5 Tips to Maintaining your Sense of Calm
The holiday season is a crazy time, one when personal time and health don’t always come first. Spending time with family, dealing with a crazy travel schedule, and gorging on holiday goodies are often part of the holidays. But a lot of people also find that stress builds up even when they’re enjoying the festivities. The best way to have the holiday you’ve been planning without losing your mind is to remember self-care. Afterall, if you aren’t feeling at your best how can you help make other people feel their best.
Keep Up Your Morning and Evening Routine
Start by defending your morning and nighttime routines. The routines you do surrounding sleep and taking care of your body matter, no matter where you are for the holidays or how hectic life becomes.
When you go to bed, take the time to brush your teeth and wash your face like always. Take your wind-down time to make the most of your sleeping hours. If the hubbub of the day makes it hard to relax, sip some chamomile tea or read a book before bed. I love using CBD and Chinese Herbal remedies to help me to get calm and sleep. When you wake up, dedicate a few minutes to taking care of yourself and preparing to face the day just like you always do.
Track Your Fitness with Guided Tips
Another thing you can do is to keep track of your fitness. One way to do this is by treating yourself to a fitness tracker.
A fitness tracker can tell you when your heart rate is getting too high from stress, but it can also tell you when to exercise. Some advanced models like the Apple Watch 4 include reminders to stop and breathe throughout the day, as well as features like email alerts and fitness audio. Besides, Verizon points out some models have splash and spill resistance, so if you get caught out in a snowstorm shopping or just savoring the season, there are no worries.
For a more feature-focused option, consider a Fitbit Charge instead which tracks heart rate and exercise but does not have smartwatch apps. I have been using a Fitbit since I had my first child. (this is an affiliate link.) I love it because it also helps to remind me to move. You can turn these notifications off, of course, but I like having that little nudge to remind me to get up if I’ve been sitting and working too long. Of course, all of these trackers help to give you an idea of your total calorie burn, which helps you be mindful of your eating habits, since you want to try to keep the calories you eat less than the number of the calories your burn if weight loss is your goal.
A fitness tracker can really help you relax, whether it’s guiding you through workouts or reminding you to calm down when holiday stress is building.
Another great means of exercise is with quality Cardio machines. These can have a significant impact on your overall fitness goals. The machines challenge not only your cardiovascular ability, but also your power, ability, speed and stamina. It’s also a great means of giving your glutes and hamstrings an exercise without disregarding the rest of your body. Your core will also be assisted with a workout of its own, this might just be the perfect machines for lockdown workouts.
Include Quiet Moments in Each Day’s Plans
With or without smartwatch guidance, it’s a good idea to take a few quiet moments for yourself each day. In a normal day, you likely have more quiet moments as part of the daily routine, whether you’re walking from the parking lot into work, taking a lunch break, or having a peaceful moment after dinner. During holidays when you’re traveling and celebrating, your entire routine changes. Remember to take some time each day to reflect. You can always add a meditation app to your phone to help you stay on track.
We also have a growing library of yoga inspired workouts, yoga conversations and tutorials you can do on the road completely for free on the Thrive Yoga and Wellness Youtube Page. This is a great resource if you need to find something quick to help relieve the stress and anxiety and you want to do it physically. We also have Thrive Online which is a paid membership platform that has even more strength focused yoga inspired workouts plus the ability to workout live with a teacher to help you with alignment, modifications and suggestions for improvements. It’s a great way to be plugged in, even on the road during the holidays.
Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated and having enough energy during the holidays are directly related. The CDC explains that water improves your metabolism and your ability to process foods and environmental changes. Drinking mainly hydrating liquids combined with light daily exercise can improve your energy, and balance your appetite for holiday treats. Water is also essential to skin and hair. The dry effects of winter are counteracted by staying internally hydrated, so keep a water bottle handy through the day.
Take Walks When Visiting with Family
Walks are one of the best ways to stay active during the holidays. Go on walks with family members to have conversations. It’s a shared activity that’s not physically demanding but is healthy. A shared walk is a great way to have some privacy and chat, catching up on the holiday season and events. What’s more, taking walks can serve as an icebreaker at gatherings when you’re getting to know someone you just met or haven’t seen very often.
Holiday happiness is something you can easily plan for. With a combination of technology and self-awareness, you can take a few minutes throughout the day to reflect and care for yourself. Just a few small changes and focused moments like drinking more water, taking walks, and reflecting quietly can help maintain your holiday sanity.
This post was originally authored by Jason Lewis of StrongWell and then edited by Jennifer Dixon from Thrive Yoga and Wellness.