Cut your stress this holiday season
It takes only a few minutes to really relax
Shopping, baking, cleaning, decorating and endless holiday activities are enough to stress out the best of us. Compound your busy schedule with lack of sleep, poor nutrition and limited time to exercise and you have a recipe for burnout. We need a positive outlet to calm down and reclaim some peace for the mind and body.
The secret is just to move: run, dance, lift, stretch and breathe. Virtually any form of exercise, from cardiovascular activities to meditation, can act as a stress reliever. It increases overall health and sense of well-being, which decreases the negative effects of stress. Just by moving for even a short period of time, you release moodboosting hormones, such as epinephrine, adrenalin and serotonin.
Stress triggers many physiological changes in the body through the fightor-flight response. When stress is high, cortisol is released into the bloodstream. When the cortisol response is not used for a physically stressful situation, like running from a bear, it is responsible for increased fat storage in the body. Studies confirm that chronic stress is associated with increased fat in the abdominal area, higher concentrations of blood sugar and insulin, higher blood pressure and higher levels of cholesterol, conditions that are associated with metabolic syndrome and that increase the risk of heart disease.
A small study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2004; [1032], 21115) suggests that through the regular practice of meditation the cortisol response and elevated blood pressure due to stress can be reduced.
Physical activity helps to bump up the production of the brain’s neurotransmitters, called endorphins, which contribute to overall well-being, often referred to as a runner’s high.
Exercise can be thought of as a moving meditation. By taking the mind off stressful situations and bringing the focus to the activity at hand gives the brain a much needed rest.
Exercise increases the delivery of oxygen throughout the body, which can restore the body. Notice your breathing pattern when you are stressed and you will find that your breath becomes short and shallow. Take a moment to breathe more deeply and see how it changes the way you feel.
Ever wonder why, when you feel anxious, the rec- ommendation is to take a deep breath? Deep breathing exercises deliver oxygen to the brain and evoke a response throughout the body. Through slow, controlled deep breathing the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure, is stimulated, giving you a sense of calm.
Calming yoga poses will help decrease muscle tension caused by stress and lower your heart and breathing rate. Even better, they don’t take much time.
Three stress-reducing yoga poses are a seated forward bend, legs up the wall and corpse pose. Try these during the holiday season to calm your stress.
Seated forward bend
This can be done anywhere, even in the shopping mall. Sit on a bench or a chair and place a pillow or your shopping bags on your lap. Round the back over the pillow, letting the arms dangle down. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Breathe deeply and slowly. Inhale for four counts and exhale for four counts for a minute.
Legs up the wall
Getting into this pose can be tricky, but once you are into this position, you won’t want to come out. Start by sitting close to the wall with one hip touching the wall and the legs to the side. Roll onto your back at the same time lift the feet off the floor and up the wall. Once you are on your back, move the hips as close to the wall as you can and straighten the legs. If the stretch is too much for your hamstrings, place a pillow or yoga bolster under the hips.
Once in the pose, close your eyes and breathe slowly, allowing the body to relax into the pose. Hold it for two to three minutes.
Corpse Pose
Lie on the floor with your arms relaxed by your side and legs either bent with the feet on a chair or straight on the floor. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and easily. Bring your attention to your breath and allow your racing mind to quiet. Another variation is to place a yoga bolster under the back rib cage and head to open the chest, allowing for more breathe to come into the body. Stay in the pose for as long as you like.
With all the mayhem of the holiday season, even a few minutes will have a beneficial effect on your health. Happy Holidays!