The holidays are marketed as the “most wonderful time of the year” For me, they often feel like the most overwhelming time of the year.
I have learned that if I do not schedule some time for recovery and self-care, it does not go well.
Recovery is defined as “a return to a normal or healthy condition” or your body’s ability to restore its physical and mental processes. Non-stop activity- be it physical exercise or holiday entertaining and celebrating – can throw your body into overwhelm, undermining your energy, along with your health.
The goal of recovery is to refresh and restore your mind and body, so you can meet and exceed your previous performance.
Recovery Strategies
Some of my favorite strategies for self-care and recovery include grounding, self-care and nourishing, sleep, boundaries and
1. Grounding
Grounding is a technique that helps you connect to the healing energy of nature and the Earth. Grounding brings us into a state of balance, both mentally and physically. It is in this balanced state that our body can rest, repair, and heal on the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels.
When we physically ground and connect to Earth – or apply essential oils derived from plants grown on the Earth – we connect to the balance of nature. Essential oils and the energy of nature, especially oils from grounded plants like trees or grasses, help ground us and return our bodies to the state of balance and enhance our ability to change in response to the body’s demands.
Essential oils, especially those derived from grounded plants like trees which are intrinsically grounded through their root structure into the Earth. Essential oils comprised of barks, roots, grasses, needles, and resin of plants also help you pull your energy centers down into the Earth.
Plants that grow under the earth are entrenched with the earth’s energies. This is why stones, root vegetables, or essential oils from root plants that share space with the Earth, match the frequency of the Earth and can be used for grounding.
This helps to naturally reduce inflammation, optimize organ function and improve detoxification, by allowing toxins to flow out of us and into the Earth. On the emotional level, grounding allows your thoughts and emotions to move through us more easily. On a spiritual level, grounding enhances your connection to your intuition and spiritual guidance.
When we connect to nature by consuming a plant-based diet, applying essential oils derived from plants, hiking in the woods, walking barefoot on the grass or dirt, we allow our bodies to align with the natural rhythm of the planet. When we lose this connection to nature, it interferes with our internal rhythm and balance, impeding our ability to return to balance so we can relax, sleep, detoxify, digest, repair, and heal. When we ground ourselves, these natural processes flow easily without interference.
My favorite essential oils for grounding are vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides), mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), and patchouli (Pogostemon cablin).
Vetiver, a perennial bunchgrass with very deep roots that help ground it to the Earth. Vetiver essential oil is extracted from these deep roots and is known to amplify your connection with the earth helping to ground and center you mentally, physically, and emotionally, often helping you explore the root of your emotional issues. The fibers of this relative of lemongrass are often woven into sleeping mats that release their cooling scent when slept on. Vetiver is used extensively by our perfume masters at Alpha Aromatics, who have been both pioneers and leaders in the industry since the 1940s. It is an excellent fixative in potpourris and related items because the essential oil improves with age. Vetiver’s deep, smoky and woody aroma has long been associated with colognes, and it is the main ingredient in most modern fragrances, after-shaves, and other scented products for men.
Mandrake is a perennial plant that grows wild in areas influenced by the Mediterranean climate. The plant has large leaves and a very short stem, and it bears purple flowers that turn to yellowish fruits. Mandrake root has anesthetic, aphrodisiac, cathartic, cholagogue, emetic, hypnotic, mydriatic, narcotic, nevrine, poison, purgative, refrigerant, sedative, and stimulant properties. Fresh roots were once used to treat chronic pains, convulsions, rheumatic pains, and scrofulous tumors. Pounded leaves and boiled roots were used for the treatment of tumors. Roots boiled in milk were used to treat slow-healing wounds. Roots soaked in brandy were used for chronic rheumatism. Mandrake has also been used for asthma, colic, coughs, hay fever, hepatitis, schizophrenia, and sclerosis.
Patchouli grounds and calms, while at the same time uplifts. It is earthy and warming and great for the overthinker or worrying types, those a bit too in the head and out of touch with their body. An oil that some might call an acquired taste, Patchouli Essential Oil has a deep aroma that is woody, rich and earthy, and somewhat similar to wine. As a member of the mint family, the most commonly used portions of the plant are the dried leaves and the essential oils, but some practitioners use the stems as well. Patchouli helps us get back in touch with who we are at our core. Stripping away constructs that we may have formed around us. Patchouli is about giving more space to who we really are. To be the light in our heart, to be the essence of who we are at heart.
2. Self Care and Nourishing
Self-care has been defined as the process of taking care of yourself with behaviors that promote health and relaxation. This can include healthy food choices, restful sleep, gratitude, and forgiveness practices.
There will always be triggers that throw you off balance. Some of these triggers are within your control (like what you eat or where you focus your attention) and some you cannot (like other people and their choices). Keeping your emotions on an even keel goes a long way toward maintaining composure and equilibrium. You’re less likely to get bent out of shape if you maintain your own inner calm.
3. Sleep
Sleep is so critical self-care, recovery, and calming overwhelm. Read: you need actual sleep to feel rested and recover.
During the holidays, we often burn the candle at both ends—too many late nights followed by early wake-up calls – making it challenging to get eight hours of restful sleep.
Restful sleep, defined as the ability to both fall asleep and stay asleep, allows your mind and body to relax, recover and repair so that you stay mentally and physically healthy. It allows time for your body to rest and repair, detoxify, balance blood sugar levels, burn calories and reset your energy reserves. Without restful sleep, you may feel fatigued and your body compensates with cortisol spikes, sugar cravings, and other tricks to keep us awake and functioning.
You may struggle to fall asleep or wake up during the night and struggle to fall back asleep. Essential oils are known for their sedative properties that help relax the mind and body to reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and improve sleep quality. For example, Lavender oil is known for its sedative effects.
4. Boundaries
As we seek to connect with loved ones this holiday season, we might have to navigate potentially conflicting perspectives on how we choose to manage our own personal health. You have to give yourself time to refill your own cup so that you have something to pour into others.
One of my friends likes to note that “my rights end where hers begin”. That very much feels like the theme of this holiday season and I strongly encourage you to tap into your own boundaries and intuition on what compromises you are comfortable making to meet the demands of others and what boundaries you need to keep in place.
Setting clear boundaries not only with what behavioral modifications you are willing to embrace but also in terms of information that you are willing to allow into your space. I have found that the more I am able to establish clear information boundaries and drown out the background noise, the better able I am to access my own intuition.
Strong boundaries can also help prevent any altercations over differences in opinions and avoid any interactions that involve blame, shame, guilt, or other forms of manipulation. You do not need to be anyone else’s punching bag or set yourself on fire to keep others warm. You have to prioritize your own time and emotional energy and allow yourself to take a break.
5. Practice Gratitude
Nothing shifts your energy and your mood as quickly as gratitude. When you are focused on gratitude, appreciating all the positive things in your life, you shift your focus away from whatever is upsetting you. It is the best mental pivot I have found. And the practice of starting your day with gratitude practice and ending your day by sharing what you are grateful for helps you maintain a positive mental, physical and emotional state.
It’s not surprising that research finds that people who practice gratitude on a regular basis experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, and express more compassion and kindness to others. An NIH study correlated a focus on gratitude with increased blood flow to the hypothalamus and a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol.
Gratitude, or thankful appreciation, helps us pivot out of pandemic grief and free up our energy to focus on positive things in our life.
References:
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2733324/
- https://qz.com/1463947/the-science-behind-the-health-benefits-of-a-daily-gratitude-practice/
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