Is your kitchen filled with holiday recipes that you still have to make? Do you need to clean your entire house before your family comes over? Are your kids running amok thanks to Christmas break? If you think that this year’s holiday stress is going to cost you more than a few gray hairs, try a healthy dose of yoga to help you mentally prepare yourself for a busy holiday season.
Yoga is not just about having great abs! Yoga has become immensely popular in the West because of its ability to fight flab and tighten our tummies, but it also provides a great outlet to de-stress during the holiday season. There are plenty of yoga stretches and exercises that will help you relax and re-charge during one of the busiest times of the year!
Before you start reaching any complicated back-bends, keep in mind that you need to be careful with your body, especially during stressful times. When you only have a limited amount of time to practice your yoga, some stretches are better than others. For instance, forward-bending poses put a lot of pressure on your back. Instead, try stretching while lying on your back. That is a great way to increase flexibility in your legs without putting unnecessary pressure on your spine.
The simplest way to begin stretching is to lie on your back with bent knees and your feet flat on the floor. Raise your right left up to the ceiling and grab onto your foot, ankle, or shin (whichever feel likes the best stretch). For instance, holding the back of your thigh will still give you a good stretch without having to push yourself too hard. Keep your left leg bent until you feel comfortable enough to go deeper into the stretch.
If you know you are relaxed and want to push a little harder, straighten the left leg on the floor. Keep the leg as straight as possible while pressing the thigh onto the floor. If this feels like too much, go back to bending the left knee. You can hold this reclined stretch for 20 or more breaths, 30 seconds, or whatever feels the best for you! When you feel like you’ve gotten a good stretch in, release the leg and repeat on the other side. This is a terrific “winding down” pose that will help keep you calm and loose during the hectic holiday season!
