Happy New Year!
In today’s video I wanted to share some tips on how to destress anytime. As we finish off the holiday season there might be more space to start creating these rituals to de-stress. During the holidays it can be harder to implement many healthy strategies for the first time. So we have the whole year to start practicing and implementing!
Coming back to a calmer mind and body is important for overall health. Stress is usually the underlying issue for many diseases, digestive issues and ailments. Use these tips daily or hourly or as often as you need to come back to a calm space.
In this video I share 5 tips to start minimizing and reducing stress. Check it out below or scroll down for the short version 🙂
Tips to De-stress:
1. Small mediation practice. This can be as small as 2 minutes with a breath in for 4 seconds and out for 4 seconds. This puts our nervous system into rest and digest mode vs. fight or flight. Apps you can try: Calm or Headspace. Increase to 5, 10 and then 20 minutes.
2. Feel your feelings! Don’t repress them or hold them back. This is a simplified way of looking at feeling. We tend to have conditioned habits that prevent us from feeling our feelings. For example repressing anger in order to appear ‘nice’. We may not know exactly how we are feeling so start small and notice what you can.
3. Journalling. This helps to release thoughts and whatever we are ‘holding’ in our mind, for example ‘to do’ lists. Try setting a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and just free write. Write it out so you are not wasting energy thinking about it over and over again. You may also be surprised to see what you are really worrying about!
4. Epsom salt bath. This is super relaxing. Epsom salts contain magnesium which helps to relax muscles and the heat of the bath helps to open up the system. You can also add in lavender essential oil for more relaxation.
5. Organic Tulsi tea. This tea is amazing before bed. It is an adaptogenic herb and is traditionally used to calm the mind and body before meditation. Being more calm helps to have a deeper meditation practice.
If you combine the above steps you can create an amazing and relaxing night time ritual. Choose one or 2 to try out or the whole combination and see how you feel. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or if you try these tips.
To a calm 2018,
Michelle
Holistic Nutritionist.
