How do you like to relax or calm down at the end of a busy day? All of these idioms about relaxing have a similar message: Chill out, don’t work so hard, and don’t let yourself get too stressed.
But, as usual, English idioms can be hard to understand. It’s also important to know when and how to use each of these relaxing idioms, which is why we have included example sentences with each one. So, take a deep breath and get ready to learn some new phrases about relaxing.
Idioms about relaxing
Take it easy
This list of idioms about relaxing will have you chilled out and feeling at ease. If you’re not feeling this way, perhaps because you have been working too hard or doing too much, people will tell you to take it easy.
“I can’t take it easy as the deadline is at 5pm today.”
“You’ve been working late all week. Why not take it easy tonight?”
Easy does it
This saying is about doing a task slowly and carefully, rather than rushing it. Easy does it is an instruction to act carefully or with caution.
“I know you don’t like parking here, but take your time, easy does it, and you’ll be fine.”
Find some more easy expressions here.
Put your feet up
This is a saying that everyone loves to hear. When someone tells you to put your feet up, they are inviting you to relax or take a break.
“You guys have been busy all day. It’s time to put your feet up and have a nice cup of tea.”
This comes from the idea of sitting down and putting your feet on a small table or footstool to help you recline more and relax; maybe to take the weight off your feet if you have been standing all day.
Take a chill pill
If someone is getting worked up, stressed, or angry, you could tell them to take a chill pill, which means to calm down.
Do be aware that this is quite an informal idiom though, and if a person is particularly aggravated then saying this might just make the situation worse!
‘Ok, mate. How about you stop shouting and take a chill pill.”
The word ‘chill’ can also refer to temperature, of course. We have a separate list of cold idioms where you can see how it is used in this sense.
Chill out
This might be the most well-known chill idioms in English (and it’s also a phrasal verb). To chill out is to relax, usually in a calm or tranquil environment.
“I can’t wait to get to the hotel and just chill out by the pool.”
You could also tell someone to chill out if you can see that they are becoming stressed or aggravated. Some idioms about anger may help you describe this kind of situation.
Sleep like a log / rock / baby
There are many versions of this expression but they all mean the same thing. To sleep like a log, a rock or a baby means to sleep very well.
“I feel much better now. I slept like a log last night.”
Of course, some new parents may argue that newborn babies don’t actually sleep that well!
Catch some z’s
Sometimes, a quick sleep can help you relax or de-stress from a situation. Simply put, when you catch some z’s you have a short sleep. Why do we represent sleeping with the letter Z? Maybe because it’s similar to the sound you make when you snore.
‘I need to catch some z’s so I’m ready for the party tonight.”
You may also hear people say they are going to ‘cop’ some z’s or ‘get’ some z’s instead of ‘catch’.
Other fun ways to talk about going to sleep for a short while are:
- Have a nap
- Take a siesta
- Grab 40 winks
- Catch a wink
- Have a cat nap
Explore some more sleep idioms here.
Take your mind off something
You’ll hear and use these calm idioms in many situations, especially when you work too hard or are under a lot of pressure and stress.
If you are feeling stressed out because you have too much to think about, or something big is occupying your thoughts, you may need a distraction to take your mind off it. Switching to a different activity can help turn your attention away from whatever is worrying or bothering you.
“Why don’t you go for a walk to help take your mind off your driving test?”
“I can’t stop thinking about what he said last night. What can I do to take my mind off it?”
Let your hair down
Relaxing idioms aren’t just about chilling out or taking it easy. To let your hair down is to act without inhibition; to have fun without worrying about what others think, and to leave your worries behind.
“Come on Steve. Let your hair down and enjoy the party.”
This saying is often used in reference to enjoying a party or social event. There are plenty of other party-related idioms you can look through.
Take a breather
When things are getting a little chaotic or hectic, you might want to take a breather. This calm idiom means to step away from an issue or situation for a while. It gives you some time away from whatever is causing you to feel stressed.
“Ok team, I think we need to take a breather so let’s continue in 20 minutes.”
It’s like when you tell a child to breathe deeply and count to ten when a situation is overwhelming for them.
Cool as a cucumber
Are cucumbers cool and chilled? Well, maybe, after they have been in the fridge. But for some reason, we use the phrase as cool as a cucumber to describe someone calm and relaxed. They don’t let small things worry or trouble them.
“I don’t know how he does it. He’s as cool as a cucumber before the big exam.”
This saying can also be found on our funny idioms list. Why? The image of a cucumber wearing sunglasses, reclining on a sunbed and relaxing is quite amusing!
