Ahead of Mothers Day, busy mum and owner of Amma Life Sophia Ali shares her top 5 tips for relaxation…
Create time to hang out with your friends
Spending time with your friends helps you to relax and unwind. Sometimes this is the first thing we cut out when we are busy, though we should always make some time to socialise. Whether it’s having a chat and a few laughs over a cup of tea or going to the gym together, we don’t need studies to reveal that time spent with a friend can reduce the body’s stress response, lowering levels of the stress hormone cortisol. So, no matter how busy you are, be sure to make time at the weekends or after work to get together with your besties.
Biohack your Mindset
This may sound like some futuristic activity, but it is really about understanding the process of making changes to your lifestyle in order to “hack” your body’s biology and feel your best. One simple way to do this is to focus on 5 things you are grateful for every night just before bed. This encourages you to recognise all of the positive things that occur in your life and view the world through the glass is half-full lense (as opposed to half-empty).Another technique is to get outside and exercise regularly - exercise is incredibly beneficial for your body & mindset. It is about much more than helping you to keep physically fit and healthy. Any form of physical activity increases the brain’s production of endorphins. This neurotransmitter has a positive effect on your mood, thus making you happier and decreasing stress and anxiety levels. Additionally, getting into the zone - the intense focus you maintain during many forms of exercise, can be viewed as a form of physical meditation. It often helps you to forget about unimportant irritations and helps to retrain your mind to remain clearer and calmer in future stressful situations. These are simple forms of bio-hacking to help you work with your biology to ensure it works to support you.
Regain your natural energy
Do you frequently find yourself craving a cup of coffee to make it through the day? One simple step to support your energy system is to reduce the coffee consumption. Excessive consumption of high caffeine drinks can have a negative impact on your body, increasing cortisol levels and prohibiting sleep. Why not consider switching to a caffeine-free alternative. There are so many herbal teas on the market to choose from, such as our CBD tea. Be brave, set yourself a challenge and give up caffeine for 7 days - then observe how you feel at the end of that week.
Do check out our CBD tea range (CBD and CBD & Mint) and take advantage of our Mother's Day 10% discount with this code: mother10. Valid from 27th March - 1st April.These are naturally caffeine-free drinks and we believe they are a great choice of beverage at any time of day with their delicate and floral taste. We recommend that you drink the tea when you have time to relax and make the most of enjoying some ‘me’ time. You can even add honey or lemon to it for a great bedtime drink!
Write your way to a happier you
Journaling is such a great way to relax and reduce stress. Keeping a journal helps you to prioritize your goals & challenges, look at any concerns in a new light and gives you an outlet for your emotions. Being able to look back at your day and take a few moments to connect to your inner wisdom can support you to evaluate any situations that had caused you stress, look at what steps you can take in future to avoid these or turn the situation around to suit you. It can also be used to monitor any negative behaviours you wish to reduce and change. Journaling provides some great time for self reflection and in time you may find it much easier to come up with logical solutions for any issues you are faced with, when written out on paper.
Turn off and tune out
Ditch the guilt that we often feel when taking some ‘you’ time and create a schedule that allows you to have a designated time that is completely your own. We can be consumed with constantly checking our phones and ‘just quickly’ responding to work emails in our own time. However, it is important to put aside some time where you can focus solely on yourself for the purpose of self-care and personal growth. So leave your phone in another room and choose an enjoyable hobby, play some music and dance in the living room, find a new book to read or simply take a relaxing bath. Whatever it is that you choose, enjoy it without interruption.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you, whether you are mums, step-mums, mums-to-be, daughters, single dads, have children in your life or want to have a baby! This is your time to take a break and make it a regular thing in your life.
