Reducing Stress Around the Holidays
The holidays are here again and the stress is starting to cramp your lifestyle and mood. You can only have so much holiday food, lack of sleep coupled with out of town family members and shopping sprees before you reach some sort of breaking point.
The goal here would be to stop the stress before you reach the end of your ropes. Don’t let it get to the point where you blow up at the kids or feel anxiety and guilty for overreaching your holiday budget.
Below are some healthy and alternative tips that can help reduce stress that taste good and smell good.
Try Some Scented Oils
When a plant part, like a flower, root seed or stem, is put through a certain process it can produce an oil. Each one of these oils have particular smells that range from acrid, to musky, to sweet and fruity, etc.
These oils, called essential oils, when put on a sachet or in a diffuser have qualities that can help your body relax. They can be put into a bath or added to carrier oil for massage.
You can also put a few drops of your favorite essential oil on a handkerchief or cotton ball and bring it with you wherever the holidays take you.
This kind of therapeutic activity has been in use for centuries, not merely just for medicinal benefits but for use within ceremonies and around important events. You can also infuse any room in your house with a calming scent.
Lavender Essential Oil
One essential oil that has a long standing reputation for use is Lavender. It has a relaxing, fresh, herbaceous smell.
The smell of this essential oil can relieve stress and also help with small bouts of depression. It is known for promoting relaxation.
Lavender essential oil is considered to be an adaptogen which helps the body cope with stress. It is considered to be very safe for use as a scent and is a popular choice to put on your pillow as a sleep aide.
It can commonly be found in sachets, body creams, soap and lotions.
Relaxation and Stress Relief Recipe Using Lavender Oil
This blend is great for relaxation and stress relief and will produce a calming scent for jittery nerves, anxiety, stress and tension.
Blend the following oils and massage a few drops into temples as needed.
- 1 ounce sweet almond oil
- 3 drops Lavender essential oil
- 3 drops Tangerine essential oil
- 3 drops Marjoram essential oil
- 1 drop Chamomile essential oil
Spritz Around the House
- 1 cup distilled water
- 10 drops Lavender essential oil
When ready to use, shake it to mix, spritz and relax.
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Lemongrass has a very fresh, lemony aroma, with undertones of ginger. Among other things lemongrass oil is energizing. It can help you fight tiredness, lessen headache pain, and reduces stress.
Used in vapor therapy, lemongrass oil is a great treatment for fatigue, exhaustion, and when you are feeling tired and sluggish, it can be invigorating.
Relieve Headache Pain with Lemongrass Oil
To relieve headache pain, add 2 drops Lemongrass to 1 tablespoon carrier oil and apply to the temples and forehead.
Lemongrass Bath or Body Oil
This recipe has an energizing scent and can help calm your nerves. This can be used added to the bath water or as an after bath oil.
- 1 ounce Apricot Kernel oil
- 3 ounces Grapeseed oil
- 6 drops Lemongrass essential oil
- 9 drops Lavender essential oil
- 9 drops Geranium essential oil
Peppermint Essential Oil
With its minty fresh taste and smell, this essential oil can help with so many issues you may be experiencing from stress, nervousness, headaches, and digestion issues.
Steam To Clear Your Head
- 1 drop Eucalyptus essential oil
- 1 drop Peppermint essential oil
- 1 drop Tea Tree essential oil
Boil water and transfer to a bowl. Add oils to the steamy water and put a towel over your head and inhale the vapors for at least five minutes. Keep your eyes closed or they could sting.
Refreshing Foot Soak
This refreshing foot soak will help ease stress and soothe your tired feet. Fill a bowl (large enough for your feet) with warm water, just enough to cover your feet. Then add the following:
- 1 teaspoon sweet almond oil
- 3 drops peppermint essential oil
Run your hands through the water to mix the oils then put your feet in and soak for up to 10 minutes. Your feet should feel cool and nice and tingly.
I use this recipe in my foot bath then use the attachments to excite my feet even more.
Drink Some Tea
Tea and the act of drinking tea has been around for thousands of years. It has been used in ceremonies, as a way of socializing, for taste and also for medicinal purposes. There are many different types of teas that have become available and that are easily accessible.
Cutting back on alcohol and caffeine as well as trying some tea for the Holidays might relieve some of your stress. There are certain teas that are thought to have stress reducing qualities. You can have these teas on ice or you can drink them hot.
You can also take a tea bag with you if you’re meeting a friend for coffee. Just ask for some hot water and a cup.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile has been around for a long time and was used by the Ancient Greeks and Romans for some of the same properties that it is used for today.
This tea not only tastes great but it can help relieve panic attacks and anxiety. It can relax the body. It smells good and settles the stomach. It has a slightly fruity, apple flavor. You can add lemon and honey to this but it also tastes good plain.
Note: although this can be bought at any local supermarket it may cause an allergic reaction to those that are allergic to members of the ragweed family.
Passion Flower Tea
There is a lot of myth attached to the Passionflower; this could be due to its exotic appearance but also to how it has been used medicinally over time.
This tea is said to help with nervousness, restlessness, anxiety and sleeplessness. This herb can work with other herbs like chamomile to make a tea mixture that is also calming. It may also help alleviate small body pains, like headaches and achy backs.
To make a cup of passion flower tea, use 1 teaspoon of raw plant material per cup in boiling water. Let steep ten minutes. You can drink this plain or add a little sweetener.
Ginseng Tea
Ginseng has a long history of traditional use dating back thousands of years. Its root is shaped like a human and it has been given the name “man root”. It has always been a very popular choice and at one point in time, was considered worth its weight in gold.
It is said to reduce stress on the physical and mental level, boosting the immune system. Ginseng tea can be mixed with lemon and honey for a yummy taste.
It is also used in combination with other herbs to produce calming and relaxing results. It is said to help with stomach issue and to aid in digestion.
Do You Feel Relieved?
No matter if it is by using essential oils or drinking teas, the goal is to ease stress or get rid of it all together. The only way you can find out if any of these work for you, is through trying them.
Each one has its own particular quality that can be found helpful. There are no real side effects and they are affordable in price.
After a while you’ll figure out which ones you like the best and what works best for you. Remember the holidays are supposed to be a time to have fun, eating lots of food, opening up presents and being around your family.
If you are always stressed out, tired or angry, think of what you could be missing.
