The holiday season is a joyful time of year, but it can also be stressful, and this year that’s truer than ever. We’ve all got a lot on our plates these days, and it’s not turkey with extra stuffing. The following practices can help you manage stress as you navigate this unique holiday season. And the best part about these practices? They are simple enough to incorporate into your existing routine without having to dramatically adjust your day, which makes it more likely that you’ll enjoy and want to continue engaging in them.
Yoga: The benefits of yoga are subtle but profound. Incorporating a yoga routine into your holiday plans can have tremendous benefits for both your mind and body. Chair yoga is a great way to get started, but you don’t need to practice in any formal way – check in with your body and do what feels good. For example, if you’ve been bent over writing holiday cards all day, circling your wrists, arms and head is a great way to loosen up.
Tai Chi: Like yoga, tai chi is a full mind and body experience. With movements based on martial arts positions, tai chi can help to improve balance, strength and mental clarity. The slow, repetitive movements of this exercise make it a perfect way to get grounded.
Meditation: A relative of yoga and tai chi, meditation is a practice that helps you center your mind and more fully inhabit your body. Meditation can be done for one minute or one hour – it’s up to you and how you feel. Try meditating by sitting on a pillow or folded blanket on the floor. Close your eyes and let your mind rest … and when it inevitably wanders into the duties of the day, or your plans for dinner, try returning to your breath and following your inhales and exhales. Start off small, with just one to five minutes of meditating, and let yourself adjust to more time incrementally.
Aromatherapy: A perfect complement to the practices described above, using essential oils for aromatherapy has many benefits, including stress and anxiety reduction, improved sleep, and headache and pain management. Though putting oils in a diffuser is the most common way to reap the benefits of aromatherapy, you can also add essential oils to your bath, apply them topically, or make a compress with them. Lavender, bergamot and lemon balm are three great essential oils to keep on hand, as they all have proven therapeutic properties, and some essential oil companies sell blends of oils combined with specific purposes in mind.
The holidays are all about sharing with others, but it’s also important to give yourself the gift of self-care. When you find yourself becoming overwhelmed, take a moment to engage in one of these activities. You’ll be glad you did! QCBN
By Nick Brown
Nick Brown is a certified fitness professional and trainer at Touchmark Health & Fitness Club. For more fitness resources, contact us at 928-708-3133 or visit TouchmarkFitness.com/Prescott.