April is Stress Awareness Month: Here are Some Ways to Manage Your Stress
April 1st marks the first of 30 days we should be extra mindful of stress. Stress is an everyday thing, especially for us mamas. It is so important to manage stress. Using good coping mechanisms, exercising, eating right, and having a daily routine are all things that help lower stress.
Here are a few different ways to help de-stress this month:
YOGA
Although stress is for sure a part of my life; I always find I’m calm after a yoga class. The deep breaths in and out of the nose relax the parasympathetic nervous system which lowers our cortisol levels and reduces stress. Studies have proven that the self-soothing techniques you practice during yoga can prevent anxiety which is caused by overwhelming stress. Here are a couple basic yoga poses that can help you de-stress fast and keep you calm throughout the day:
- Childs pose: this pose is very calming, this is a resting pose so it is easy for anyone to try. Kneel on the floor, exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs and lay your hands on the floor alongside your torso, palms up, and release the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor.
- Thunderbolt pose: This pose stretches the thighs, ankles, knees, and feet. It also improves posture and tones the pelvic muscles. Regularly practicing the pose calms and stabilizes the mind. Sitting in Thunderbolt Pose will help you concentrate with a calm awareness, allowing you to de-stress.
- You can find both of these in the yoga basics library on Peloton Yoga!
MEDITATION
Meditation is a simple technique that can be practiced for as few as 5 minutes per day. Setting up a 5-10 minute meditation period in the morning is something that I like to do before getting my day started. Meditation helps prepare me for the day. When I take time to be still, quiet and calm before the chaos of the day begins, I am less reactive and less stressed.
Meditation is proven to help you control stress, decrease anxiety, improve cardiovascular health, and achieve overall better relaxation! Meditation is also good for further stress prevention. This type of meditation is referred to as Mindfulness Meditation. The meditation focuses on being thankful for everyday things, everyday experiences and the day that lies ahead. It’s great practice for stress prevention so that when stress hits your day hard, you don’t let it get out of control and ruin the entire day or even worse – the entire week. Try out my five-minute mediation!
FEMME
Femme introduces a dance inspired by African, Tribal and Free Dance interwoven with the somatic and primal healing arts. It creates sacred, safe spaces and invites everyone to reclaim and boldly display their power. Their dances guide people to de-stress their bodies and allow their minds to open up to distressing during this period of time as well.
Built on a heart-rate system, Femme starts out slow and gently builds to a peak—physically and emotionally—before coming down. Touch, vocalizations, and a live drum circle ease the transitions along this journey and build community. Founded by healer, dancer, and entrepreneur Bernadette Pleasant, Femme! has more than 60 certified instructors across the United States, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom. To learn more about FEMME visit their website at: https://www.livefemme.com
However, you choose to de-stress this month, make sure to practice self-care and love yourself in every moment. When you manage your stress levels, you have the clarity to be more compassionate with yourself and others.
Kristin McGee is a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor in New York City. She is currently teaching yoga with Peloton. She is the star of over 100 videos, seen in several magazines and tv shows and is a spokeswoman for many brands and causes she believes in. A proud mom to three, she sure keeps herself busy!