Stress Less this Fall with Calming Autumn Activities

With school and work kicking into full gear, fall is the time to get back to business. Along with the excitement of this busy season, though, comes a fair amount of stress. New schedules and a different pace can make you wish for the lazy days of summer to return. But don’t let the fall season shatter your nerves. Instead, take advantage of the calming activities autumn has to offer, and make room in your routine for some satisfying relaxation.

Try these six ways to de-stress during the fall, and have your most enjoyable season yet.

Take a Colorful Drive

Autumn colors aren’t just pleasing to the eye; they can be highly stress-relieving. That’s because such sensory experiences as soaking up the vibrant colors of the changing leaves divert the mind to something gratifying and positive. Take a drive along a scenic, tree-lined roadway and stop for a picnic lunch to bask in the glory of nature–and the peace and tranquility it brings.

Embrace the Spices of the Season

Spices can rev up ordinary food and drink, but they also have the power to calm. Some of the best spices for stress relief are those prominent during the fall months. Nutmeg is an ancient spice used to relieve anxiety and treat insomnia, while cinnamon helps calm the digestive system and cloves relax the muscles. A pinch is all you need from these powerful stress relievers.

Enjoy Fall Deals at the Spa

Now that life is back to routine for the family, it’s time to focus on you. Many spas around town offer deals to help you do just that. Research fall specials on relaxing activities that will help you unwind and recharge, like a calming body soak, massage, or pedicure. A trip to the spa can be just what the doctor ordered for stress, and autumn deals can make this activity hard to pass up.

Sip on a Hot Drink

If you like sipping on hot cocoa during the fall months, you’ll do more than satiate your taste buds. Cocoa contains polyphenol antioxidants known to relax the mind and boost mood. Don’t care for cocoa? Other hot drinks soothe and relax the body. Try spiced apple cider or cinnamon tea, or enjoy a healthy hot soup made from squash or other fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Do Some Autumn Exercise

Known to release endorphins that calm and relax the body, exercise is one of the best de-stressors of all. Fall offers up plenty of stress-reducing exercise options in a crisp outdoor venue. Go on a hike, bike the nature trails, or play some golf. You can even rake leaves for an invigorating and relaxing activity right at home.

Don’t let the autumn stress you out. Revel in this enjoyable time of year with calming activities that also benefit your health.

Clearing Clutter

Clearing Clutter

It’s easy to let your home become a cluttered mess. Millions of people slowly lose control of their living space, allowing their home to become disorganized and filled with useless junk. However, that is no way to live. It’s so much better to dwell in a clean house. Here are the five biggest reasons to declutter your home.

You’ll find lost items. Large piles of clutter could easily be concealing items you thought were long gone, or completely forgot existed. That book you never finished reading might be buried right under your nose.

You’ll have more space. Clutter takes up lots of room. Left unchecked, junk will occupy more and more space in your home. Get rid of this clutter and you’ll be amazed at how much larger your living space seems in comparison.

You’ll be happier. No one genuinely likes living in a clutter-filled home. Getting rid of all that junk will relieve stress and raise your mood. You’ll feel better about yourself just seeing how much of a difference you’ve made. A clean, orderly home is a haven for peace and contentment. Ridding yourself of all that useless stuff will generate a wonderful sense of freedom.

You can make some money. While clutter is by definition stuff you don’t need or want, that doesn’t mean it won’t be of value for other people. While cleaning up your home you may find all sorts of items you can sell for a bit of cash. Either sell the stuff you don’t need online or consider holding a garage sale.

It will help you get your life in order. Getting rid of clutter isn’t just about clearing a physical space. It’s like a spring cleaning — not just for your home, but your mind as well. Taking on and completing a big task provides a sense of accomplishment. Psychologically, it will help you prepare to improve your life in other areas.

Clutter can be intimidating. The more it piles up, the harder it can seem to get rid of. However, that is an illusion. Getting started is the hard part. Once you do begin, ridding your home of all that junk will feel great. Your initial efforts will generate momentum and you’ll be glad to continue. Soon, all that clutter will be gone, and your life will be improved.

Managing Stress Through Self Care

Managing Stress Through Self Care

By Natasha Kubis,

Most clients that end up on my treatment table for acupuncture are dealing with some level of stress and its unhealthy impact. Often, “stress” is not listed as their chief complaint, but symptoms like insomnia, body tension, upset stomach, feelings of anxiety, or depression, are of primary concern. In fact, I have never performed a session that did not include acupuncture points for calming the mind. With the average American working 44 hours per week, it can be said that we live in a homo industrious landscape.  Chronic stress can result from the challenge of balancing our work and home life, as well as our relationships with family and friends. Prioritizing our own self care rarely makes the cut. This imbalance is a major trigger for ongoing stress accumulation in the body, which can cause or exacerbate serious health problems, including psychological disorders, sleep issues, digestive conditions, a weakened immune system, and cardiovascular issues.

