TAKE IT EASY

Extracted from “The Star – 23rd June 2013”

A small amount of stress never hurt anyone, but allowing it to get out of control can be damaging to your body and mind. Dump all the bad habits that drain you and find the balance with 10 ways to perk up your energy levels and improve your looks.

 

1. Wake-Up Call

Waking up in the morning dead tired and lethargic is really debilitating. Not only do you look like hell, you feel like it too. A good night’s rest is essential for your body and mind to unwind and repair so go to sleep earlier and get up earlier.

   Anxiety, tension, negative thoughts and frustration are demotivating and tend to stick with you, causing your adrenal glands to go into overdrive and disrupting your sleep patterns. Counteract this by reducing your intake of coffee, alcohol, tea and nicotine, and practise meditation and breathing techniques – they’re an excellent way to calm your soul.

   Kick-start your system before opening your eyes by following these ancient Chinese Taoist healing techniques recommended by Stephen Russell, author of A Spiritual Survival Guide (published by Hodder & Stoughton, available from www.amazon.com).

· With a circular motion, gently massage around your eyes, along the sockets from the outside corner of your eye, inwards. Repeat 18 times.

· Warm your hands by rubbing them together and place them over your closed eyes. This boosts circulation around the eye area.

· Before opening your eyes, take a deep breath and hold it. Screw up your face and exhale saying “pow” at the same time. “The sound of the word kick-starts your brain and heart,” says Russell.

· Open your eyes and tap your head with your knuckles.

· Use an easy motion to get out of bed – bend forward or do a full body stretch to lengthen and ease your spine.

 

2. Water world

Water offers the most wonderful form of therapy – it can both soothe and energise. Think how an invigorating shower freshens and revitalises you in the morning and, at night, how soaking in a warm bath surrounded by aromatic candles relaxes and calms you.

   Hydrotherapy is used in spas for its healing properties both physical and mental. Thallassotherapy is known to benefit your skin and to relieve fluid retention as well as circulation and rheumatic problems.

   Exercising in water, or simply swimming, tones and stretches your muscles, which is good for your body and calms your mind.

   Flotation tanks are great for escaping pressure (mental and physical) – they provide a safe, watery cocoon where your mind can become still. The tank is filled with an Epsom salt solution, which keeps you buoyant, while eliminating neck pains and muscle stiffness.

   A water massage to try is hydrotherm, which uses a warm waterbed and the tactile skills of a therapist. It promises to relieve stress, back problems and tension headaches, and even soothes babies.

   Beside your daily bath/shower, scrub your entire body with a hot damp towel. If not possible, at least scrub your hands, feet, fingers and toes. This increases blood and energy circulation, open skin pores, and helps dissolve fat deposits beneath the skin.

 

3. Healing hands

The power of a gentle touch is both energising and calming. Aromatherapy, shiatsu, polarity, reflexology and fin shin fyutsu all contribute to a sense of wellbeing that reflexes aching muscles and eases tension.

   Research shows one hour of massage is equivalent to three hours of sleep. Ideally, a professional massage is the most beneficial, but a simplified version can be done at home – preferably in the bath. Use essential oils to gently massage the area around the side of your nose, your temples, under your earlobes, at the start of your jaw and the back of your head at the base of your skull.

   For DIY pampering, try a calming and relaxing oil that soothes and brightens, while relieving congested tissue.

 

4. Reflect and relax

Meditation has been around for centuries and is accepted as an effective problem-solver that can help you cut off, albeit for a few minutes, from the irritations of your life. The traditional method is to sit cross-legged on the floor, with the back of your left hand in the palm of your right hand, and to focus your attention to one point until your mind blocks out exterior distractions, allowing your inner consciousness to take over.

   Yoga is a popular way to meditate while doing relaxing and toning exercises. It frees your mind, ensures correct breathing, encourages relaxation, boosts circulation and loosens tense muscles. Tai chi, “meditation in motion”, is an ancient Chinese form of exercise that’s now enormously popular. It’s a gentle series of flowing movements that works on the body’s meridians and combats stress and illness by creating balance and inner peace.

