With so much to organise throughout the festive season as well as attending events such as school nativities, parties, the nitty gritty of actually gift shopping and Christmas Day itself, keeping your inner calm can sometimes be difficult. However, we’re here with a few ESPA Expert tips to help you survive the most wonderful time of the year.
Whether you’re at home, in the car or seeking distraction as you hit the shops, listen to classical music. The slower sections of work by Baroque composers Bach, Vivaldi and Mozart are known to create a meditative mood by slowing the heartbeat and relaxing the body while the mind remains alert. So turn up the classical tunes and bring down your heart rate while you negotiate shopping centre parking.
If Christmas lunch is at yours this year and the thought of hungry family hordes at your door is bringing you out in a cold sweat, start the day with your favourite dance track! As soon as you wake, put on a beloved or nostalgic dance anthem and begin shaking your body from the feet up. Gradually letting yourself go with the music, quite literally dance yourself calm and re-energise before your family arrives.
Essential oils work directly on the brain via the skin or nose to change our mood. Five of the best to deal with stress are Rose, Chamomile, Lavender, Bergamot and Geranium. However, in true festive fashion, Frankincense is ideal to help you breathe deeper and relax. To help keep your calm whenever and wherever you are, but especially when you need to escape Christmas kitchen dramas, keep Restorative Balm with you at all times.
Rubbing into pulse points and breathing deeply, if you can get away for a little time to yourself, practice a breathing ritual. To do this, find a quiet place and massage a small amount of Restorative Balm onto your wrists and temples. Then, breathe in deeply, allowing the aromas to calm and centre the mind. To enhance the benefits even further, light a Restorative Candle to restore your inner calm.
When all else fails, drink tea! Before you leave for Christmas lunch or while you wait for your guests to arrive (and even if your guest are already there), put the kettle on and relax with a nice cup of tea – Black or Green Tea are especially good for reducing stress and keeping calm.
But most of all, breathe, relax and have a very merry Christmas.