Call it what you want—anxiety, relentless sadness, a heavy spirit. Whatever you know it as, this negative shift is something that should be acknowledged and addressed right away.
Whenever I am hit with a debilitating bout, I see it as an opportunity to step up my self-care ritual and remind myself that there is still joy to be found in each and every day.
The following tools have proved very helpful in calming my heart and mind.
1. Move.
Do anything to help move the lymph along, jostle your cells, and raise your vibration. Do whatever exercise feels best to you, whether it be running, walking, yoga, or spontaneous dance. And if you can, do it outside in nature.
2. Try aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy is one of my absolute favorite ways to quell an impending attack and redirect my focus. I mix bottles of rosewater with a few drops of my favorite essential oils like geranium, lemon, orange, and pine and spray them multiple times a day around my space. It lifts my spirit, clears my brain, and gently brings me into the present moment.
3. Practice breathwork.
Yogis consider alternate nostril breathing, or Nadi Shodhana, to be one of the best techniques to calm the mind and the nervous system.
Hold the right nostril closed with your finger and breathe in on the left.
Transfer your finger to the alternate nostril, exhaling breath on the right.
Inhale deeply on the right, close right nostril, and exhale on the left.
Inhale deeply on left, close left nostril, and exhale on right.
Repeat 10 times on each side, for a total of five rounds.
4. Drink supportive teas.
I love passionflower and holy basil teas for their adaptogenic, stress-reducing properties. I also love to sip on rose tea year-round and find that it can help alleviate depression and fatigue.
5. Replenish your body with magnesium.
Your body needs magnesium to function properly, and everything from too much coffee and alcohol to too much stress can strip your natural stores of the element. Magnesium deficiency can cause an array of symptoms such as muscle cramps, insomnia, anxiety, chronic fatigue, constipation, and so much more.
I'll add magnesium supplements to my water and tea throughout the day, put magnesium bath flakes in my baths, and apply magnesium topical spray after my showers. I also try to incorporate magnesium-rich foodslike nuts, leafy greens, garlic, tofu, and brown rice into my diet as often as possible.
6. Make a calming tonic.
I've found that drinking this beautiful tonic soothes my nervous system, elevates my mood, and instills some calm into my day.
Ingredients
Preparation
Combine the ingredients, and savor.by Melissa Rousseau
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-24476/6-holistic-techniques-i-use-to-soothe-my-stress-anxiety.html
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