More relaxing idioms
Take / have a break
You may hear this phrase as either take or have a break. We prefer the former for its assonance! Either way, it means to stop what you are doing and have a rest.
“I’ve been painting this room all day and I really need to take a break.”
One of the reasons this idiom about relaxing is so ingrained in British culture is due to a famous advertising campaign by a chocolate bar company.
Recharge your batteries
Sometimes the best way to get through something difficult or taxing is to power on (keep on going without stopping).
But often, you can benefit from pausing a task or activity in order to regain your strength or focus. This is what is meant by recharging your batteries: relaxing for a moment or taking a break from the activity so that you can refocus mentally or rest physically. Then, when you continue, you will be in a better position to do it well.
“I have had enough of looking at this screen. I’m going for a quick walk to recharge my batteries.”
Feel at home
You can use this saying when you want someone to feel relaxed in a new place (usually when visiting your home). Telling someone to feel at home means you want them to treat the place as their own home, be themselves, and not behave differently just because they are a guest.
“We’ll be ready in ten minutes. Just feel at home and help yourself to a drink.”
You could also use this as a work idiom when someone first starts at a new company.
“This is Elaine. She’s been working here for years so she’ll help you feel at home.”
Switch off
A lot of idioms about relaxing are linked to literal meanings. When you turn off a switch, you disconnect the power flowing to that device (such as a light, computer, or TV).
So, when you switch off in this idiomatic sense, it’s like you’re disconnecting your brain from whatever it was you were concentrating on or thinking about.
“I need to switch off for a moment or two.”
“Having a massage always helps me switch off for a while.”
We can use this phrasal verb to refer specifically to discontinuing the use of a computer, smartphone, or social media for a period of time.
Hang out (with)
When you want to spend time with friends to relax and socialize, but perhaps not do anything particular activity together, you might just want to hang out.
You can use this phrasal verb transitively or intransitively, meaning you can just hang out or you can hang out with someone. You can also hang out somewhere.
“I’m going to the mall later, do you want to come and hang out?”
“Are you busy tonight? Let’s hang out with Tony; he’s a fun guy.”
“My favorite thing to do in the afternoon is to hang out at the beach and watch the sunset.”
Slow down
Although this phrasal verb has many meanings (for example, it can relate to driving or to finance), we are interested in how to use it as a relaxing idiom.
When you slow down, you become less active or decide to take life at a slower pace.
“I’ve been working 50-hours weeks for more than a year now. I really need to slow down.”
“When my father turned 65 he decided to slow down a little, but he didn’t retire completely.”
Unwind
This is not exactly an idiom about relaxing, but it’s a word worth knowing if you’re learning about this topic!
Do you ever feel tense or full of pent-up energy after a tough day or a period of intense activity? Then you may need to unwind, which means to relax or relieve tension.
“Gosh, today has been hard. I really can’t wait to unwind when I get home.”
Footloose and fancy-free
People who are footloose and fancy-free have very few responsibilities or commitments in life, especially with regards to romantic partners or children. Therefore, they are quite relaxed and able to do what they like, when they like.
“She’s going backpacking for a year. Might as well while she’s footloose and fancy-free.”
Kill time
Although it may not sound like a nice saying, don’t worry. When you have to kill time you are simply doing something to pass time while waiting. It’s a good opportunity to relax!
“I arrived at the airport early but now I have to kill time as the flight is delayed.”
We have some more helpful idioms about time here.
Veg out
You may want to veg out after a hard day at work. Like many of the other chill idioms featured here, it’s about not doing much, giving yourself a rest, and passing time idly.
“This evening I’m just going to veg out in front of the TV.”
Kick back and relax
A lot of these idioms about relaxing have the same theme, and this one is particularly similar to ‘put your feet up’.
When you kick back and relax, you might actually recline in a comfortable seat to release tension and feel relaxed. But you can also use this expression in a figurative sense if you just want to chill or take it easy for a while.
“I love to kick back and relax on the weekend.”
“It’s been a long day. Let’s kick back and relax with a pizza and a movie later.”
You may also hear the expression chill out and relax, meaning the same thing. This one is often said when talking about summer breaks and vacations.
Hopefully, this extensive list of idioms about relaxing has explained them fully and helped you feel calmer! If not, then leave a comment below and let us know of any others you need help with.
Next, you might want to read about when to use adjectives ending in -ing and -ed so you don’t get confused between ‘relaxing’ and ‘relaxed’.
