Body & beauty

This The Season For Self-Care

Dial down the tension and iron out stress with our guide to relaxing and reseting before the festive celebrations begin

Despite the sweet treats, family reunions and gift-giving nature of the festive season, sometimes the expectations of the season can all get a bit much. But take comfort – even when you’re overwhelmed with mile-long to-do lists or you’ve got a whole host of family and friend commitments to factor in your diary, there are things you can do in between the mad moments, to settle your mind.

Behind the scenes

We all know that stress is bad for our health, but few of us know exactly what it does to our bodies. When we’re stressed, our bodies go into fight-or-flight mode and the body’s parasympathetic system (which forms part of the nervous system) responds by sending out distress signals. Increased levels of adrenaline are pumped out and a number of complex reactions take place in your body as a result.

Your heart rate increases, your breathing becomes more rapid and your digestive system slows down. Cortisol is then released from the adrenal glands in a response to the perceived danger. Continuous surging of hormones can have far-reaching effects, from comprising immunity to impacting your mood and concentration levels. While living in a stress-free world might be a bit unrealistic, there are plenty of steps you can take to massively reduce your load – especially around this time of year. To get you started, we’ve put together our favourite coping mechanisms that you can try, from the moment you wake up, right up until bedtime, that will slash your stress levels.

7am Stretch your joints

If your usual morning consists of hitting the snooze button and then rushing out of bed, it’s time for a big change. Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier for a quick morning stretching session to start the day with a more revived sense of mind and a flexible body.

“Rotate the wrists and ankles slowly one way, then the other,” says Anna Magee, co-author of The De-Stress Diet. “Then, come on all founds into cat position to wake up the spine and nervous system. Taking a deep breath in, arch your back and tilt your tailbone upwards and look forwarded. Exhale, round the back and scoop the tailbone under and look down. Repeat this arching and rounding with the breath 10 times.” Your creaky joints will also thank you for it!

10am Snack smart

Stress sets us on a roller-coaster of cravings for sweet foods thanks to the increased cortisol and low levels of serotonin which crash during stressful times. Blood sugar balance is key to stopping cravings, so snacking in the morning and afternoon, along with eating three square meals a day can help. Oats are known for their soothing properties so nibble on a couple of oat cakes with cottage cheese or nut butter to feel calmer from the inside out.

12pm Be mindful

Make the most of your lunch-break as you can benefit hugely from pressing the pause button in your life now and again. “Take a quick walk around the block before you sit down to eat lunch to balance your energy and put the morning behind you,” says Anna. “Make this a mindfulness exercise by matching your stride to your breath. For example, inhale for four strides, exhale for four. When your body connects with your breath in this way you are totally in the moment.” By the time you have returned from your walk, you will have worked up an appetite to tuck into a healthy lunch.

3pm Have a tea break

Herbal tea can act like nature’s tranquilliser, as they contain properties associated with relaxation. Sip on Clippers Chameleon Organic Fusion Tea (£2.99) for when the Christmas shopping list starts to feel a little overwhelming. The warming mix of chamomile, honeybush and cinnamon is a self-soothing winner for winter.

5pm Do facial yoga

Tension tends to show up in our face, but a few simple exercises can help ward off furrowed brows and leave you smiling. “The yogi lion breath is a quick and revitalising way to ease facial tension,” reveals Anna.

“Sit on a chair with your legs wide apart, your hands on your knees and your shoulders relaxed. Inhale deeply and exhale strongly and audibly through your mouth. As you do so, stick your tongue out to your chin, as far as it will go and open your mouth and eyes as wide as possible. Leaning forwards with your shoulders still back, empty all the stale air out of your lungs. You might get a few strange looks, but it’s worth it!

8pm Unplug from your tech

If you’ve spent your days scrolling through your phone looking for gifts or the perfect tableware, then it’s time to put it aside. “Disconnecting from the constant stream of information online will allow you to re-focus your attention to the things that are truly important,” advises holistic health coach, Julie Montagu. “After dinner, pick up a book or chat to a loved one to help your brain forget about the worries of the day.”

8:30pm Jot down your thoughts

If your mind is racing, then it’s time to put pen to paper. We often focus on the negative side of life so it’s important to remind yourself of the good. “Before you go to bed, make a list of three things you’re grateful for this festive season. Remind yourself of the things in life that mean the most to you, because managing stress starts with mental wellbeing.”

9pm Soak away your worries

There’s nothing like a soak in the tub to instantly melt away tension. “Take a generous cup of dead sea salt and add it your bath. Then take 15ml of fragrance-free bath gel, milk or oil and add five drops of lavender essential oil, geranium and fennel,” advises Base Formula’s consultant aromatherapist, Joanna Metcalfe. The soothing effects are pretty instant!

10pm Sleep soundly

A regular sleeping pattern is vital to feeling less stressed, as during bedtime, your body cells repair and renew so you feel rejuvenated the following morning. “You should aim for seven or eight hours of sleep a night, and if you suffer with trouble sleeping, invest in an eye mask,” advises Julie. “The dark calms you and helps ease you into the land of nod. When you’re well-rested, you take care of yourself the following day and in turn, you’re more likely to sleep well that night.”