Your wedding day is said to be one of the most important days of your life. In the days and weeks leading up to your wedding, stress levels can skyrocket. This can lead to not-so-fun effects like insomnia, skin breakouts, and irritability. Not exactly the description of a blushing bride, right? If you’re looking for ways to reduce your stress before your wedding, try out one or more of these tips:
Eat Well and Hydrate
Often easier said than done, but what you choose to put into your body will ultimately affect how you feel. Stick to nutrient rich foods, limit your sugars and salts, and drink lots of water. A great way to start your day is with a cup of hot water mixed with fresh lemon juice. The warm liquid will help kick-start your kidneys and prepare your body to process its other meals.
Exercise
Many brides set a fitness goal before their big day. Often the focus is on how you want to look, but there are added benefits about how you will feel. Exercise has been proven to lower levels of stress as it forces the body to release toxins (usually through breath and sweat). Another benefit is that regular exercise contributes to better sleep, which in turn also helps manage and reduce stress. Even if you’re not hitting the gym, a simple walk or bike-ride will help you access some of the benefits.
Do Yoga
A common misconception about yoga is that you have to be flexible to do it. In actuality, yoga is less about poses and more about connecting to your breath. Even if you sat on your mat for an entire yoga class and focused on breathing in and out in the method they instruct, you would walk out of that room feeling better. The poses certainly add to the benefits, and many of them are designed to release tension from certain areas of your body. Yin yoga and Hatha yoga are two of the best types for relaxation and don’t often include difficult postures.
Meditate
Many people think of meditation as sitting cross-legged for hours on end, but that’s another misconception. Meditation, in its simplest form, is about awareness. Many meditation practices use a connection to breath (noticing a theme here?) in order to foster that awareness. With modern technology, meditation has never been easier or more accessible. There are a number of apps and podcasts that provide guided meditation sessions. Many of them are free so you can try a few and find one that works for you. Even just two minutes of meditation every day can make a significant change in your stress levels.
Ask for Help
If stress is creating a negative impact on your life, do not hesitate to reach out for help. This could mean talking to a loved one or asking friends and family for assistance. Asking for help could also mean speaking to a professional and having them assist you with other methods of stress reduction. If the planning of your wedding is your main point of stress, it might be time to consider hiring some outside help. Mountain Bride offers a number of services such as Design, Coordination, and Full Planning that can lighten your load and help you focus on being the blushing bride you aspire to be.
Remember that even though your wedding may be one of the biggest days of your life, it is also a day that you want to enjoy and remember fondly. Take steps to reduce your stress before your wedding and you’ll be able to look back at your big day with a smile on your face.