Stress release tips for the end of the year

At this busy time of the year give some thought and space for yourself, your needs, and learn what it is, that nourishes YOU.

The holiday season generates stress for most of us; stress about finances, gift giving, family pressures, entertaining, and the list goes on. Amy has a Christmas book and even in there it mentions how the adults often get ‘cranky and tired’ due to everything that needs doing around Christmas time! Stress causes us to make poor choices as it relates to money, relationships, time management, and especially food. So here are a few stress management techniques that will help keep you calm, healthy and relaxed for the new year:

- Take a brisk fifteen-minute walk, or do a few simple Yoga poses, at least once a day.

- Ensure you have at least 10 minutes of quiet peaceful time for yourself each day. This could be spent  in silent contemplation/prayer/mediation, writing in a journal or doing something creative.

- Listen to soothing, relaxing music while preparing for various holiday activities: wrapping gifts, cooking meals, visiting friends/family.

- Try and get outdoors and in nature as much as possible.

- Avoid crowded shopping centres and noisy areas, as much as possible.

- When in a long queue – practice your breathing or tummy/buttock exercises.

- Smile and take a deep breath, rather than shout or get frustrated or angry.

- Communicate, communicate, communicate in ALL your relationships. Remember no one can read your mind!

- Delegate household chores to other members of the family.

- Spend meal times around the table, talking, rather than in front of the TV.

- If you are staying at home these holidays, visit at least 1 place in your city that you haven’t been to before.

- Some Helpful Breathing Exercises to practice daily:

* Relaxation breathing

• Just sit comfortably in a quiet room/garden with your eyes closed and your mind focused on serenity and your breathing.

• Breathe in deeply through your nose, hold for a count of two, and exhale slowly through your mouth.

• Repeat this deep breathing exercise forty times.

* Sitali breath

This well-known cooling breath has other good uses, such as helping eliminate insomnia.

• Curl the tongue (or do Sitkari by placing the tongue behind the upper teeth) and INHALE through the mouth, over the tongue (it makes a wet, slurpy sound).

• EXHALE through the nose. Apply the following ratio:

• INHALE through mouth for the count of 4.

• HOLD breath for the count of 7.

• EXHALE through nose for the count of 8. Repeat

• Perform for 5 – 10 minutes.

* Nadi sodhana / Alternate Nostril breathing.

• Sit upright in an easy-seated pose, relax your body and clear your mind.

• INHALE & EXHALE once through both nostrils.

• Then with the right hand in the Vishnu mudra (so that you only use your thumb and two last fingers) begin – INHALE left, OUT

Right, INHALE Right, OUT left.  (2 breaths = 1 round. )

• Repeat for about 10 minutes, ending on an exhalation through the left nostril.

• Helps release stress, anxiety, panic attacks, blocked nostrils and improves memory, concentration, focus and calmness.

* 3 Brahmari / Humming Bee breath

• Sitting comfortably, INHALE through the nose until the lungs are full.

• Then EXHALE, making a humming sound on the Exhalation.

• Perform 5 times.

• Helps relieve stress and sinus problems.

Tagged as: breathe, calm, Christmas, healthy, relax, stress management tips