At the end of a tough day, the best thing to do is leave the job behind and unwind. Taking at least a half-hour to decompress and release stress can help you reset for the next day. According to The Huffington Post, it can also prevent you from developing heart disease, improve your immunity and may help prevent depression. There are plenty of ways for military servicemembers and first responders to relax at the end of the day, and one of the most effective methods is listening to music. Below are 10 songs to help you shake off the stress of the day.
1. 'Sunday Morning' by Maroon 5
This soothing ballad will have you swaying as you kick back on the couch. No matter what day of the week it is, Maroon 5's 2004 hit makes it feel as relaxing as Sunday morning.
2. 'Wake Me Up' by Aloe Blacc
It does not matter if you prefer the acoustic version or the remix. This song's folksy feel will calm you down in no time.
3. 'Free Fallin'' by Tom Petty
Listening to Tom Petty is always a good decision, but cranking this song in your car during rush hour after a long day can be the perfect remedy for work-related stress. The easygoing beat and guitar strumming accompanied by Petty's cry that he's free will release you from whatever negative emotions have followed you from work.
4. 'Ho Hey' by The Lumineers
This tinny-sounding alt song has a calming effect almost as soon as the first lines are sung. The best part is that The Lumineers have made it so that it sounds fresh every time you listen. You can return to "Ho Hey" as often as you like without tiring of it.
5. 'Brown Eyed Girl' by Van Morrison
Van Morrison topped the charts with this tropical-sounding ditty back in 1967, but the song's effect has never changed. It is hard not to slip into a chilled-out mindset when you sing, "Sha la la la."
6. 'Island in the Sun' by Weezer
When the first kicks of the drum begin, you know you are about to drift away to Weezer's beachy hit. The relaxing tempo and lulling bass guitar will have you mentally sailing away to your own stress-free island in the sun.
7. 'Tiny Dancer' by Elton John
When John plays the piano, it is like a signal to the brain to shut up and listen. Turn on "Tiny Dancer" when you want to be whisked away by charming melodies and soothing piano riffs.
8. 'Knee Deep' by Zac Brown Band
This is another island escape song, but Zac Brown Band adds a little country charm. After a few moments listening to this song, you will conjure up calming images of floating worry-free on the ocean.
9. 'Let It Be' by The Beatles
For days when nothing seems to go your way, The Beatles are there for you with this unforgettable song. The almost spiritual-sounding organ and Paul McCartney's soulful voice will absolve you of your troubles. After all, if there is nothing you can do about a bad day, it is best just to let it be and move on.
10. 'Landslide' by Fleetwood Mac
Stevie Nicks' hauntingly beautiful voice is enough to steal your cares away, but the lyrics of "Landslide" speak to the most human parts of us. This song is perfect for self-reflection and meditation. The violins in the song will soothe you as the softly strumming guitar robs you of your worries.
While there are many activities great for relaxing after a tough day on the job, there is just something about kicking back with your favorite songs that takes away all your troubles. The songs above are just a few of the most relaxing songs available. The next time you have a stressful day, consider turning some of them on to see if they soothe you.
When veteran Rodger Howell returned from Vietnam after serving in the Army during the war, he became a police chief in Erin, Tennessee. Howell spent many years working to provide for his family. However, during those years, Howell was dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder from the things he experienced during his service. Not only did he experience mental difficulties, but his exposure to Agent Orange left him with many health problems. According to The Meadville Tribune, doctors gave him five weeks to live.
Nearly three years later, Howell is alive and well. He has found renewed faith in humanity and in himself, all because of a trip he decided to take. Not long after his diagnosis, Howell purchased a covered wagon and two horses. Since then, he has been traveling across the country in his old-fashioned vehicle.
Howell has been to Michigan, North Carolina and Florida with plans to visit Ohio and Niagara Falls.
"What you dream about, you have to do," Howell told the Salisbury Post.
His trip has inspired other veterans and non-servicemembers along the way to realize that life is what you make it.
