It's the same crowd, same lame dates, same places.
You're tired from a long week and the last thing that crosses your mind is planning an egg hunt with your mates which will result in 60% of the time, not going to work all the time. So, for the first couple hours, it's going to be rummaging around the city - Then something fantastic happens to turn your dreary confines into a late night.
The best nights are formulated by starting it off fresh and energized. Here are a few things I've learned over the past years to make sure your mind and body stay awake and alert during the evening.
1. Stay Active
Athletes warm-up, train, and warm-down. The warm down process is necessary to lower your heart rate to its resting state and get the metabolic waste (lactic acid) out of your body by facilitating the movement in your lymphatic system and blood flow. Recovery of the muscles takes less time and your next training session will result in lower injuries and quicker endurance/muscle-building time. After a long workday/week it's easy to just plop onto the couch. You need to stay active - hop into the gym for some burpees or go for a run. This will get the blood flowing, get your energy high and prepare you for a long night.
2. Take a Cold Shower
The obvious choice after a workout to stay awake. A cold shower shocks even the drowsiest of them all. Researchers compared cold water immersion to rest for late-onset muscle soreness and found that immersion in cold water could effectively decrease the delayed onset of muscle pain. Cold water can lower the temperature of damaged tissue and constrict the blood vessels. This helps reduce the swelling and inflammation, while numbing nerve endings for immediate pain relief. So, by simply taking a cold post-workout shower, you’ll help relieve muscle soreness and inflammation. Cool!
3. Groom Groom
You know you don't need the confidence but a little upgrade in skin and grooming solutions can boost freshness. Leave the condo with a healthy appearance and you might get some compliments as well. Anti-Vice Skin Solutions can help any evening that includes little swigs of grandpapa's medicine or those late nights/ early mornings. Fatigue and stress play a crucial role in rapid aging even overnight - These skin solutions can counter the effects so you can continue the evening knowing you're covered.
4. Dress Well
No need to break out the smoking jacket and leather boots, but being in that comfort zone while still looking organized definitely can change the evening from good to great. Clean, neat without running shoes. Check out Pinterest if you have to.
5. Sip your Poison
Sipping (not shooting - College days are over) a little scotch or Casa Amigos on ice while taking a shower and getting dressed just relaxes you. Same goes for a glass of wine or any cocktail. While many might say that one glass is actually good for you, well, ethanol is ethanol no matter what kind of lipstick you use. So, the mood is the only thing we are going for here. This releases you from any second thoughts about which shoes, colors or jeans you're going to wear and even negative thoughts about where you're going to go that night.
You might have a different routine or you might want to add a couple of these tips to get ready for, maybe not the time of your life, but at least a break from the stresses of work and all that weekday, sociocultural conformity.