How to keep festive stress away

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Family, friends and fun are all part of Christmas, but the festive season can bring anxiety, worry and stress too.

While it’s great to catch up with your nearest and dearest, we know that things can get intense, so we have had a look at how you can make time for you, so that things really are merry and bright.

Breathe
This sounds obvious, but when the pressure is on, make sure you practise deep breathing as it will really help you to stay calm. Sit somewhere quiet, relax and then put your left hand on your lower abdomen and your right hand on your heart. As you breathe in, let your tummy expand and your chest will start to naturally lift. As you slowly exhale, bring your tummy button to your spine. Repeat each set five times and you will start to relax.

Have a place for you
With music blaring out, the TV on and computer games raising the roof, it’s a good idea to have somewhere you can go and just chill out. Whether it’s in the garden, bathroom or your bedroom, take yourself off somewhere quiet, close your eyes and imagine somewhere you really love – like a tropical island or on the beach. Think about what you see, what you can hear and what you can smell, and then float away to somewhere more tranquil than under the Christmas tree.

Go outside
Just five minutes in the fresh air can clear your mind and give you some headspace and a little perspective. A walk around the block, a quick cuppa in the winter sunshine, or clearing up the leaves in the garden can be all it takes to give you some calm. If you can, get out for longer because staying inside all day won’t do you any favours and that’s when tempers can fray.

Drink enough water
Being hydrated is important if you want to feel well and this is especially true at Christmas when there are so many demands on you. Aim to drink at least two litres a day, and if you keep a reusable bottle on your desk and in your bag, it’s really not that hard to get all you need. Oh, and don’t over do things when it comes to drinking booze as that won’t help things!

Have a bath
A long soak in a hot bath can do wonders for all of us, so go on, treat yourself.

Keep a journal
At the end of each day, write down three things you’re grateful for, and why you’re grateful for them. It’s easy to get annoyed with the long queue in the post office and frustrated by the lack of car parking spaces at the shops, but appreciating what has been good and where you have found joy and gratitude, can be really powerful.

Team Pure Beauty

Top tips for holiday health

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School’s out for summer which means many of us are packing up and taking off for a well-earned holiday. With swimming, eating, sight-seeing and partying to do, the last thing you need when you go away is to be ill.

We have put together some top tips that will hopefully keep you healthy so you can chill out and get the break you deserve

Pre-holiday prep
Before you even get in the car, we would strongly suggest you have the following ticked off your to-do list:

Check if you need to have any travel vaccinations and get them done in plenty of time, the last thing you need is to get sick because you aren’t protected.

You might think travel insurance is a cost you can avoid, we think it’s something you can’t be without. Do an online search, find a policy that is right for you and you have the peace of mind knowing that if illness strikes, you can get care.

If you are on regular medication, make sure you have enough to take away with you, and a couple of days supply for when you get home.

In case of minor accidents, be sure to pack basic first aid items such as antiseptic gels and wipes, painkillers, creams, energy tablets, plasters, anti-histamines, and rehydration mixes.

Nip travel sickness in the bud
One of the first things that can go wrong on holiday, is when travel sickness kicks in. Cars, planes, trains, and ferries can all cause that horrible nauseous feeling and even lead to sickness, but you don’t have to suffer. Travel bands and over the counter medicines are one way to deal with this problem, as well as sipping on cooled ginger or peppermint tea. Sit somewhere away from strong smells in the fresh air and take deep breaths to help calm the symptoms.

Keep deep vein thrombosis away
Deep vein thrombosis is rare, but if you are taking a long-haul flight, remember to walk around the cabin and stretch your legs whenever you can. Drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, and wear loose, comfortable clothes when you travel and if you are worried, there are special socks you can buy before you fly.

Stop stomach bugs before they start
Warmer temperatures, more people, differing cleaning standards and food being left out for longer than usual, are all reasons why stomach bugs can be rampant on holiday and they spread quickly too. The most important thing to remember is to wash your hands, or use an antibacterial gel, after going to the loo, as well as before and after preparing and eating food. Talking about food, while it might be tempting to try something new from a stall or market, this is where germs can lurk and as for the hotel buffet, just be careful about what you choose as you don’t know how long things have been sitting around.

Another really important thing you need to do if you want tummy troubles to stay away, is to only drink bottled water, try to avoid ice cubes from bars and if you’re going for salads and fresh fruit and veg, check they have been cleaned with bottled water.

If problems do strike, you will need to get some rest will the bugs and bacteria pass through your system. This really is the time for bottled water and while we would suggest keeping away from anti-diarrhoea pills, you might want to use rehydration salts. You can try drinking cooled chamomile or peppermint tea as this can be soothing and help you to sleep. If you can keep food down, plain toast and biscuits are a good idea – dairy products are not. If you can’t get things under control and are worried about dehydrating, find a local doctor and seek medical advice.

Mosquitos are not your friends
We know that you have to wear suncream, but you might also want to use an over the counter spray to keep mosquitoes away from your skin. You can also use a few drops of citronella: mix a little with your moisturiser, or use in a burner at night time (but keep an eye on this to be safe). However hard we try to keep safe, bites do happen and if they happen to you, go for an antihistamine tablet or try a cream as these will help to reduce annoying itching and redness, but also remember that aloe Vera products can help soothe bites. Try not to scratch as this can make things worse, and also leave you with scars.

