In our attempts to “have it all” and the “perfect” life as promoted by the movies and the media, we often cause ourselves more stress in the process. We try to juggle jobs, family drama, busy social lives, hobbies, traffic, to-do lists, and of course we’re online almost 24/7 so we can always be reached… It’s never-ending.
As we struggle to find balance in our everyday lives it is so important that we try to minimize stress for the good of our bodies and minds. Stress can very quickly take a toll on our bodies, contributing to muscle tension, headaches, a weakened immune system, IBS, Insomnia, and even heart disease! So you can see that it’s key that you try to reduce stress where possible. Try these activities as a way to keep calm in the face of stress.
Take regular vacations
The best tip for stress relief is to make sure that you take regular breaks from your work. Even if it’s only a day or two where you don’t read your emails, switch of your phone and indulge yourself. Research has shown that regular vacations, even mini-vacations like this, can help to reduce your overall stress, and help you to stay healthier in the long run both mentally and physically.
Meditate to ease stress
Meditation has recently gained a good following (and not just with the Buddhist, yoga, and hummus crowd). When regularly practiced, meditation can make a big difference to your overall mental and physical health. Meditating regularly can minimize feelings of loneliness, up your levels of focus and productivity as well as decrease the effects of depression, emotional irritability, and cognitive disorganization. Just remember it’s a learning process so it takes time! Do not stress about finding time to meditate! At Villa del Palmar Cancun, you will find a number of places that are ideal for meditation while on vacation: on the beach, at the end of the pier, on your balcony, in your bathtub and more.
Breathe Deeply
Practice deep-breathing wherever and whenever you can as it can really be a lifesaver when it comes to stress management. Whenever chaos seems to taking over your life just take a few deep breaths. Much like meditation, deep-breathing can help you to manage stress and anxiety, but it does so almost instantly. Just close your eyes and count to 10; count to 5 while breathing in, and 5 while breathing out. Some therapists recommend holding your breath for 5 or ten seconds, too, as a way to relieve stress.
Stretch with Yoga
Yoga brings many of the benefits of meditation and deep breathing while also toning and bringing relief to your full body. Yoga can help release some tension from your muscles and ease pain, muscle spasms, and pinched nerves. Yoga can also, of course, help with weight loss while improving your cardiovascular system and circulation. This is a no-brainer, really, when it comes down to stress relief and self-care. Why not join our yoga classes at Villa del Palmar Cancun while enjoying your vacation?
Use Aromatherapy
Whether or not you believe in holistic healing aromatherapy can really help you to relax. Certain scents can enhance your moods, trigger memories which have been locked away inside you in your brain’s olfactory processing centre. Though everyone has personal preferences when it comes to what smells good, there are some smells which are pretty much universally recognized as relaxing. Lavender and Eucalyptus fall into such a category. Ask our therapists at the Village Spa which services use aromatherapy, and indulge in an aromatic massage or wrap.
Practice Gratitude
Every day we are bombarded by images of photo-shopped women and men in beauty ads, perfect posers on Instagram, celeb endorsements, collections, and sales. It’s all designed to make us want more and want to be more instead of being happy with what we have and what we are. Taking the time to be thankful for what we have, and to be more compassionate can help you to be more positive and bring stress relief thereby giving you all the benefits that low levels of stress give you.
We know it can be very hard to control your stress-levels when life throws so much at you, but if you take this advice you might find that it’s much easier to do so than before. Why not begin with a vacation at Villa del Palmar Cancun to kickstart your relaxation?
