The holidays are a time for celebration, but they can also be a time of stress and anxiety. Whether you’re dealing with family drama, trying to stick to a budget, or just feeling overwhelmed by all the festivities, it’s important to take care of yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually. In this blog post, we will discuss some tips for staying well during the holiday season.
One of the best ways to stay well during this time is through yoga and meditation. There are many different types of yoga to choose from such as Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Kundalini, and Restorative. Each type has its own unique benefits and focusing on your breath while in poses can help you find inner peace and balance.
For beginners, Hatha yoga is a good choice because the movements are slow and you only hold a pose for a few breaths. Another wonderful form of yoga, especially if you’re new to the practice, is Restorative yoga. This yoga uses a lot of props to help you fully and deeply relax into each pose.
Meditation also plays a role in mental health by allowing us to take a few moments for ourselves each day for reflection and relaxation. Some types of meditation include mindfulness, where we practice being present with an open heart, mind, and soul; movement meditation (which involves gentle movements that focus our awareness on the body); mantra meditation (which involves repeating specific phrases to bring us into a more peaceful state), and guided meditation (which uses voice recordings to help relax the body and mind).
Movement meditation, such as walking or things like tai chi and Qigong, not only quiets your mind but is also wonderful for your physical health, which is extra important during the holidays. It gives you a chance to take a break from the hustle and bustle and is a great excuse to get out of the house!
Mantra meditation is especially helpful for people who have trouble quieting their minds in the silence that most meditation practices involve. It’s also a great way to “drown out” the voices telling you to do more, to cook more, etc. Plus, if you have company staying over the holidays, they may be intrigued by the sound coming from your workout room!
Guided meditation is the quickest and easiest way to begin meditating. There are so many free guided mediations out there now. You’ll find a plethora if you enter “guided meditation” out on YouTube. There are also now some wonderful apps for your phone, such as Insight Timer, Calm, and Headspace. Most of them offer some meditations for free, but for a small fee, you can access hundreds of them!
No matter what type of yoga or meditation you choose, spending some time for yourself each day can be beneficial in helping you stay well during this stressful time of year. Check out our other blog posts for more tips on how to stay healthy and balanced during the holiday season!
Happy Holidays! 🙂
