Stress is something we all suffer from to varying degrees. It affects everything from our sleep and skin to our mental health. At times suffering from stress is unavoidable but learning how to deal earning to deal with it can be life changing.
Today marks National Stress Awareness Day and in a bid to raise awareness Aveda has teamed up with the Stress Awareness Society to bring us some top tips on how to cope with our every day stresses.
1. 7am Wake Up
Begin your day with a cleansing breath, the ‘pranayama breath’ and awaken your mind and body. Take a deep breath through your nose, feel your abdomen rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale, gently awakening your mind and body, ready for the day ahead.
2. 8am Commute
You’ve been awake not much more than an hour and already feel tense as you negotiate a seat on an overcrowded train. If you know you’re prone to stress having a product to hand that can help you, such as Aveda’s Stress Fix Concentrate Rollerball, can help you distress on the go! Apply the rollerball on the cushion of your hand, massaging tense pressure points, especially between the thumb and forefinger, in circular motions for an immediate sense of calm.
3. 1pm Lunchtime Lull
The morning seems to have disappeared thanks to a series of overrun meetings and an overloaded inbox! It’s now lunchtime and rather than rush and make bad food choices, take a moment and release tension in your neck and shoulders.
4. 4pm Desk Downtime
It’s 4pm and you’re seeking your afternoon escape; press the tips of your fingers onto the temples and roll in circular motions whilst closing your eyes and allowing your mind to be still for a few minutes.
5. 7pm Switch Off
Don’t take work home with you and let go of your to do list until tomorrow. Activate the acupressure points at the back of the head just below the occipital bone, circle three times anti- clockwise before repeating in the opposite direction. This occipital ridge is considered to be an essential area of focus for stress relief – a key energy point to release over-thinking, eyestrain and irritability.
6. 10pm Sleep
It’s been a long day and your trusty feet have carried you through it, so it’s now time to reward them. You can do this yourself but if you have a willing participant to do it for you, even better! Roll your thumb vertically down the length of your foot with a good amount of pressure moving across. Then work horizontally by pressing down on key pressure points and massage in circular motions, starting under the toes down to the heel, repeat on the other foot.
READ MORE: Best Acupressure Mats for Pain Relief And Other Benefits