 

5. Skin savers

It may be a cliche, but when you look good, you feel good. Sadly, strain and stress reflect on your face, leaving your skin looking dull and tired. Invest in beauty treatments that revitalise your complexion. Exfoliators and masks are treat quick-fixes, while energising serums and ampoules used occasionally encourage cell renewal and circulation. There are also excellent treatments especially for stressed and sun-damaged skin – used regularly, they’ll help to keep your skin looking smooth and firm.

   Good wake-up make-up tricks brighten even the drabbest complexion:

· A good concealer to touch up blemishes and dark rings under your eyes.

· A sheer, light-reflecting foundation gives light coverage without looking pasty or cakey on your skin.

· Blusher is the key – by adding colour to your cheeks, you add a youthful bloom to sluggish skin.

· Brighten your eyes with a fine line of white pencil across your top eyelid and mascara on top and bottom lashes.

· A rosy pink gloss on your lips gives a final fresh touch.

 

6. Colour and smell

The influence of colour on our mood is obvious – some colours are calming, while others are energising. Introduce them into your life with simple things like flowers and candles.

· Blue and turquoise are calming and cooling

· Green represents freshness and energy

· Mauve and violet are quite spiritual and encourage a peaceful ambience

· Red is stimulating, and powerful

· Pink promotes a tranquil feeling

· White represents purity – for some it’s soothing but for others it can have negative associations

· Yellow and orange are happy, energetic colours

· Beige and browns are warm and protecting

Scents also have the power to alter moods:

· Bergamot, geranium, Jasmine and rose are refreshing and uplifting

· Lemon and rosemary are stimulating

· Ylang-ylang, vanilla, lavender, mandarin and neroli are relaxing and calming

 

7. Take a breather

Breathing correctly is vital for relaxation. You should breathe fully and freely to maximise circulation and oxygenation. Try this stress-reducing technique based on yogic breathing.

· Sit down and breathe out slowly with your mouth partially open. Imagine you’re blowing out the flame of a candle from about 15cm away. Count silently to yourself and don’t strain in any way.

· Inhale slowly through your nose – count to see how long the in breath takes.

· Exhale, fully and slowly blowing the air in a thin stream (again counting at the same speed). Do this 30 times.

If you do this breathing exercise twice a day you should achieve a speed of two to three seconds while inhaling and six to seven seconds exhaling. After 15 or so cycles, you’ll radically reduce your anxiety levels. You can also use it as a quick fix and tension releaser in stressful situations.

   Another winner is to kneel, eyes closed and with both hands placed on the lower edges of your ribs with your fingertips nearly touching. Breathe in deeply through your nose, expanding your diaphragm. Exhale slowly and smoothly. Repeat this exercise with your hands at your sides. Practise on a regular basis.

 

8. Eat well

It’s a fact that a good diet is essential to keep your body fit, full of energy and able to cope with the stresses of daily life. Combine complex carbohydrates, which keep energy levels high, with antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C and E (avocados, broccoli, oranges and kiwi fruits). These foods boost your immune levels, fighting off infection, while ensuring your body has a rich supply of fibre, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. Vitamin B is crucial during essential times, so supplement your diet – it helps to digest and convert food to energy.

Energy Boosters

Strawberries, bananas, avocados, artichokes,lentils, nuts, seeds, brown rice, whole-grain pasta, cereal.

Energy Depleters

   Refined rice, flour, red meat, butter, tea, coffee, alcohol, sweet biscuits.

 

9. A laugh a minute

There is nothing better than a really good laugh to lift your spirits. Watch a funny TV sitcom or hire a video of Absolutely Fabulous or Mr Bean – not only will you relax and take time out for yourself, you’ll also feel happier and more energised afterwards.

  

10. Take a break

Live each day happily without being preoccupied with your health: try to keep mentally and physically active. Sing a happy song aloud each day! Exercise is a necessity, not an option. If you’re short of time or exhausted, going to the gym isn’t top of your list of priorities, but even a small amount of light exercise every day is beneficial. Establish a routine that fits your lifestyle even if it’s just a walk round the block with your dog or walking for half an hour outdoors on grass or sand.