5 Ways Nigerians Relax Their Nerves

5 Ways Nigerians Relax Their Nerves.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the country is hard. Between an economy just recovering from recession, and a general state of hardship, considering the poor state of infrastructure, and the anger and frustrations everyone seems to be carrying around in their belly, Nigerians are in a perpetual state of being stressed.

All of this certainly isn’t news to you.

But then, how do Nigerians ease off? How do they let go some of the built up tension, and relax themselves, freshen up and get roaring to go again and surmount every odds in their way. I asked around, and found out a bit myself with some observation and I came up with the 5 Ways Nigerians Relax Their Nerves.

1. Owambe. Turn Up
All the party wey dem dey do for Lagos City. I guess you know the lyrics to the rest of the song. Essentially, partying and turning up is the number one stress reliever. Even though the way and manner Nigerians party, you wonder if it isn’t a different level of stress on its own. But where there is good music, great food, friends and family, alcoholic drinks of all sorts, you can’t blame the average Nigerian of temporarily forgetting everything else that is wrong with the world and thoroughly enjoy themselves while at it.

2. Lodge in a Hotel
Lodging in a hotel is also another way Nigerians relive stress. Of course depending on their budget and income, the class of hotel will surely differ. But hotels bring a degree of comfort and relaxation you can not get anywhere else, even if there is light at home. The overworked mom might consider dropping the kids off at their grandparents and check in to a hotel in Lekki for the weekend where all she has to do is lounge in her bathrobe, drink wine, order room service and watch cable television without her husband asking for the remote because Chelsea and Arsenal are playing. When you take a break to lodge in an hotel, you get the opportunity to take advantage of amenities such as the swimming pool, spa and gym. Even business travelers have been known to stay an extra night when they travel for business, the extra night is for them to cool off proper after all the work.


3. Eat
You cant separate food from the Nigerian. After all what is the point of all the hustle if not to eat and to eat big. Whether they are preparing the meals themselves, ordering online, or eating in their favourite restaurant or buka, eating is a great stress reliever. The sight of Amala and Abula, or Fufu and Afang soup with plenty of obstacles, or a simmering plate of Jollof rice with firewood flavour is enough to dissipate not just hunger, but any stress the Nigerian might be facing at the time.

4. Spa/Yoga/Meditation/Exercise
Another way many Nigerians relieve stress is through Spa, Yoga, Meditation or Exercise. Lots of upwardly mobile young people are increasingly engaging in these activities to achieve the ever elusive work-life balance. And the results are great too.

5. Stay at Home
When all has been said and done, staying at home is still a great option for when Nigerians want to relieve stress. It might actually mean turning down all of the above. And it works. When you think of the noise, the traffic, the interaction with people you might not necessarily want to interact with, staying home and shutting your window blinds right after you turn off your phone is also a valuable way to stay fresh and relax your nerves.

What other means have you employed to relax your nerves?

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