWhat the heck is randomizing your thoughts?
- bmay 10y agoA quick Google search led me to this: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jul/15/shuffle-thoughts-sleep-oliver-burkeman https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jul/15/shuffle...
- q-base 10y agoHmm thanks! Never heard of it before, but sounds like something I need to try.
- Artlav 10y agoIn my case it's more like put on nice music, imagine yourself into a random world and wander around.
- roryisok 10y agoSometimes I just imagine I'm slowly tuning a radio, catching snippets of conversations as a hop frequencies. Rarely a complete sentence. When you're not actively trying to imagine things your subconscious seems to take over and pretty soon after it's goodnight from me
- baby 10y agoI do the same. I've never seen anyone else talking about it. Whereas it seems like it should be a known ancient technique on how to fall asleep really fast.
- MikeTheGreat 9y agoI've never heard anyone else mention this - thanks for making me aware of it! Something that sometimes works for me is to imagine something that's emotionally flat, but complicated enough that it pushes other thoughts out and it's not boring. An example might be: I imagine myself building a model train in my backyard. I'll kind of 'drift down' to thinking about how to set up, say, the grain dispenser, then how to paint it, then how the colors work together, etc, etc. The next night it's something different.
- grecy 10y agoI know it sounds nuts, but I always found changing clothes made a huge difference for me. Get home and put on a pair of shorts, t-shirt and flip flops, or at least something you would never, ever wear to work. It always made some kind of mental shift in my head.
- jagger27 10y agoSweatpants/pajama bottoms are a key element to my evening unwind.
- yyyyt 10y agothis, people at work won't recognize me at home.
- amenghra 10y agoSports trainers have said this kind of stuff. Helps with mental preparation.
- n42 10y agoPreface this with a shower the evening is basically a new day.
- samstave 10y agobut with less sun, because we cant be bothered to put on sunscreen
- allemagne 10y agoFor those of us who live alone, the process definitely stops at taking off work clothes
- biocomputation 10y agoI was the same when I lived alone. My pants were nearly affixed to the back of the chair in my living room.
- 10y ago
- roryisok 10y agoEnd of the day for me is when the kids are in bed, chores done, usually around 8pm. I sit on the couch with my wife, we put something on tv and I code. The code sucks, I'm not some kind of uber programmer, but I find it relaxing, bizarrely. Maybe its the lack of pressure to turn in something workable and on time My productivity varies with what's on. If its something good like westworld or GoT I shut the laptop. If its the vampire diaries I'm not looking up
- mod 10y agoMy girlfriend just finished the last of the EIGHT seasons of that terrible show. I'm glad it's over, but I'm also afraid of what she'll pick next. Westworld is on my to-watch list, though.
- roryisok 10y agothere's a spin off called the originals which is even worse, currently suffering through that. and then something called riverdale.
- mod 10y agoShit, my girlfriend knows about the originals, I forgot. I think that's next. I haven't heard her mention riverdale. Let's hope it stays that way.
- roryisok 10y agoJust invent your own drinking game for it. With vampire diaries (or VD as it became known in our house) we drank when Caroline organised a party, Damon did eyebrow acting or Stefan started a sentence with "I've been alive for 120 years".
- mod 10y agoI'm sad enough just to know those names, no need to encourage it. Hell, I'd have to watch the show!
- autotune 10y agoPractice guitar and read a book usually, or go to the gym and work out. Incredible what you can do with a healthy work-life balance.
- jagger27 10y agoQueue up a handful (maybe an hour or two) of YouTube videos from my subscription box. Not that it's all that different from the typical "flop on couch and veg in from of the boobtube until you pass out" but if you have a diverse subbox you almost never run out of stimulating, fresh content that does more for you than typical Netflix-style content would. Here are some of my favourites: - AvE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChWv6Pn_zP0rI6lgGt3MyfA https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChWv6Pn_zP0rI6lgGt3MyfA - Cody's Lab: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu6mSoMNzHQiBIOCkHUa2Aw https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu6mSoMNzHQiBIOCkHUa2Aw - Matthias Wandel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCckETVOT59aYw80B36aP9vw https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCckETVOT59aYw80B36aP9vw - SV Seeker: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj_XaV1ss-qdD-lPUtTEcXw https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj_XaV1ss-qdD-lPUtTEcXw - B is for Build: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl4-WBRqWA2MlxmZorKOV7w https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl4-WBRqWA2MlxmZorKOV7w and I just discovered this channel last night: - Isaac Arthur: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFipeZtQM5CKUjx6grh54g https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFipeZtQM5CKUjx6grh54g
- CroCroCro 10y agoHa! Just what I'm doing. I'm into cheese making so I watch videos related to that while making some new ones / flipping the stored ones. - https://www.youtube.com/user/greeningofgavin https://www.youtube.com/user/greeningofgavin
- samstave 10y agoHa, years ago I was at a girlfriends house while she went out to dinner with an old friend to catch up. She called me at the end of her dinner on the way back home and said "what are you doing" and I said "Watching cheese making videos on youtube" She didnt believe me... she came into the room, I was sitting there still watching cheese making videos and she laughed and thought it was super funny. Yes, I was literally just binging cheese videos on youtube. great sex ensued.
