One-Minute Fixes for Happier Holidays
Recharge and reinvigorate with these quick tips for beating seasonal stress
All of the gift buying, wrapping, and party hopping can be overwhelming. Don't let your magical memories get lost in a fog of exhaustion. Recharge and reinvigorate your holidays with these one-minute tips so you're at your festive finest all winter long. (Bonus benefit: They'll help you slip a little fat-fighting exercise into this season of gym-skipping indulgence.)
Lugging sacks of gifts around can roll your shoulders forward, making your chest tighten and close, says Chrissy Carter, a yoga teacher and trainer at YogaWorks in New York. Instead of looking and feeling defeated—and not getting optimal breath while you stride around—take a break from the card-swiping grind and try this shoulder and heart opener.
To do it, stand straight and interlace your fingers behind your back. Roll your upper arms and pull your shoulders down away from your ears. Lift and spread your chest, and hold the position for five breaths.
"For a more calming effect, fold forward over your legs," Carter says. "Let your head hang as you lift your shoulders away from the floor. Slowly come up to stand."
