Holiday Stress Relief: Tools from the Tradition of Yoga
It’s the holiday season! You know what that means: hot cocoa in warm oversized mugs, cozy fireplace board game nights, ugly sweaters, awkward office parties, the joys of gift giving, and, for many of us, an added dose of STRESS. Fortunately, the toolbox of yoga offers us techniques to help ride the waves of stressful situations with a little more grace.
Stress manifests in our bodies and minds in many ways and it isn’t always a bad thing: we need stress in the form of resistance to strengthen our bones and make our muscles more adaptable (this is one reason exercises like weight training, pilates, and strength based yoga are beneficial!). It’s when we let the effects of stress linger longer than they need to that we start to see the repercussions in our bodies and minds. For some people, stress leads to anxiety. For some people, stress leads to depression. For some lucky people, they get a hearty dose of both of these mind states plus some added body tension (think tight shoulders, achy hips, and tension headaches).
The holidays provide no shortage of stressful situations. Fortunately, the tradition of yoga teaches us that we have the opportunity, at any moment, to choose a path that diminishes the effects of stress- one that moves us closer to residing in a state of peace and equanimity. We have the great gift of being able to find that path, again and again, by turning our attention inward and attending to our breath. Below are several tension relieving exercises, breathing techniques and mindfulness meditations that may be helpful tools for relieving stress during the holidays (and beyond!). With the right focus or intention, these techniques can help quell the effects of anxiety, depression, and body tension. Practice these techniques as frequently as you’d like. These techniques can be practiced at any time as they are discrete, silent, and will not attract attention.
Foot on a golf ball: Standing, place one foot on top of a golf ball. Roll the golf ball under the entire landscape of the sole of your foot. Pause on a spot that is holding some tension. Imagine sending your breath to that spot, imagine your bloodstream carrying fresh oxygenated blood to the tense muscles and tissues of that spot. Roll the golf ball under your foot once again. Pause and send your breath to one or two more tense spots. Repeat the whole process on your other foot. Here is a video to guide you through the foot massage.
Breath check-in: With one hand over your chest and one hand over your belly, check in with your breathing and notice which hand moves as you inhale and exhale.
Diaphragmatic breathing: Your primary breathing muscle (your diaphragm) moves down and contracts on your inhale and moves up and expands on your exhale. Diaphragmatic breathing encourages you to breathe the way you are built to breathe and helps to de-stress and soothe your body and mind. On your inhale, try to fill your low belly first then let your ribs move up and out to accommodate the remaining air. On your exhale, push the air out from your low belly first, then let your ribs soften and push the remaining air out from your upper chest (think of the way you would squeeze toothpaste out of a tube). You can place your hands on the back of your head to cultivate a sense of focused energy and alertness or you can place your hands at your low back to promote quietude and serenity within your body.
Mindfulness Meditations: These meditations are helpful to keep you in tune with the present moment. You can use these touchstones for a few minutes or for longer meditations. To bring you into your body and down to earth, away from a state of high anxiety, focus your concentration on the places where your bones touch the ground (if standing: the bones of your feet, if sitting: your sits bones/your leg bones). To lift you out of lethargy or a depressed state, try focusing on the places where air touches your skin. When your mind wanders bring it back to either bones on the ground or air on skin (depending on the desired outcome).
For techniques, stretches, and exercises related to your specific needs, please schedule a one-on-one yoga session by contacting: stephbellissimo@bostonbalans.com