7-Eleven is a corporation known for its support of veterans. In January, the company expanded its patriotism by launching the first ever corporation giveaway. The company invited veterans to apply to a contest called Operation: Take Command. The winner of the contest would be given his or her own franchise of 7-Eleven to manage without having to pay the franchise fee, which adds up to nearly $190,000. Over 1,200 veterans applied and went through an interview, leadership tests, Facebook video submissions and credit checks. Of those 1,200, the corporation narrowed it down to three finalists.
Out of the three highly qualified finalists, Navy veteran Mark Anthony Page of Gransbury, Texas, was declared the winner. Gransbury was awarded with the management of a 7-Eleven store in Burelson, Texas.
"Mark Anthony represents what we look for in a franchisee," Greg Franks, vice president of 7-Eleven Franchise Systems, told Military.com. "He's smart, hard-working and a servant leader. Mark Anthony also is one of many highly qualified, retired military veterans that are joining the 7-Eleven Franchisee ranks this year."
The 2015 Operation: Take Command contest was the first of its kind, and the corporation has plans to hold more in the future.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, otherwise known as JPL, is responsible for creating some of the world's most important technologies. Most recently, the JPL team has been working on an artificial intelligence device called AUDREY. According to FCW, the device, formally recognized as Assistant for Understanding Data through Reasoning, Extraction, and sYnthesis, was designed to filter through copious amounts of information and data to "achieve situational awareness."
AUDREY is a cloud-based software that is compatible with most personal computers. It is capable of using known data to conduct research to draw certain conclusions like the human brain, thus making it qualified to be called artificial intelligence. Recently, JPL has begun to loan the AUDREY technology to first responders to improve their effectiveness.
FCW stated that firefighters using AUDREY would not only be able to know where a fire broke out faster than before, but also who lived in the area and the hazards they may encounter along the way. Police stations utilizing the AI tech may have an easier time locating criminals, as AUDREY would have access to criminal databases, facial recognition software and traffic cameras.
AUDREY presents an interesting potential for the future of first responder technologies, but there are still many issues to work out.
Firefighters, police officers and emergency service workers serve the community year-round by laying their lives on the line to protect others. During the month of September, several of Florida's biggest attractions have gotten together to offer free admission to first responders as a show of gratitude. Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld Orlando are two of the main parks inviting first responders from Florida to come and enjoy a day for free.
Not only are the parks granting free passes to these community heroes, but they are also giving them the option to purchase up to four discounted tickets for friends and family members.
Jim Dean, the president of Busch Gardens Tampa, told NBC Miami, "This special offer is our way to show our support and appreciation for the commitment and dedication of Florida's first responders."
President of SeaWorld Orlando Donnie Mills told News 10 that he hoped the first responders would be able to come to the parks to relax and spend time with their families.
To participate in the offer, first responders must register on the parks' websites using the ID.me verification system. Other attractions offering free admission include LEGOLAND, Madame Tussaud's and the Orlando Eye.
Upper Arlington, Ohio, native Pete Cline never served in the military, but he has served at the racetrack his whole life. Cline was involved with motorcycle racing for over 10 years before he started a nonprofit called VETMotorsports. The organization's goal is to empower veterans who were disabled in combat by giving them the opportunity to be involved in professional motorsports. Through VETMotorsports, former servicemembers have the opportunity to get behind the wheel in amateur car races or work in the pit crew at a professional race.
The Columbus Dispatch reported that Cline got the idea for his nonprofit while watching an episode of "Top Gear" that involved veterans. From then on, he wanted to include the former servicemembers in the high-adrenaline world of racing to help them feel useful and included again.
"[The experience] gives you a sense of purpose," Josh Henderson, an Army veteran from the area, told The Columbus Dispatch. "It gives you that team environment. And it's a lot more controlled than being in a combat zone."
