Whilst the end of the year is often a time of celebration, for some it can also be a busy time of year where tensions can run high. With kids on school holidays, travel plans booked, festivities to plan (Christmas, Boxing Day, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day) as well as our everyday work and household tasks to complete, it won’t be long before our friends ‘Stress’ and ‘Burnout’ try to join the party.
But fear not! There are tools from Yoga we can use to help navigate the holiday season and reduce stress along the way. In our Yoga classes at Honeycomb Health (Book Here), several techniques we practice can be highly effective in de-escalating our nervous system, creating a sense of calm in the mind/body and help us reconnect to the present moment and enjoy this exciting time of year with our loved ones. Keep reading below to learn my best tips for managing stress during the holiday season:
Remember to breathe.
It may sound silly, but breath is our number one ally when it comes to self-regulation. By taking the time to stop and notice our breath, connect our body to breath (such as by placing a hand on heart and the other to our belly) and by regulating our inhale and exhale, we can assist our parasympathetic nervous system to slow down and reduce anxiety.
Try this exercise the next time you need a breath check-in:
Find a comfortable seated position, close your eyes (or soften your gaze) then notice your breath.
Check in with the length of your inhale and the length of your exhale. Is one longer than the other or are they even?
Enjoy 3 comfortable breaths with your natural inhale and exhale.
From here, inhale for four counts (1-2-3-4) then exhale for four counts (1-2-3-4), evening out our inhale and exhale to the same length.
Repeat this even breath for four breath cycles.
Return to your natural breath. Pause to notice any changes that have occurred in your mind or body.
Repeat as needed.
Move the body, shift the stress!
The field of Somatic psychotherapy has shown us that stress is not just cognitive and does not just live in the mind. Stress also flows through our bodies, and the more stressed we are, the more this stress can become stagnant or “stuck” in the body. This then leads to the common physical symptoms we feel when we’re stressed such as tension headaches, muscle aches, stomach pain, gut upset, fatigue etc. Of course, you should always have physical symptoms checked by your doctor. But if the doctor tells you “It’s stress!” then movement can be very useful in shifting that stress out of the body.
During the holidays, I recommend including the family when moving our stress out! Practicing Yoga Asana (postures) with your family and friends can be a fun way to relieve stress, shift stagnant energy through and out of the body, improve our physical wellness and help us to feel better for the holidays. Just choose some of your favorite postures or stretches and you’re good to go!
Stuck for ideas? Send me an email at acaciayogamelbourne@gmail.com and I’ll share with you some of my favourite Asana to choose from.
Focus, focus, focus.
As much as our mind can overwhelm us, it can also be just the tool we need to draw our attention back to the present and self-regulate. One of my mentors shared with me a quote that proves true every single day: “energy flows where attention goes”. If during the holiday season your find your mind racing, your to do list endless and feel like you’re drowning in your thoughts, use your mind to counteract this. Pause for a moment, notice the present then choose what you would like to draw your attention to.
Some suggestions for choosing what to focus on include:
- Drawing awareness to only the current task you’re completing
- Noticing the present moment (your surroundings, breath, bodily sensations etc.)
- Visualization – use your imagination to see your happy place, visualize yourself completing a goal, cultivate a certain feeling in the body etc.
- Listen to a guided meditation and really focus on what is being offered to you
Selective focus is a skill like anything else and practice makes improvement. If you try to quiet your mind and you start to struggle, try speaking kindly to yourself, acknowledge your thoughts, saying “hello thoughts. I see you there, but I am going to let you fade into the background” and consider practicing some self-care instead.
Thank yourself, love yourself.
My final tip for you this holiday season is to take time regularly to celebrate yourself. Praise yourself for everything that you have achieved this year, show gratitude for the strength you showed during your challenges and allow yourself to rest, relax and practice selfcare – whatever selfcare looks like for you.
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and enjoy this beautiful summer!
Laura Baxter
Acacia Yoga
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