Do not burn
When it comes to sunburn, prevention really is better than cure. Use a suncream that offers your skin the best protection, stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, and wear a hat for your head and glasses for your eyes. If you get burnt, take a shower to cool things down and wash away creams, sand, dirt, and chlorine, then apply an aloe gel to cool, calm and hydrate your skin. If things really have got out of hand, think blisters and sores, see a doctor, and don’t go out in the sun until things have cleared up.

Be protected
Coming back from a holiday with a tan is great, arriving home with an STI is not. By all means, go away and have fun, but take protection with you and use it!

Team Pure Beauty

Random acts of self kindness

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We all know that being kind to others can give you a feel-good boost, but what about turning the goodness in on yourself once in a while? Far from being selfish, random acts of self-kindness can give your body some much-needed love, a little self-compassion releases a dose of feel-good serotonin and the chance to sit back and take your foot off the cortisol pedal can only be a good thing?

We know this might sounds a bit ‘out there’ but bear with us and we think you will like at least one of the suggestions we have made and hope you will try it out for yourself.

Write a gratitude diary
Before you go to bed, write down your thoughts from the day and make a list of what has made you happy and those things that made you grateful. It could be having a coffee with a friend, watching a beautiful sunset or simply having a hot bath are just some of the simple things which help life look better. Buy a pretty notebook, make a list each day and you will be surprised at just how much good there is in your life.

Just say no
You might not think it, but it is OK to say no to plans from time to time. We know that people have busy lives and family and friends make constant demands but sometimes missing that party or those drinks in the pub really won’t matter and you will be surprised at how taking it easy can perk you up way more than a sugary cocktail.

Colour in
The craze for adult colouring books isn’t going away, and for good reason. Turing off from the demands of life and simply drawing in between the lines with nothing else to focus on or worry about can be really relaxing and slightly addictive.

Work on yourself
Investing in your emotional wellbeing and mental health can be one of the best things you do for yourself in the long-run. Whether you see a therapist to talk over your issues, have a reflexology session, or read a self-help book and put the ideas into practice, all of these will help you see you who are so you can be happy.

Have cake and tea
Find a quiet café, where no one knows you, take a magazine or book, order a cup of tea and a slice of cake and enjoy the moment.

Try a little retail therapy
Every once in a while, buy something just for you. This doesn’t have to be something extravagant but treating yourself to a unicorn mug, your favourite scented candle or a really soft sweater can remind you that you are worth it.

Have a massage
Every now and again, book a massage, facial or manicure and let someone else look after you for a while.

Chill out
Do a yoga class. Meditate on the beach. Be alone with your thoughts. These are ways that you can turn off from the world and listen to your body, you just need to find what works for you.

Drop the guilt
Too many of us are consumed with guilt and what other people think of us. Leave those unhelpful feelings at the door and learn to accept that you are human and perfect the way you are. Use your time for what makes you feel good and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.

Enjoy a bath
This one is super easy but often left off lists. Turn off your phone, pour bubbles into warm water, light some candles and let your worries melt away as you really let go and relax. Make Sunday night your escape night, a random act of kindness to yourself and you will end the weekend, and start the new week, looking after number one.

Team Pure Beauty

Free your mind

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Stressed?

Over worked and under paid?

Tired?

Anxious?

Far from being words that are banded around for the sake of it, for many of us this is the reality of 21st century living.

We are expected to be on the ball, on trend and down with the kids 24/7 and sometimes, things can get a bit too much.

We have put together some easy ideas of how to free your mind so you can relax and chill out once in a while rather than constantly having your brain in free fall mode.

Breath
Before you do anything else, sit back, count to ten and breath. Focus on your breathing, feel the air go into your body and out and just stop for a few minutes and regroup.

Talk
After breathing, comes talking. If you bottle everything up, then it is only going to get worse and seem harder and harder to deal with. Open up to your partner, mum or a close friend and they may have ideas about how you can make changes and find a positive way forwards.

Live in the moment
Whatever is making you anxious right now, isn’t going to last. Breakdown what is bothering you into manageable chunks and tackle it one step at a time. For example, if you are moving house you might feel overwhelmed, but step back, make a list, work out what needs to be done and if you can, delegate.

Not this again
If you are worried about an interview, think back and see if was the same the last time you went for a new job? If it was, and you got the job, what are you worried about? You aced it last time and we bet it will be the same the time round too.

It’s not all about you!
Harsh we know, but not everything that happens in this world is about you. Yes we can all feel put upon or have our sensitive days, but thinking every situation revolves around you in some way can be really destructive and you could be missing out on a lot of fun.

Look at the bigger picture
Ask yourself whether the issue that is on your mind right now will still be there tomorrow, in a week or in a month. It is unlikely it will be, so regroup, relax and look at what is going on in the world and see there is more to life than a difficult boss or messy flatmate.

Preparing for the worst
I will lose my job. He is going to dump me. She doesn’t want to be my best friend anymore. We tend to jump to conclusions and dwell on the worst-case scenarios and this can lead to stress and depression. It is far better to talk to the person involved face to face and find out what is really going on before you make yourself ill believing the world is about to end.

Take some exercise
Social media, long hours and desk based jobs mean many of us get less exercise than ever. Try to get some fresh air every day and even if you have a brisk walk or a quick swim, your heart beat will go up and the endorphins will pump good vibes around your body.

Laugh
If nothing else, remember to laugh. Life is short so make the most of it and enjoy every single day you have.

Team Pure Beauty