To date, VETMotorsports has given over 100 veterans the chance to participate in races and events around the country. Cline also won $5,000 for the organization when he was given 2014's Direct Energy Volunteer Citizen of the Year Award for Columbus because of his efforts.
A number of wildfires are currently tearing through the West Coast. According to The Guardian, there are 22 wildfires burning over 100,000 acres across the region. These fires have not only devastated property and nature, but they have claimed the lives of several of the firefighters attempting to combat them. When one boy from Oregon found out about this, he decided to help in the only way he knew how.
Abay Milner, a 6-year-old from the Portland area, wanted to show gratitude for the firefighters who gave their lives. Abay took his allowance, which added up to just over $20, and placed it in a memory box. On the box, Abay left a message that said the money was for the fallen firefighters and for firefighters who risk their lives to save others. The box was then given to local firefighters who were completely overwhelmed by the boy's selflessness and gratitude for their service.
The firefighters donated Abay's gift to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, whose mission is to pay respect to firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty by supporting their loved ones and working with the community to prevent further fires.
Many veterans experience post-traumatic stress disorder during life after service. While there are a number of treatments available, many of them are relatively new and sometimes ineffective. However, a neuropsychologist in North Carolina may have found the newest, most effective treatment yet. George Lindenfeld, based out of Asheville, is experimenting with treatments involving a Bio-Acoustical Utilization Device.
According to the product's website, the BAUD utilizes different frequencies to distract the brain from stress. Each frequency is meant to activate a binaural beat in your brain, which may alter your brain waves and eliminate PTSD.
"A triggering event has an effect on how memory is stored and restored, over and over and over again," Lindenfeld told Wavy.com. "But if we can disrupt the reconsolidation of that memory, then we can wipe out the emotional attachment to it."
Wavy.com describes the device as being roughly the size of a palm pilot with noise-cancelling headphones and four frequency settings. The BAUD currently retails for over $450, but Lindenfeld hopes that after more testings and proof of success the price will become more market friendly. Lindenfeld has seen improvement in most of his trials with veterans and hopes the BAUD will continue to help former servicemembers.
When a three-alarm fire tore through Whiskey Row in Louisville, Kentucky, on July 6, local firefighters came to the rescue of many beloved local businesses. One such business was a restaurant called Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar. The barbecue and seafood joint has been a local favorite for years, which made it even more meaningful that the firefighters saved the building. The owners were so grateful to the first responders for saving the restaurant that on Aug. 31, they invited all firefighters to dine at Doc Crow's for a special evening.
Firefighters from Louisville and the surrounding areas were treated to a free meal. In addition to the complementary meal, the restaurant is donating 10 percent of the profit from the day to the Muscular Dystrophy Association in the firefighters' names.
"We felt very honored that they wanted to take the time and dedicate this day, not just to providing a meal to the firefighters, but also raising funds for a great charity," said Louisville fire captain Salvador Melendez.
The owners of Doc Crow's hope their gestures convey the gratitude they felt for the firefighters' service to the community.
When he left the Army, John Emswiler searched for a way to continue giving back to the community. After becoming the police chief of Denison, Iowa, he met Ron Hernandez, the founder of Moving Veterans Forward. The nonprofit program works closely with the Omaha Veterans Affairs office, and Emswiler jumped at the opportunity to assist fellow veterans. While the VA helps find housing for veterans in the Nebraska/Iowa area, Emswiler and Moving Veterans Forward work together to help move the vets in and provide furnishings for their new homes.
According to the organization's website, Moving Veterans Forward relies entirely on supporter donations to complete its mission. Any household items donated go directly to veterans in need. Emswiler told KTIV 4 News that the most difficult items to acquire were dressers. Any money the group receives is applied to the cost of storage units used to hold donated items until they can be given to veterans and the transportation costs accumulated during the move-in processes.
To date, Emswiler and Moving Veterans Forward have assisted over 500 veterans with moving into and furnishing their new homes. One of these veterans was a former records clerk who Emswiler served with in Iraq.