24 Songs That’ll Make Your Cooldown Extra Chill

Cooldowns can be a little like dentist appointments. You know you should do it, but when the time comes, it’s so easy to come up with an excuse and talk yourself out of it. Maybe you bargain with yourself: Next time, I’ll stop my workout five minutes earlier, so I definitely have time to do a cooldown. Or maybe you logic your way out of it: I still have to shower, get dressed, then walk to the train or drive to work—isn’t all that movement basically a cooldown?

As it turns out, research is actually a bit mixed on whether stretching after a workout will help eliminate muscle soreness or significantly improve recovery. So in that sense, if you’re looking for reasons to skip it, you’re in luck. Having said that, cooldowns can be a nice way to ease out of your workout and allow your heart rate to gently return to normal while you mentally transition to what’s next for your day. If your cooldown involves static stretching (the kind where you move into a position and hold it) you may also find you simply enjoy the “hurts-so-good” sensation of that tension releasing from your muscles. But a cooldown can be even more chill. It can also look more like a savasana—lying flat on your back and relaxing your muscles—or even just flopping on your couch for a few minutes to do nothing.

So this week’s playlist is all about slowing down, and taking three to five extra minutes to stretch after your workout. The songs here aren’t completely quiet, but they’re a bit more chill than the motivating music you might have used during your actual workout. We kick off with “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, before moving to easy-going beats from Phoebe Ryan, Anna of the North, The Weekend, and Wizkid. As with some of the other playlists we’ve published, there are a few tracks toward the end that get a bit quieter; this time, it’s an acoustic version of Taylor Swift’s “Lavender Haze,” and the modern classic “Thinkin Bout You” by Frank Ocean.

Treat yourself to these tunes and take some time to appreciate all of the sweat and effort you just put in.