- miguelrochefort 10y agoI watched a dozen cheese-making videos on YouTube earlier today... I have absolutely no intention to make cheese.
- dharness 10y agoI drink beer and watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
- jbernardo95 10y agoWorkout at the gym, followed by dinner and then some YouTube chill or some coding.
- cygned 10y agoTake a shower. Meditate.
- mrtree 10y agoCry at the missery of life until falling asleep
- jhgyukhjikoh 10y agoweed of course
- trentmb 10y agoHang out at the city library until it closes, then go home and read or watch netflix.
- iLoch 10y agoI just bought an Ableton Push. I plan on cracking open a beer and learning to use it after work. I figure if I'm going to entertain myself I might as well be learning too. I find making music to be both engaging and relaxing.
- davidlee1435 10y agoI find that making music (especially on a computer) is very similar to writing software in that they require both hemispheres of your brain. I love the state of flow that you get into when you're deep in a project.
- mrfusion 10y agoWow that looks fun. Do you need prior experience to use something like that? I would t know where to start.
- bttf 10y agoBeing able to commute by train really helps me. Having a routine of a 20 to 40 min train ride home creates a buffer between work and home and puts some mental 'distance' between my evening and the work day.
- losteverything 10y agoListen to my spouse and then my spouse listens to me. Then we talk about our day or whatever. Nothing beats friendship and companionship. We rarely turn on the tv - maybe for superbowl or storm coverage.
- roryisok 10y agoYou had me until Superbowl. I don't understand why people waste time watching other people throw a ball around for money, but hey its your time to waste I guess. I'll just crawl into my downvote bomb shelter now and watch some people pretending to fight zombies, much less of a waste of time
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- roryisok 10y agoReplying to my own comment. Ok lets face it, we all waste our time, and that is essentially what this thread is about. Most pastimes can be made to sound silly, and just because I don't share your interests doesn't mean they're less valid than my own. I code apps nobody will ever use, write books that will never be published, and I have watched 11 and a half seasons of supernatural. And I'm sitting here commenting on the internet instead of doing even any of those things. Ok. I'm going for a walk
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- thesmallestcat 10y agoI take serious issue with you acting like some authority on what is or isn't a waste of time. It's arrogant and destructive, to yourself and others.
- roryisok 10y agoI did take it back
- jborden13 10y agoWorkout > vape some weed > reddit
- lefstathiou 10y agoListen to Audible and get lost in a good story. Never self help (for the purposes of the unwind - I do that during day or weekend) as it gives me anxiet so aim for good sci fi or fantasy.
- mod 10y agoI think this is a habit I might pick up. I typically play music and tinker in my woodshop, but some great sci-fi would be a fantastic substitute for the music. Probably.
- mindcrime 10y agoDraw a really hot bath, just shy of the hottest temp I can tolerate, and crawl in the tub and sit back and read for a while. Sometimes accompanied by a cup of coffee or a bottle of Coke Zero. Other than that, lying in bed watching Netflix/Hulu/Prime, or reading.
- anonymousiam 10y agoRed wine, trance music, and mind-blowing sex.
- DarkTree 10y agoWork out right after work to clear my mind and reenergize, as well as get a little non-work related social interaction. Make a nice dinner, shower and get warm and clean, then work on some side programming projects in my lamp-lit bedroom (which is the best part of my night because it's completely quiet, calming atmosphere, and I get to focus on learning exactly what I want to). Then write down my good/bad thoughts on the day in a journal, and finally finish off the night by reading a book before I go to sleep.
