NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY | August 15
National Relaxation Day on August 15th encourages us to slow down and unwind. It’s a day to focus on taking care of ourselves and take a moment to relax.
#NationalRelaxationDay
National Relaxation Day is an important day as we all need a break from the fast-paced and often hectic lifestyles we live. Taking time to recuperate and rejuvenate our tired minds and bodies may help prevent many health risks, too. Like the founder of this day suggested, too much work can make us sick, run-down, tired and that’s just wrong.
But he was right! It has been proven that stress can be harmful to our health, both mentally and physically. Most doctors will agree that finding ways to relax and finding ways to reduce stress will improve overall health.
What is your favorite relaxation activity?
- Reading a book
- Fishing with a friend
- A picnic in the park
- Walking along the beach
- Taking a drive in the country
- Spa
- Golfing
- Photography
- A movie
- Window shopping
- Lunch with friends
- Drinks with friends
- Watching sports
- Swimming
These are just a few of the many possible relaxation ideas that you may want to use to celebrate this holiday.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
Take a deep breath, unwind while viewing your favorite TV show, or just find a quiet spot in a park and enjoy the summer breeze. Use #NationalRelaxationDay to post on social media and spread the word.
We also have 8 More Chill Ways to Relax that you might find helpful.
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY HISTORY
Sean Moeller founded National Relaxation Day in 1985 as a fourth-grader. In an interview with Valerie Monson in The Des Moines Register Sean suggested people shouldn’t do anything of real value. Cleaning and real work are not part of relaxation.
Relaxation FAQ
Q. How do I reduce stress at work?
A. The American Psychological Association recommends several tips for lowering stress at work. Similar to how we approach stressing our personal lives, it’s important to know what causes our stress. Once we know what those triggers are, we can develop ways to reduce our stress response. Taking deep breaths, stretching, reducing our workloads or even speaking to our supervisor can improve the kinds and amount of stress at work. In turn, we can learn to relax more easily.
Q. What’s the most relaxing job in the United States?
A. We’re fairly confident you can rule out President of the United States. However, doing something you love improves your job satisfaction. For example, working in an environment that is relaxing to you will be less stressful. If you don’t love the outdoors but you spend most of your workday outdoors, you might find your job more stressful than someone who loves the outdoors. So, it’s a matter of perspective.
August 15th Celebrated History
1843
Tivoli Gardens opens in Copenhagen, Denmark. The amusement park is the second-oldest running amusement park in the world.
1914
Julian Carlton sets fire to Taliesin, the home Frank Lloyd Wright shares with his mistress, Mamah Chaney. Carlton and his wife were working as servants in the home and the blaze killed seven people, including Chaney and two of her children.
1914
The Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans opens to traffic.
1935
A plane crash near Point Barrow Alaska kills aviator Wiley Post and humorist Will Rogers.
1939
The Metro Goldwin Meyer film, The Wizard of Oz, premiers at Grauman’s Chinese Theater.
1965
The birth of stadium rock begins when The Beatles perform for a crowd of 60,000 at Shea Stadium in New York.
1969
The three-day Woodstock Music and Art Fair opens. The festival hosted 32 acts and an estimated 1/2 million attended the fair.
1977
Astronomer Jerry Ehman discovers a signal from the Big Ear Radio Observatory located in Ohio. The signal earned the name “Wow!” due to the note Ehman wrote on the data log.
1979
Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now opens in theaters.
1997
The Los Angeles Dodgers retire the number of Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda.
2008
Ryan Lochte swims world record backstroke at the Beijing Olympics
2013
The mammal named olinguito is discovered in the Andes. Related to the raccoon family, it is the first carnivore discovered in the Americas in 35 years.
August 15th Celebrated Birthdays
Napoleon Bonaparte – 1769
The French military leader and emperor rose to power during the early 17th century.
Edith Nesbit – 1858
The poet and children’s author published more than 60 books under the name E. Nesbit.
Florence Harding – 1860
Before becoming the 29th First Lady of the United States, Florence Harding helped run the Marion Star newspaper owned by her husband and future president, Warren Harding.
Edna Ferber – 1885
The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and playwright published notable works such as So Big.
Elizabeth Bolden – 1890
When Lizzie Bolden died at the age of 116 years and 118 days, she had lived through 21 U.S. Presidents. At the age of 30, the passage of the 19th Amendment would provide Bolden with her first opportunity to vote in a Presidential election. The supercentenarian was the oldest living person in the world at the time of her death.
Julia Child – 1912
Child revolutionized television with her cooking shows. The chef hosted several cooking shows and published several cookbooks, most notably Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She was also known as “The French Chef.”
Paul Rand – 1914
As a graphic designer, Rand became known for his corporate designs. Many are recognizable today, including logos for UPS, Google and IBM.
Stieg Larsson – 1954
Best known for his crime novels, Larsson’s novels were published after his death. The first book in his Millennium series was Men Who Hate Women. The novel was marketed under the title The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo when it was published in English.
Debra Messing – 1968
Best known for her role as Grace Adler in the TV sitcom Will & Grace, Messing was nominated nine times for a Golden Globe but has never won. She did, however, win an Emmy in 2003.
Ben Affleck – 1972
Since his breakthrough role in the film Good Will Hunting, Affleck has acted in and produces several films. Films to his credit include Argo, Gone Girl, Pearl Harbor.
Kerri Walsh Jennings – 1978
In 2016, Walsh-Jennings earned her fourth Olympic medal, making her the most decorated beach volleyball Olympian. She won three golds with Misty May-Treanor and one bronze with April Ross.
Carl Edwards – 1979
The retired professional stock car driver, Carl Edwards, was nominated to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2020.
Joe Jonas – 1989
The singer/songwriter and actor first gained fame in the music world with the band the Jonas Brothers.
Jennifer Lawrence – 1990
Actress, Jennifer Lawrence, is best known for her role as Katniss Everdeen in the dystopian series The Hunger Games.
