Unwinding on Friday
As a high functioning entrepreneur, Fridays have always been tricky for me. It’s not just shutting the laptop — it’s shutting off my brain.
Hey friends,
As a high functioning entrepreneur, Fridays have always been tricky for me. It’s not just shutting the laptop — it’s shutting off my brain. Maybe you feel it too. Between work, side hustles, family, or just the nonstop pace of life, it’s harder than ever to switch off and actually rest.
And science says we’re not imagining it:
Always-on stress is real. Studies show that people who struggle to detach from work — whether you’re an entrepreneur, a creator, or just glued to Slack — report higher stress and worse sleep quality (Journal of Business Venturing, 2021).
Our bodies can’t bounce back the way they used to. As we get older, we naturally get less deep sleep, which makes recovery harder (National Institute on Aging, 2020).
Busyness compounds with family life. Parents consistently report higher stress levels than non-parents, especially around time and rest (APA Stress in America Survey, 2019).
No matter how self aware I’ve become and doing stuff in practice, I still struggle with “turning off” til this day, but here are some tips that have helped me in the past.
📝 Do a mini brain dump
Before you shut down for the week, write down anything still on your mind — tasks, to-dos, random worries. Psychologists call this the Zeigarnik effect: your brain fixates on unfinished business. Writing it down tricks your mind into relaxing — it doesn’t have to keep nagging you all night. Behavioral psychologist Ron Friedman calls this “ending the day deliberately” — one of the fastest ways to let your brain detach from work.
😮💨 Take a breathing pause
Try this: inhale through your nose, sip in one extra mini-breath, then exhale sloooowly through your mouth. Do that 3–5 times. Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman found this “cyclic sigh” lowers stress and anxiety in just minutes. Even one round works.
🎶 What to listen to
Music is one of the fastest ways to flip your brain into “weekend mode.” Research shows that songs in the 60–80 BPM range (the same speed as your resting heart rate) naturally calm your body and ease tension.
Here’s a starter playlist — a mix of timeless classics and modern hits, all verified in that chill tempo range:
Hey Jude – The Beatles (74 BPM)
Make You Feel My Love – Adele (65 BPM)
Die For You (Remix) – The Weeknd (67 BPM)
All I Want – Olivia Rodrigo (78 BPM)
Weightless – Marconi Union (scientifically proven to lower anxiety by 65%)
Let It Be – The Beatles (~60 BPM)
Angels – Robbie Williams (~66 BPM)
👉 Hit play tonight while you cook, pour a drink, or just kick your feet up. Let this be your Friday night ritual — a little musical signal that the week is officially done.
🍽️ Bonus: Eat your way into the weekend
Food can be a Friday cue too. What you eat at the end of the week can either keep you buzzing with stress or help your body slide into recovery mode.
Magnesium-rich foods = relaxation fuel - Nearly half of U.S. adults don’t get enough magnesium (NIH, 2022). Low levels are linked to higher anxiety and worse sleep. Foods like spinach, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and yes — even dark chocolate — give your nervous system what it needs to relax.
Protein + slow carbs = steady energy - Pairing lean protein with complex carbs improves serotonin production, which boosts mood and supports sleep (Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, 2007). Think salmon with brown rice, chicken with quinoa, or tofu stir-fry with veggies. That combo also keeps blood sugar stable so you don’t crash.
Comfort matters — but smart swaps help - Stress often makes us crave fried or sugary foods, but heavy meals can spike cortisol and disrupt deep sleep (Nutrients, 2019). A homemade flatbread pizza or a burger with a big salad gives you comfort without the crash.
Skip the nightcap — sip something calming - Alcohol reduces REM sleep by up to 24% (Sleep Foundation, 2020). A gentler swap? Tea. Even actor D’Arcy Carden — Janet from The Good Place — says she always winds down with chamomile or peppermint tea before bed. And if you want something trendier, turmeric “golden milk” is back in vogue for its calming, anti-inflammatory kick.
👉 Think of it as fueling your weekend: magnesium to relax, protein + carbs to ground, comfort that doesn’t backfire, and a calming cup (Carden-approved) to set up better sleep.
Enjoy your Friday,
—Benny