- max0563 10y agoI enjoy drinking a cold beer, and playing the Jaw Harp. Very relaxing, indeed.
- bastijn 10y agoFirst, spend some time getting home. Sweet spot is 30 mins. Preferably biking through nature (looking) areas. Unfortunately for me it's an hour of driving but still, nothing else to do than listen some music and think. Usually first 15 minutes I think about what I ended my Workday with but after it goes into more relaxed thoughts. By the time I reach home work is out, home is in. If you live within biking range of your work I would advice grabbing your bike instead of your car for once (maybe much easier depending on country you live in). Next, eat. No TV, no devices, just family. Try to get my kid to eat her plate. After that go up and play around with her and put her to bed after reading her a book or two. Finally, drop on the couch (if no sports) and watch some netflix or read a book. Have to say lately the first wins more often but for now I don't have real problems with that. I do notice that reading a book gives me a much better start the next day though. Probably because I can stay up later when watching TV. Books your eyes just fall shut at some point.. I try to keep working at home to a minimal (it happens, sometimes). I also try not to open a laptop for personal projects when my wife is next to me. Mainly because she likes to talk when I'm home :).
- pvsukale3 10y agoI check HN. It is an addiction. worse than weed. spend a lot of time reading through comments. Like you are doing now . Stop it , Go get some work done!
- mod 10y agoGetting work done isn't really my idea of unwinding. I go out to my woodshop, but nothing I do there qualifies as work.
- ericclemmons 10y agoOnce kids are in bed, it's Overwatch time.
- venture_lol 10y agoOverflow of good food, drinks, friends galore...and alone duo time lol
- cubano 10y agoI do heroin, open Ableton, pick up my Martin and get lost in the infinite world of modern music creation.
- marsrover 10y agoI'm sure that'll end well.
- tomcam 10y agoOf course. Most Martins are damn fine guitars.
- marsrover 10y agoI agree. My D40 is the best I've ever had.
- neverminder 10y agoI prefer Taylor myself.
- cubano 9y agoIt sure has some serious ups and downs.
- toyg 10y ago> I do heroin If that was a joke, it is in very poor taste. If that was not a joke, I hope you get help.
- marsrover 10y agoIt's amazing that you're being downvoted. Heroin takes many lives daily and for someone to nonchalantly act like it's no bigger deal than having a beer is as naive as I could possibly ever imagine anyone to be. Edit: I guess as a disclaimer, seeing as I'm being downvoted too, I should mention I was addicted to opiates for many years
- jMyles 10y agoI think breaking a good sweat is a huge reset button if you really need to unwind. If you are really feeling stressed at the end of the day, maybe there are some small tweaks about the shape of your day that can help. One that I can enthusiastically suggest: naps.
- Neliquat 10y agoFirearms, Motorcycles and Drugs. Not concurrently. You people who spend all day on the pc, just to go home and spend your free time there too confuse me.
- akeck 10y agoMy wife calls it "rummaging". I wander around the house putting things a way, fixing little things, folding clothes, finding things to donate/recycle, etc. Sometimes I make bread or chocolate truffles. The physicality of it all clears my head.
- icc97 10y agoIf I do this it really, really annoys my partner. She gets uncomfortable that she's sitting on the sofa not doing much whilst I'm pottering about.
- dpc_pw 10y agoBeing result oriented Rustacean, I almost never truly unwind. Only when I panic I let myself unwind.
- watertorock 10y agoRead, usually a book (and not on a screen) Play music Take a walk
- wanderr 10y agoI always have a hard time going to sleep at a consistent time; it's much easier for me to stay up a couple of hours later than it is to go to bed even a half hour earlier. The two easiest ways for me to lose track of time and end up amped up at bedtime are programming and gaming, so I set an alarm 2 hours before bedtime to remind myself to stop either of those activities for the night. Then I veg out watching something stupid on Netflix or reading. It works but is definitely frustrating that I have to dedicate such a big chunk of time to winding down.
- sfilargi 10y agoTry a drinking a chamomile tea 30mins before bedtime.