The stress response in the body is meant to be an innate survival tactic, reserved for dangerous situations. This response allows the body to prepare to face a threat or flee to safety. In these situations, your pulse quickens, you breathe faster, your muscles tense, and your brain uses more oxygen and increases activity—all functions aimed at survival and in response to stress. In our modern, workaholic society, long-term stress is all too common for most individuals, and as we try to keep up with daily demands, the body never receives a clear signal to return to normal and relaxed functioning.

I experienced the impact of chronic stress firsthand while living in NYC. During that time, I was averaging 40 clients a week as a solo practitioner, while traveling between Brooklyn and Manhattan to my home visits and offices. I would leave my apartment at 7:30am and get home by 10pm, eating most of my meals on the subway, or inhaling them as I was briskly walking (which probably looked more like jogging to non-New Yorkers) between appointments. My mind and body felt like they were always running, similar to the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. I was so burnt out from all that rushing around  that I would fall into bed from exhaustion only to find myself lying wide awake and unable to sleep at night. It got to the point where feeling both tired and wired was my “normal” state, and I learned to function on 0-4 hours of sleep. I was treating people to help them decompress from their stress, and at the same time, I was running on empty. My insomnia worsened, as did my anxiety, heart palpitations, stomach pains, joint pains, and then voila . . . autoimmune issues came to the surface, and I was down for the count. My body was yelling at me to stop and pay attention to what it needed. My focus was always on the needs of my clients, my family, my business, and my friends. I had reached a moment in my life where I had no other choice but to include myself on my own priority list, and take care of my body and mind in order to continue to be of service to my community. For me, those changes involved moving to a more peaceful living environment, incorporating more yoga into my week, using talk therapy as a place to vent, ensuring that I stopped work by 6pm to create a healthy work schedule, carving out time for a proper meal, creating healthy boundaries, and working on improving my sleep patterns. Doing these things not only made me feel better and alleviated most of my symptoms; it also reenergized me, and made me a better support to the people in my life.

August is National Wellness Month and a good reminder to take time each day to nurture our mental and physical well being in order to be the best versions of ourselves. Research has shown that self care can help manage stress and promote happiness. Here are 31 ideas to consider as wellness exercises for the month of August. It is good practice to help you incorporate self care into your daily life, all year. After all, we should be climbing the mountain of life with ease, not carrying its weight on our shoulders.

31 Days of Wellness

  Be grateful. Think of everything beautiful in your life, and say
“thank you”.

  Take 10 minutes to stretch when you wake up, and then again before bed.

  Go outside for a walk or a hike for 10 minutes, or an entire afternoon.

  Make a pot of tea with your favorite flowers like dried roses, lavender, chamomile, or chrysanthemum and inhale the fragrant aromas while you sip it.

  Have some time alone, even if it is just 10 minutes.

  Drink a full 8 glasses of water.

  Meditate for 20 minutes.

  Turn off social media for the day and be present.

  Take a luxurious bath with Epsom salts and bath oils.

• Give yourself a foot massage before bed.

  Experiment with a new workout.

  Organize your calendar, and carve out time for your needs too.

  Turn on music and dance around your house.

  Spend an hour with a novel.

  Cook up a veggie-filled soup and freeze leftovers, so you have meals ahead.

  Make a healthy smoothie with veggies, fruits, and protein (I like
a scoop of almond butter).

  Give your mind a workout with a crossword puzzle or a fun game (Scrabble is my personal fave).

  Spend some time journaling your thoughts, writing a poem, or short story.

  Get in bed without your phone by 9 p.m. and sleep well.

  Go a whole day without foods that have added sugar.

  Spend 20 minutes with a heating pad on your neck, shoulders, or back.

  Spend 10 minutes with deep, focused breathing.

  Try drawing, coloring, or painting with relaxing music.

  Add a green veggie to every meal or snack.

  Have a meal, tea, or a glass of wine with a friend.

  Try to focus on one thing at a time. Be present in the moment.

  Try a yoga class or any class of your choice.

  Treat yourself to fresh flowers.

  Clean out and organize a closet or a room.

Take yourself on a picnic with a view.

  Find a beautiful spot to watch the sunrise or sunset.

Natasha Kubis is a licensed acupuncturist and certified yoga teacher.
For more
information, visit acuwellhealth.com

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