Christmas is over and January has arrived and with it comes an opportunity to refresh and hit the reset button
Taking time to relax and reset might come quite far down on most people’s to-do-lists during this time of the year. It can be easy to forget to take some time for yourself in between travel and treat-making and family peacekeeping. However, prioritising rest and reflection over the holidays is a wonderful way to unwind at the end of a stressful year and prepare for the next.
To help with some inspiration for healthy activities to do for both body and mind after you’ve enjoyed those cookies and presents, we talked to seven of our favourite gurus in all areas of wellness and got them to share their best tips on how to de-stress and reset.
Cut down your screen time
Founder of Melissa Wood Health and creator of the MWH Method, Melissa Wood-Tepperberg shares everything from her busy family life to her workouts and daily wellness routines on her Instagram daily. Yet she recognises that all that time on devices isn't healthy - when she really needs to relax, she takes a break from posting and goes offline. "One way I destress over the holidays is by limiting time on my phone," she says. "Oh, what a difference you feel taking time away from it all when you can.”
The New Year is also a good time for getting things into perspective she adds. “I’m a big believer in staying consistent with my practice of daily meditation and movement – every minute counts – because it helps me stay sane no matter what’s in front of me."
Take an ice bath
Perhaps it was to be expected by someone who goes by the name of "The Ice Man", but Wim Hof, a motivational speaker and the person behind the eponymous breathing method, recommends “body awareness through intense exercise on top of an icy bath” this winter.
“Breathing exercises cleanse me deeply and I can feel that daily,” he says, adding that the great outdoors can be an easy, enjoyable way to clear your mind and feel instantly healthier. “To de-stress in the holidays I enjoy the sun, water, and nature," he says.
Photo: Hasse Nielsen
De-stress with a workout
Implementing healthy routines for both the inside and the outside is something that Norwegian beauty expert and influencer Emilie Tømmerberg promotes year-round, and just because it's the festive period doesn't mean she's taking a break. “Working out is a great way for me to release stress and going outside to catch some daylight works wonders," she says. "I love the classic Christmas dishes but I always feel better if I balance it out with a healthy breakfast and limit alcohol, something my skin also is thankful for. My face always gets a little puffy over the holidays so I like to do a morning face massage. I’ll cool down my face roller and use it with a face oil, which helps stimulate the lymph nodes to drain fluids and toxins from the face. My NuFACE microcurrent device is also great to depuff and tighten my face. An instant lift and glow.”
She also emphases the importance of being present and shifting your attention from stress to what’s really important. “There is quite a lot of noise and pressure during the holidays but I try to focus on the things that matter: time with my loved ones," she says, echoing Melissa Wood-Tepperberg's advice by prescribing "less screen time and more presence.”
Swap the stimulants for a nice cup of tea
'Tis the season for a little indulgence, but bestselling author, speaker, and founder of The Shaman School Shaman Durek suggests that we should all “stay away from stimulants for they will induce stress and make it worse.”
“Decompression is key to releasing stress this holiday season,” he says, recommending that we “drink warm teas such as chamomile, take hot baths, and do a breathing meditation with a slow breath of four breaths in and four breaths out." The rhythm here is key, Durek explains, because "this is the breath of nature as it allows you to get into a rhythm with your body and spirit.”
Establish a daily routine
Another advocate of more time in-the-now and going offline is bestselling author, podcaster, and speaker Melissa Ambrosini. “I reset by following my digital detox steps in my book Comparisonitis. Taking time offline helps me reset and come back into alignment with my higher self. I also love doing a self-check-in and acknowledging the goals I have hit and setting new goals for the year ahead,” she says.
Ambrosini also stresses the importance of keeping up a daily routine of things that make you feel good in order to unwind. “I de-stress with daily meditation, chanting, journaling, reading, writing down what I am grateful for, getting to bed early, spending time in nature, drinking clean water, eating healthy food, spending time with loved ones, and laughing a lot.”
Photo: Hasse Nielsen
Be on the look out for burnout
“To me, the holidays are a great opportunity to invite conscious balance into my life and lifestyle," says yoga teacher and author Sjana Elise Earp of how she finds space to unwind during a hectic season. "This time of the year can be extraordinarily stressful, and now more than ever I find that being able to check in and witness the signs of burn-out and being overwhelmed before they hit is really important to me. So, as many times as I can each day, I check in with my energy, my mood and my heart space. I notice how I am feeling and where I am holding any tightness in my physical body, then I consciously choose to release it through my breath - sometimes one hand on the heart and the other hand on the belly really helps to ground me when I do this.”
Yoga practice, spending time in nature, meditation, journaling, and practicing gratitude are also essential Earp says she comes back to whenever she feels stressed and needs to reset. “If you’re reading this, I just want to remind you that you're stronger than you know," she adds. "I hope you can witness your own resilience, and find a softness and sense of deep self-compassion. trust that you are exactly where you're meant to be, and that the universe has your back."
Don't stress out over how to de-stress
Mia Clase and Lina Nertby Aurell, authors, podcasters, and founders of Food Pharmacy, address a common dilemma that most of us can relate to when the holidays arrive: “The expectation that reset will come automatically during a vacation is just an illusion. Instead, we often find ourselves more stressed than ever - stressed over how to de-stress and maximise the holiday," they say. So how do you combat this? "A wise man taught us that true reset often comes when lowering our expectations and just enjoying small moments of happiness,” the pair say.
Furthermore, appreciating moments of presence and gratitude, even though they might be short and simple, is something the duo strongly encourages. “After an autumn full of hard work on our next book, we will make sure to get a few of these so-called micro pauses in over Christmas," they say. "Taking moments for ourselves to breathe, laugh with a friend, or simply just lying down on the sofa and enjoying having no plans at all.”