Festival-goers that made it into work this morning after a weekend of live music are facing a painful day of raspy-voiced Zoom calls and caffeine-fuelled meetings today.
While you’re probably still buzzing from the excitement of hearing your favourite bands – at Reading and Leeds, Creamfields or All Points East, to name a few- you’re also likely staring into the abyss of your emails and wondering how you can possibly make it through the next few days while recovering from so little sleep.
All that walking, dancing, standing and drinking can really take its toll on your physical and mental wellbeing, so it’s important to prioritise some self-care in the coming days.
Here’s how to get back to feeling back to your best if you’re struggling to feel human today.
1. Take an Epsom salt bath
Festivals are exhausting, and while it can be tempting to head straight to the nearest pub to keep the party spirit alive, it’s important to take some time to gently recover. A hot bath can work wonders after a weekend of sleeping on the ground, especially if you swish some epsom salts into the running water.
“When epsom salt is dissolved in water, magnesium ions are released,” explains Dr. R Tomar, GP partner at Portland Medical.
The theory is that when you soak in an Epsom salts bath, the magnesium penetrates into your body through the skin, and Tomar says this is important as the mineral is vital for both muscle repair and quality kip.
“Magnesium plays a role in sleep and stress management as it helps produce the neurotransmitters responsible for these functions. It can also help the body produce melatonin, which is another key sleep hormone.”
2. Eat for your liver
If you’ve spent the weekend eating packet noodles and greasy burgers, it’s time to replenish your body with some vitamins and nutrients.
Start the day with a healthy energising smoothie, with antioxidant-rich ingredients like berries, spinach and kale. If your liver has taken a solid beating over the weekend, prioritise anti-inflammatory foods like beetroots, tomatoes and leafy greens.
“Rich in fibre, healthy fats like omega 3’s, lean protein and an abundance of colourful plant chemicals can furnish all our day-to-day nutrition needs after a festival, while also reducing chronic inflammation,” adds Dr Jenna Macciochi, a leading immunologist working with Healthspan.
3. Rehydrate
That doesn’t mean cracking open a cold beer once the working day is over. After a weekend of heavy drinking, you’ll likely be dehydrated. Remember: alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it removes fluids from the body.
As well as sipping on water throughout the day, drink an electrolyte-fortified sports drink, as this can help the body to rehydrate more quickly than plain old h2O.
4. Get some sunlight
After a bank holiday weekend, it’s natural to feel a little blue about getting back to reality and many people struggle with ‘post-festival blues’.
Sunlight can really help. Getting outdoors helps boost a chemical in your brain called serotonin, the key hormone that stabilises our mood and feelings of wellbeing.
Simply taking a moment to walk around the block at lunchtime can work wonders for your mood and mindset, as well as gently exercising stiff muscles and giving your eyes a break from staring at a screen.
And if all else fails, there’s only four days left until the weekend.