When we feel overwhelmed and pushed to our limits, it's hard to alleviate the pressure by thinking our way out of it. Stress is held in the body, not the mind. The antidote is physical. Simple Heart Rate Variability (HRV) techniques* can help you tap into your body’s physiological feedback — through heartbeat — and use it to your advantage, rather than letting it take control:

> Learn to belly breathe: Center your heart and mind by gently directing your mental focus toward the feeling of the abdomen expanding on the inhale and contracting on the exhale. Switch off the busy brain throughout the day by taking a few low and slow belly breaths as you exhale through slightly open lips. By focusing your attention on the movements of the abdomen, you are building interoceptive sensitivity (the ability to accurately detect internal bodily sensations), which can be helpful for enhancing intuition as well as turning off the busy chatter of the mind. This can be an effective exercise to introduce to kids to calm their mind and body, too.

> Try this breath exercise: For the last five minutes of your daily breathing practices, try connecting to stress and letting it go on the exhale. Feel the stress on the inhale by connecting to your frustration, fear, or loss of control and release the negative emotion on the exhale. Repeat for ten consecutive breaths. If you own a Fitbit or another heart rate tracker, see if you are able to decelerate your heart rate by three or more beats after ten breaths. If that is too easy, see if you are able to decelerate your heart rate by three or more beats in five breaths. With dedicated practice, you will be able to increasingly decelerate your heart rate in one or two breaths. The faster you can decelerate your heart rate on the exhale, the more you will be able to let go of stress on demand throughout your day.

02. Establish a Morning & Nighttime Routine

Featured: Vitamin D Madras Bath Towels | Sustainable Semul Pillow

 

Days usually revolve around finding ways to save it, maximize it, and carve out more of it. We’re familiar with the To-Do list but without markers to keep you focused and punctual, streamlining from sunup to sundown can get tricky:

> AM: A ten-minute meditation that frees up headspace for tackling the day can be an enlightening and expansive start. Another favourite in-house tip is the cold shower. The benefits are numerous: calming itchy skin, increasing circulation, reducing muscle soreness post-workout, potentially boosting weight loss, glowing hair and skin – an invigorating wake up call, all in all. Don’t forget to dry off with our lush bath towels. Absorbent, yet gentle on your skin, they’re available in a nuanced palette of soft and vibrant hues that soothe the senses.

> PM: Having a wind-down routine is crucial for quieting mental chatter and inviting better sleep. A little gentle stretching and a slow skincare ritual have aesthetic, physical and psychological benefits. Converting your bedroom into a sanctuary is perhaps our most rewarding tip. From investing in an aromatic diffuser for essential oils to sustainable bedding and a novel on your side table, we truly believe the power of cultivating rest cannot be overstated. Discover our collection of pillowcases, sheet sets, duvet covers, cushions, dohars and quilts that are primed for the pursuit. For one healthy addition this month, look no further than our Semul Pillow which is non-toxic, chemical free, hypoallergenic and antimicrobial resistant. 

 

03. Reset Your Gut

Illustration by Abbey Lossing

 

Eliminating added sugar, dairy, gluten, any GMOs, and most chemical additives may help you reset the gut and feel good every day. A healthy cleanse should be about increasing nutrients and training yourself to eat real food. Pointers below:

> It turns out a lot of people do better with hot food so adding soups to your diet is one example.

> Whether raw or cooked food agrees with you can depend on the time of year. 

> Fermentation is another way to make food easier for your gut: Something like coconut kefir has natural ferments that fuel beneficial bacteria. Your gut needs healthy bacteria to help break down food and to help balance inflammation and mood.

> Probiotics—whether you get them through food or supplements—are incredible for digestion and skin.

 

 

 

 

*Source: Leah Lagos, PsyD, BCB, is a health and performance psychologist in New York City who specializes in heart rate variability biofeedback.