The holidays are here and we know it’s not always the brightest and most fun time of year for everyone, especially those mamas who are struggling through PPD and other related illnesses. We want you to know we’re always thinking of you, our loyal Warrior Moms (and those that support Warrior Moms too.) You are truly amazing and we are so touched by not only your courage and strength as you fight one of the hardest battles imaginable, but also by how supportive you’ve been to Postpartum Progress and all the work we do to help moms.
Starting today until Christmas Eve we will be giving away great items to a few lucky winners. We hope you’ll get in on the fun!
Do you practice yoga or have you been wanting to try? Today one lucky winner will win Gaiam’s Citron Sund
ial yoga mat.
With its chic intricate pattern printed in lemon yellow on a light heather gray Gaiam’s Citron Sundial Yoga Mat provides a stable, non-slip surface for your practice. This durable lasting mat ensures the safety and comfort you need to enhance proper alignment and maintain poses.
According to an article by Harvard Medical School yoga has the potential to tame the stress response and improve mood and functioning. Amen to that!
To enter to win, answer the following question below by submitting a comment in the comments section. (Be sure to include your email address and full name so we can contact you if you win!)
What’s one thing you do to manage your stress around the holidays?
Good luck!
You must be 18 years or older to participate. To enter, just leave your comment below by 11:59pm Eastern time on Monday, 12/15/14. One winner will be chosen randomly on Tuesday, 12/16/14, and will be notified soon after.
I try to make sure that once the baby is in bed that I take some quiet time to myself to unwind and de-stress. I also try to steal some time to run and get in some exercise.
To manage stress, I try not to plan too many things or make too many promises. I used to do all the baking, cooking, wrapping, etc etc…but not anymore. I limit it. No one seems to be upset over it and it’s a lot less stressful for me.
A way I manage stress during the holidays is to make giving back a bigger priority than gift giving and events planning.
I diffuse and wear citrus essential oils and make time for myself at the end of each day to just unwind by myself with a book and a glass of wine.
To manage my stress around the holidays I try very hard to take some “me” time and that normally means getting my daughter in Bed at a decent time. After that I normally turn on some Netflix and hang out with my significant other. Sometimes it’s hard to remember to take a minute for yourself, especially with postpartum depression and other forms of depression and anxiety. I’ve also been working on getting out of the house more, even if it’s just for a visit to a local friend or family member, being cooped up inside an apartment all day is NOT GOOD, you really gotta take time to get your spirits up and your body motivated!
To manage stress I meditate and do yoga, I also have established energy shares, so that my friends and myself recieve Reiki, Healing touch, or any other form of energy work at least monthly.
I try to exercise 4-5 times a week just to have an hour to myself where I don’t have to worry about decorating or cooking.
I only get one answer? The most important part of my holiday stress management is to stay in the moment during all the travel, chaos, eating, visiting, and hopefully resting. Worrying about whether my children are dress-up enough, whether I ate too much, whether I remembered to do XYZ that others expect is not staying the moment, and starts me on a anxiety mind-suck.
I have been taking lots of baths and making sure to take time for myself by myself.
I make sure to end every day with quiet time without electronics to just recollect all my thoughts. It is a way for me to relax and prepare for the next day!
I’ve started online shopping to beat the crazy crowds, plus I can find better deals! I recently got into essential oils and the company I go through has a holiday blend that very uplifting.
I practice yoga and try to do some yoga nidra.
Oh no, I entered without using my email address! Please delete the Twitter one and post this instead. 🙂 Sorry…
I manage stress around the holidays by continuing to focus on self-care and simply choosing not to partake in everything. I do what we truly want to do as a family, but I don’t feel obligated to do everything just to please everyone else, which would otherwise be too much for me to handle sanely (recovering people-pleaser here).
Because of PPD/PPA and health issues for a few years now, we won’t be doing any parties or events, won’t be traveling to family, won’t really be doing gifts except for our daughter, don’t plan to cook a huge dinner (maybe something small and more simple) and since we don’t have a place of our own yet, not a ton of decorating (which makes me a little sad, though). To me this season should be about peace, quiet, reflection and joy, and you can’t have any of those things with an overloaded Holiday plate!
I go home for the holidays which removes me from the stress of our recent move and give me lots of help with baby! And I do practise restorative yoga once a week to give time to myself.
I’ve started doing relaxation breathing for 5-15 mins after I get in bed.
I practice some simple yoga ! Walk or take nap ! I really need energy this days 🙂
One thing I do yo manage my stress is to write a list of things I need yo do. It fill good to cross them and out and no forget.
I remind myself it’s okay to keep it small, whether it’s presents, visits, decorations, crafts, whatever. Small doesn’t mean any less hopeful, sacred, beautiful, powerful, memorable. But it usually does mean less money, time, stress, worry, frustration!
I try to keep expectations low and focus on time with my kids and making memories that will be special for them. I don’t spend a lot and don’t invite people over as entertaining stresses me out. We keep it simple.
Get plenty of sleep!
I make sure I put “do nothing” days on my schedule. The holidays are always so packed that I often realize i haven’t had a chance to just sit down! If “do nothing today” is on the calendar, I will actually do nothing!
It’s so hard not to over-extend during the holidays! Especially being pregnant this year, I’m trying VERY hard to plan things out better. I’ve already started wrapping gifts so there isn’t a marathon wrapping session on xmas eve. Plus I’m almost done with the shopping (big shout out to Amazon Prime).
For me it’s all about planning, managing my time, and resting as much as possible.
Need this for my mommy!
I make sure I have some time just for myself, where I can fully relax and don’t have to be ‘on’.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
Long walks, very long walks is what tames my stress around Christmas time! And the few yoga classes that I have attended were AMAZING!
This year I’m asking for more help. My husband is doing gift shopping, and I’m managing to ask for time to go to yoga or be alone. My son turns 1 tomorrow so it is an extra busy time but managing to focus less on the “hoopla” has been helping this year!
Exercise. It helps me focus and relieves anxiety for me. I also make sure I get some quiet “me” time.
I do yoga more often around the holidays to lessen the stress levels!
I “just” went to the ER last night (my husband had to take off work to take the kids and I) because I “thought” I was having a heart attack! I have never been so immersed in the fact that I could not breathe and thought I was going to pass out. Wellll….after the whole battery of tests they ran, turns out I was having a panic attack. With all the family stress and my kids constantly at each other’s throats, and Christmas craziness, I think my life that I’ve been shoving in a closet door for so long, decided to let itself out in the form of a panic attack. I was so embarrassed, and told the doctor that I can never have this happen again. She said I really should look into doing yoga-sooo, with that said, I am motivated to try to dip into this arena for me and my a-type personality. We shall see how this goes!
I practice yoga almost everyday. Practice makes progress and when you listen to your body it tell you what it wants to do. Om to the healing vibrations inside.
Exercise is what helps me cope with stress over the holidays. Not letting anything get in the way or at least finding alternative times to get my workout in is what keeps me sane! (For example I normally run with my group Wednesday evenings but Christmas Eve falls on a Wednesday so I will have to run Wed morning). I have tried in years past to let my routine go in favor of spending more time with family or accomplishing another task but it really makes me unhappy and always back fires. Do what makes you happy:)
Breathe – try to sleep and remember my house and family do not have to be perfect from the outside to have a perfect family holiday!
This is the first year that it’s been any kind of stressful with me not working and my fiance starting a new job. Depression has hit me pretty hard so I’ve started to get out of the house even it’s a walk to the store or trip to my moms. She always has something for me to do, which makes me feel productive. I always take a nice hot shower even if it’s 2 a.m. because I fell asleep nursing the baby.