As wonderful as the holiday season could be, it’s also a time that’s rife with stress. Whether it’s chasing deadlines so we can slip into a work-free vacation without owing paperwork, or the buildup of worry from hosting and gifting plans – the end of the year is somehow slow and hectic at the same time.

A build up stress can leave us out of breath. Have you noticed that in the midst of mounting stress your heart can beat faster than normal? It can change due to our ‘fight-or-flight response’ getting poked by whatever it is that’s weighing on our mind. Finding the time to calm your rapidly beating heart and to regulate your breathing is important in staying mentally and physically healthy. 

Try this 30 Minute Yoga Practice: Gentle Lovin' Flow with Meghan who’s letting go of her stress in Snug Hug Crop Top in Desert Dune and Moonlit Shorts in Sweet Jungle.

When you’re dealing with a lot on your plate, a gentle workout will be kind on your body while helping your mind unknot. Check out Meghan’s Youtube channel if you’re looking for yoga workouts you can do at home or Meghan Currie Studio for online courses and workshops that can help you sweat your stress out.

Try out this 30 Minutes Stress Relief: Body Tapping and Face Massage with Meghan who’s relaxing in Moonlit Shorts in Pearl Mist.

If you’re looking for something different you can also try body tapping and a self-massage on your face. We store away stress and tension in our body, and a lot of it end up on our face. Think about all those frowns we do, and tension headaches we suffer from. The gentle taps that Meghan demonstrates help to relieve tension and residual stress you might be holding consciously and subconsciously.

Check out the videos and let us know which one works best for you!

If you only have a minute or five to relax between schedules and you need a quick fix to breathe, try these poses that help you take in deeper breaths.

Cheat Sheet: 3 yoga poses that can help you breathe easy

Balasana: Child’s Pose 

Benefit: This resting posture is a good way to do something, without expending too much effort. It allows you focus on the moment, quieting your busy thought.

How to do it:

1. Kneel with your legs together then sit back on your heels.

2. Bend forward towards the ground, touch your chest to your thighs and connect your forehead to the ground.

3. Pull your arms back to rest on the sides with your palms facing upwards, OR stretch your arm forward and rest it side by side, palms facing down.

Supta Matsyendrasana: Reclined Spinal Twist

Benefit: Your diaphragm draws in air and presses it back out of your lungs. The Reclined Spinal Twist helps the blood flow around the diaphragm, helping it to function better, allowing you to draw fuller breaths.

How to do it:

1. Lay flat on your back and stretch your arms out with your palms facing down.

2. Lift your knees up towards your chest and drop your knees gently to one side, hold for a few breaths and repeat on the other side.

3. Inhale every time you draw your knees back to your chest, and exhale when you release your knees the side.

Supported Savasana

Benefit: A Supported Savasana is a gentle, passive stretch that affects both the front and the back of your body, allowing you to draw deeper breaths.

How to do it:

1. Find something you can use to elevate your chest. You can experiment to find the best height and material. A little tip: A rolled up towel gives great elevation and is soft on your back.

2. Line up your choice of assistant so that it’s placed underneath the bottom tip of your shoulder blades.

3. Take your arms up and extend it so that it’s comfortably distanced by your head, relax your legs into a traditional Savasana pose.

We hope your holiday stays stress free!