| |  | | | It's no secret that planning a wedding is stressful -- your mother calls 16 times to talk about the invitations, or you find out that five turquoise bridesmaid dresses have arrived, but you ordered seven -- in navy blue! The body's reaction? Your heart races, your muscles tense, and your blood pressure climbs. If you're suffering stress, try one of these relaxation remedies to regain your balance. | | | |  | | | When your muscles are relaxed, your body is tricked into believing that a stressful situation is over. Massage helps produce fewer stress hormones and calms down the nervous system. More good news: Your body doesn't care who's doing the kneading. Professional masseuse or fumbling fiance, you'll enjoy the same result: less stress. Recruit your sweetheart: Massage is a great opportunity to reconnect in an intimate, relaxing way. | | | | |  | | | Take five to do this easy exercise for decreasing anxiety and promoting calm: Lie flat on your back, knees pulled up and back toward your body, feet slightly apart. Relax your stomach and breathe in and out through your nose slowly and deeply. Clear your mind. Imagine your lungs filling up with air infused with peace and calm. Let this feeling fill your entire body. Repeat until you feel relaxed and your breathing is slow and regular. | | | | |  | | | Remember when you were little and didn't have a care in the world? Revert to that time with a yoga position called the "Child's Pose," said to be good for calming anxiety with emotional causes. Sit on your heels and drop your forehead to the floor, stretching your spine and arms out in front of you as far as possible. Close your eyes, clear your mind, and breathe deeply. Stay there as long as it's comfortable or your stress subsides. | | | | |  | | | Aromatherapy is a healing practice whereby fragrant essential oils are rubbed into the skin or inhaled. Scents go to work on the body's olfactory system, which sends signals to the areas of the brain that govern hormones, among other things. Different oils have different effects. To relieve stress, try bergamot, chamomile, lavender, clary sage, neroli, rose, or jasmine. Drop the oils into a warm bath or, if you're going to massage them into the skin, dilute them in a carrier oil (i.e. almond, grape seed, or olive oil) and apply. | | | | |  | | | The easiest antidote to planning stress? Frequent breaks that require not a single brain cell. Give yourself permission to step away for 15 minutes and do anything that relaxes you: Take a walk, sip a steamy cup of coffee and flip through your favorite fashion rag, or put on your headphones and zone out. Most important: Don't let wedding thoughts invade your break! You'll return to your to-do list with renewed energy and oomph. |
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