Saturday, May 14, 2005

2. Keep a bottle of ylang ylang essential oil in your makeup bag. Take of sniff of this anxiety reliever when you start getting twitchy.


3. Roar like a lion! Scrunch up your face and squeeze your whole body tight, then release everything wide with a sound, sticking your tongue out as far as you can. This alleviates tension big-time, plus you'll feel so silly you might even laugh.


4. Decorate your space with fresh flowers. Symbolizing life and beauty, flowers are a perk for all the senses. If you feel like getting more ambitious, buy a plant. Gardening is very therapeutic in the treatment of depression, and although one plant isn't exactly a garden, it's a start.


5. Give yourself a neck massage, rolling your knuckles over any painful spots. Better yet, get your mom or a friend to do it for you.


6. Meditate on the breath. As you inhale, think "breathing in," and as you exhale, think "breathing out." Try this for five minutes. When your mind wanders just return to the breath.


7. Try a mudra when you meditate. Mudras are symbolic hand positions which channel the flow of energy. The chin mudra, in which the thumb and index finger touch while the rest of the fingers are outstretched, is intended to clear the mind and bring peace.


8. Stretch your legs. If possible, go outside and take a brief walk. The change of scenery, the fresh air, and the circulation of blood in your body will perk you up instantly.


9. Try reflexology. The point on your foot which corresponds with your nerves is right smack in the middle, below the ball of your foot and in from the arch. Give it a good rub. If it hurts, that's normal. You're stressed out, after all.


10. Press play. The power of sound to alter and elevate our moods has been widely documented. If you put on your favorite song, or any song for that matter, you will feel differently at the end of that song.


11. Chant "om shanti shanti shanti" ("all is peace peace peace"). If it works for Madonna, why not you?


12. Get steamed. Brew a cup of peppermint tea and place it on a table in front of you. Lean over and create a tent around the cup with your arms and head, breathing in this invigorating natural decongestant. Then, drink up.


13. Roll your eyes. Tired eyes can cause mental strain, so give those babies a break. Roll both eyes to the left and right, up and down, and then in full circles, repeating in each direction. Close your eyes, rubbing your palms together until they're warm. Place gently over your closed eyes.


14. Knock knock, who's there? Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. With closed fists gently tap around your head in circular motions. Breathe slowly and deeply. This improves concentration and relieves headaches.


15. Brew a cup of chamomile tea with two teabags. Chamomile has been used for centuries to treat nervousness and insomnia. Drink the tea, and when the teabags cool so that they are just warm to the touch place use them as eye compresses.


16. Light a candle. If you like the scented variety, try lavender, which is a natural relaxant.


17. Take a shower. The water pounding on your head stimulates your brain cells and literally gets you into a new "head space."

by Yina at 2:48 PM |