- Broken_Hippo 10y agoI have the same issue if I'm working a "normal" person's day, but not so much if I can wake later in the day (10-noon). The poster mentioning the tea was on track - it doesn't have to be tea, just get a routine at night, starting half an hour or something before bed. It can be showering or whatever, just something relaxing. Boring television shows - nothing that gets you too interested - after that until you sleep. Or reading or whatever, so long as it doesn't engross you. Also helpful is to keep some sleep hygeine - not sleeping in much on weekends. It sucks doing this, but it does produce results.
- wanderr 10y agoSame here actually, except a bit later if I'm not waking up to an alarm, I will drift towards waking up at 1-2pm and don't have as much trouble getting to sleep. Even then I can easily make myself stay up later than usual, and would take advantage of that fact to "flip" my schedule when needed over the course of a week by just going to bed "later" and getting up "later" every day until it was early instead of late. Good enough for making it to some important early as hell meeting or flight or whatever, but my schedule would quickly fall forward back to my normal preferred time. Unfortunately for me, just 30 minutes or pre sleep routine isn't really enough, any time I allow myself to encroach on that 2 hour wind down period too much, I have a much harder time falling asleep. Things like chamomile tea and melatonin do help with falling asleep, but not with staying asleep, if I use them to fall asleep early I'll just wake back up 20 minutes later. Ambien works wonders but I try to only use it when I'm really desperate, a few times a year.
- psyc 10y agoMinecraft, Factorio, and Netflix
- hhh000 10y agoPornHub
- madengr 10y agoA few stiff drinks. Just kidding. YouTube. I thought it was crazy for Google to buy it for $1E9, but now I think it was wise.
- w-m 10y agoMaybe the best answers could be given by those who would not hang around Hacker News on a weekend.
- roryisok 10y agoExcept it was asked on hacker news on a weekend, so OP is one of us
- return0 10y agoI bet that most of you are lying that you 're not having sex/masturbating.
- orsenthil 10y agoSleep. There is no better way for me to unwind.
- nunez 10y agoI go to the gym, if time allows. If time also allows, I like taking a salt bath. It's really calming. I usually catch up on my Feedly during then. I also like taking long bike rides, but travelling every week has made that impossible.
- rapt 10y agoI drink wine and cry.
- i_don_t_know 10y agoI go running. And I literally mean "go". I don't drive. I run from/to my doorstep. I don't listen to music/podcasts/etc. I don't think about anything in particular. Mostly I daydream. I don't schedule anything for after the run. No pressure to be done by a certain time. No pressure having to get ready for something else. I don't watch tv. I'm staring at a screen for eight hours every day, I don't want to stare at a screen in my spare time as well.
- snovv_crash 10y ago3 times a week I go to the local gym and pick up heavy things. If I haven't been in a while (skip more than 2 workouts) my sleeping suffers, so it is good motivation. So usually 2 of these fall during the week. On these days I'll typically also do stuff like laundry and/or reading sort-of-work related stuff; usually stuff that makes me a better engineer/mathematician/coder in one of the problem domains I'm interested in. On Fridays I try to let loose a bit, either eat out somewhere nice or drink lots of good beer, with a mix of friends and colleagues. Depending on weather I try to mix in other sports: windy means i can go sailing with a friend, sunny but cool is good for climbing outdoors, raining is good for climbing indoors. I try to do a social sport like this at least once a week, but that doesn't always work out. I was never sporty in school, and picking it up towards the end of university has changed my self confidence, posture, strength/fitness and general feelings of self reliance a huge amount for the better. I still wouldn't call myself fit, but i can run a 10k (with a lot of self-hate in the second half) and not die. Mostly I'm just happy to be having fun and making constant improvements to myself.
- bbcbasic 10y agoI don't. Putting kids to bed. Chores. Sleep. Instead I unwind at lunchtime. Walk through the city or in parks. Go to a coffee shop and read a newspaper alone.
- 6nf 10y agoExercise, Netflix, alcohol, drugs. In that order. Usually I'm asleep around the Netflix / alcohol stages.
- rimunroe 10y agoI take a long bike ride out of the city and back, take a shower, and have a bowl of soup while I chat with friends or watch videos/read/play games.
- Overtonwindow 10y agoDepends on the day, and the level of stress, but I either end the day with marijuana, a bike ride, or an audiobook.
- miguelrochefort 10y ago- Change clothes - Cook and eat dinner - Catch up on my YouTube subscriptions - Catch up on my Reddit subscriptions - Watch something on Metflix - Sleep