Searching for a way to unwind and relax during the holidays? One of the first things to go during this festive but stressful time of year is self care. We’re so busy planning, shopping, coordinating, and celebrating that we tend to push aside our calming and stress-relieving rituals. Holiday fun soon becomes holiday headaches. We need a break from the stress!
We skip the gym to bake and eat cookies. We opt out of yoga class and stay up late to catch up with the chores we missed while shopping or merrymaking. Instead of taking it easy after a long day, we load more tasks onto our to-do lists. Holiday time is delightful, but the amount of added anxiety can be frightful.
Remember this, people: we can’t expect to take care of others’ needs if we don’t take care of ourselves. Making time for self care is critical for our enjoyment of the holidays, and so we can continue to contribute to the enjoyment of others doing the holidays.
What is self care?
Self care is any activity you do to shut off your mind, relax, and relieve stress. Tension accumulates in our muscles throughout the day. We need to get rid of that stress. You can use exercise. It can be through mindful, (or mindless?), relaxation.
Self care helps us turn our minds off. Unfortunately, these days technology keeps our minds constantly active, engaged and on high alert. If we’re not responding to messages or answering calls, we’re using our smart phones to plan, schedule tasks, find information, and search out answers to multiple questions.
Exercise as self care
Exercise is one of the best stress-relieving forms of self care. It’s up to you where and how you choose to do your stretching and exercising. Here’s an interesting fact: weight-bearing exercise, for example jogging, helps your body hold onto calcium. So not only does a self-care ritual like running a few times a week, strengthen your muscles and cardiovascular system, but it’s also good for your bones.
Reducing stress at the gym
You don’t have to wait until your New Years’ resolutions kick in to start a gym membership. For busy moms who need a break from the kids and some me-time, the gym can be an ideal way to offload stress from your busy holiday routine. Use the cardio machines, do some reps with weights. Or, sign up for a spin class or some instructor-led yoga. I know people who swear by both. Just a few days a week can make a real difference in your outlook and bring your stress levels way down.
Exercise at home
What if the gym just isn’t your thing? Not everyone thrives in that type of social environment. Maybe you prefer to have peace and quiet during exercise. Maybe watching other gym members coming and going is not your idea of relaxation. Slip in a half-hour of jogging outdoors. Work your core muscles using the exercise ball or get your heart rate up with a fitness hula hoop. Do it on your own time, in your own space.
At-home workouts can greatly relieve stress. You don’t have to leave home. You can exercise any time of the day or night, even in your underwear. Pilates, tae-bo, tai-chi, zumba… they’re all available on video. And I’ve done all of them at one time or another. There’s plenty of variety. You can also invest in an exercise bike, elliptical machine, even a tread mill if you’ve got the space. Start with a set of dumbbells…like the j/fit Dumbbell Set with Durable Rack.
<img alt=”” title=”j:Fit Dumbbell Set” data-id=”7875″ src=”https://saynotostroke.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/jFit-Dumbbell-Set.jpg” style=”width: 100%;”>Other fun forms of exercise and stress relief
<img alt=”The Bible of Modern Yoga” width=”324″ height=”499″ title=”Light on Yoga” data-id=”7854″ src=”https://saynotostroke.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Light-on-Yoga.jpg” style=”width: 100%;”>
<img alt=”You can do yoga in bed” width=”328″ height=”500″ title=”Bed Yoga” data-id=”7857″ src=”https://saynotostroke.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Bed-Yoga.jpg” style=”width: 100%;”>
Yoga is a major stress reliever. If you’ve never done yoga before, check out YouTube and follow along with a video or two. Get a sample of what’s involved and how great you’ll feel when you’re finished. Or, if you’d prefer, first read up on the amazing benefits of yoga, master the poses, and learn about how yoga came to be and how it fits so well with today’s fast-paced lifestyle. Start with a “yoga bible” book like Yoga: The Top 100 Best Yoga Poses, or Light on Yoga: The Bible of Modern Yoga. And for those who need an easy, real beginner book, here is one with clear, colorful illustrations describing yoga exercises you can do in bed. It’s called Bed Yoga: Easy, Healing, Yoga Moves You Can Do in Bed.
Hula hooping with a fitness hoop combines exercise with dance. If you want exercise to be more about fun and music, and less about reps and counting… then order a hula hoop. Fitness hula hoops aren’t the light plastic hula hoops in the kids’ toy aisles. They’re designed for adults, and properly weighted for ease of use. The HealthyModelLife Fitness Hula Hoop is one of the highest rated models.
<img alt=”Fitness Hula Hoop” width=”1500″ height=”1500″ title=”HealthyModelLife Hula Hoop” data-id=”7863″ src=”https://saynotostroke.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/HealthyModelLife-Hula-Hoop.jpg” style=”width: 100%;”>Self care rituals to relax you
Self care doesn’t have to mean exercise, although exercise helps us look and feel better. Self care includes pastimes that relax us and provide enjoyment.
Essential oils relieve stress naturally
Meditation with essential oils provides a nice, pleasantly-scented way to wind down. Essential oils can also make perfect holiday gifts especially for anyone who may be seeking relief from stress.
<img alt=”Essential Oils” width=”522″ height=”522″ title=”Natrogix Nirvana Essential Oils” data-id=”7866″ src=”https://saynotostroke.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Natrogix-Nirvana-Essential-Oils.jpg” style=”width: 100%;”>Did you know that some essential oils have naturally occurring compounds that act as mild sedatives and can relieve stress? Lemon oil clears the mind and relieves anxiety. Cinnamon oil helps us feel calm and emotionally grounded. Lavender oil promotes relaxation and restful sleep. Chamomile oil has the same, sedative effect when you breathe it in as it does if you sip a cup of chamomile tea. At the end of a busy day, you can find relief after diffusing some essential oils while reading, sipping a cup of hot tea, knitting or enjoying your favorite television show. Don’t have a diffuser? Or maybe you’re looking for a gift. Check out the Essential Oil Diffuser by Majestic Pure, the latest UrpowerEssential Oil Diffuser, the ArtNaturals Aromatherapy Essential Oil and Diffuser Gift Set, which includes 6 essential oils, or the Asakuki 500 ml Essential Oil Diffuser with 7 different LED light colors, multiple nebulizer modes and a timer.
<img alt=”Essential Oil Diffuser” width=”522″ height=”522″ title=”Asakuki Essential Oil Diffuser” data-id=”7870″ src=”https://saynotostroke.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Asakuki-Essential-Oil-Diffuser.jpg” style=”width: 100%;”>ASAKUKI 500 ml Essential Oil Diffuser
Crafts to relieve stress
Crafting is a form of self care. Studies confirm that knitting, crocheting and other types of handicrafts have a calming effect on the human brain. It is possible that the repetition involved relieves the mind of obsessive thoughts, as does keeping the hands busy.
To be productive during this season, or any time of year, keep this in mind — the better care we take of ourselves, the more energy we’ll have left to do the things we truly love, and want to do, with the people we care about.
