Cristina Freniche is a trained YogaBellies teacher who offers classes in Guildford and shall be doing some blogging about fitness and health for you and your baby; this week giving tips on slowing down during the holiday season. Cristina is a young professional living in Guildford, although she is originally from Spain. Her passion is for all things pregnancy and baby related and this, partnered with her love for Yoga, has culminated in her taking YogaBellies teacher training. YogaBellies offer authentic classes, therapies and workshops for women and children at every stage of their lives including pregnancy and birth; for post-partum mum and baby and now also, yoga for children. They offer yoga for women from menstruation to post-menopausal.
Whatever your personal circumstances, you might find yourself dreading the upcoming holidays rather than looking forward to them with the joy and excitement of days past. Slowing down is something that we all need to do to a certain extent, to allow us to savour the moment and help prevent disease; and this is even more important in the case of expecting ladies or those with young babies or kids.
So what measures can we take to reduce our stress levels around this time of the year? Here’s a few of my top tips to staying healthy and happy over the festive period!
- Spend more time with others in real life and leave the Internet aside. Maybe even write a letter to a friend rather than an e-mail.
- Single-task. Be more productive and allow yourself to really focus on what you’re doing, one thing at a time.
- Learn to say no. Odds are that you’re over committed already, so really think it through when you receive yet another invitation.
- Prioritize and minimize. Focus on spending your time with the people you really care about, doing the things that matter to you. Forget about the magazine-perfect image of how the holidays should look like, and make them your own.
- Reduce financial stress. Budgeting can really help you sleep better. Try to make your presents thoughtful rather than expensive (how about a gift voucher for a massage or a local class?) and maybe swap a couple of parties for a bring-a-dish dinner.
- Breathe: try bringing yourself back to a calm place by closing your eyes, and just observing your natural breathing for a couple of minutes. Bonus if you work on lengthening the exhale.
- Sleep as much as you need to. If this is a struggle due to pregnancy or babies, you should try to nap whenever you can.
- Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, and try to only indulge on your favourite seasonal goodies rather than on everything that is available. You’ll feel better and enjoy it more!
- Plan a stress-free start to the New Year. Maybe join that yoga class that you’ve been thinking about – did you know there are pregnancy yoga classes, and even for mum and baby?
- Do at least one thing a day just for yourself. Whether it’s a long hot bath, a walk in nature, listen to your favourite music, play, sing, meditate, or my favourite, yoga
- Cultivate your relationships by setting time aside for your loved ones, to just be present and enjoy their company. You could even learn Baby Massage to bond with your baby and relax.
These are just a few ideas to get you started, but I’d love to hear from you – what keeps you relaxed and happy? I currently offer classes in Guildford so please visit HERE for more information or email me at [email protected] for more details.
Cristina Freniche