Relaxation

De-Stress with Art

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FDe-Stress with Arteeling overwhelmed? You might want to bust out a pack of colored pencils, crayons, colored markers, and even paints. Individuals report that they feel better, have more confidence, and are less stressed and anxious when they participate in some type of art.  When we create, we are using our senses and engaging in a form of problem-solving. This gives us a sense of accomplishment and lets us express the emotions we can’t put into words. There is much potential in art which includes improved cognitive, sensory, motor skills, and a feeling of calm and well-being.

Coloring

Peace & Calming Essential Oil

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Peace and CalmingThis oil helps to calm me down when I am feeling anxious. I have also used it to help me relax and sleep at night. It only takes a few minutes of smelling this oil before I feel myself relaxing and calming down.

Others have used Peace & Calming in their children’s diffusers to help them calm down and get a good night’s sleep. Peace & Calming has been used to help calm children and pets during storms. People have used this oil on their child’s tummy or feet when they are having a tantrum.

It can also be used to help improve the look of your skin. Peace & Calming can be used as part of your massage or to diffuse while doing Yoga. I have also used this as part of my perfume since it smells so good and gives me a feeling of peace and calming. I love using oils for my perfume because then I not only smell nice but the oils are doing something good for me. My favorite perfume blend so far is Joy, Stress Away, and Peace & Calming.

If you are interested in learning more about any of the information in these blogs please feel free to contact me through The Hammock LLC.

Well that is it for now. We will chat again later.

Melissa

Certified Therapy Dog Visits the Hammock Yoga Studio

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It is an honor to have a certified therapy dog come join us for restorative yoga. Sam is Kathy Walsh‘s certified therapy dog who works for programs in hospitals and libraries. It is extremely relaxing to have the therapy Sammy around during the yoga class. He is a gentle, and loving therapy dog!

What is a therapy dog: Unlike a service dog, a therapy dog is a pet trained to interact with many people other than its handler to make those people feel comfortable, relaxed, focused, and decrease anxieties. Therapy dogs are only allowed into places like hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and libraries by prior authorization.

Taking Care of Yourself

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Taking Care of YourselfYour children can often pick up on your stress much like a sponge.

  • Do routine things to ensure less stress for all
  • Do your best to make sure the entire family eats a balanced meal to stay well and nourished. Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day and exercise.
  • Do not forget to take care of yourself. If you are not feeling okay, it conflicts with the order of everything else.
  • Take a nap, read a book, or take a long hot bath. Relaxation is one of the ways you can best approach the struggles with that following stress and anxiety.

Help Anxious Children

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Help Anxious ChildrenAnxious people tend to be hyper-aware of their surroundings. They are always on the lookout for possible threats or risks in new situations.  Plan ahead.

  • Talk to your children about upcoming situations.
  • Teach your child to shake hands to say hello instead of a hug.
  • Practice deep breathing techniques for when your child is overwhelmed.
  • Eliminate the unexpected.
  • Tell your child ahead of time what to expect.
  • Create a secret signal. This is a way you and your child can let each other know when they need help without alerting others.
  • Schedule special family time.  Try to find time for your family to sit down together to play games, watch a video, or engage in other fun and relaxing activities.

How to Overcome Your Fears of Traveling

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Overcome Your Fear of TravelingPeople with agoraphobia may find things such as overcrowded airports and train stations overwhelming. Many anticipate their trips with dread. Those with generalized anxiety may find a bunch of new things to worry about during travel. This can interfere with your life. It is important to remember that avoidance will not help you overcome anxiety. Instead of dreading travel try practicing your fears head-on. Taking one step at a time and have some support.

Plan and confirm all details: to decrease your stress, try to book flights that leave early in the day when the airport is less crowded.  Allow plenty of time to organize your belongings, your IDs for security checkpoints, and check to make sure that you have your medication.

Start thinking ahead. Make a list of activities that you would like to engage in during your travel. Plan stress-reducing techniques. Such as slow, deep breathing, meditation, and progressive relaxation.

Put your strategies to reduce anxiety to work.  Connect with staff on the plane, request seating by the aisle or window whichever you feel most comfortable.

 

How Essential Oils Can Enhance Meditation and Yoga Practice

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How Essential Oils Can Enhance Meditation and Yoga PracticeEssential oils are a great tool for deepening your meditation or yoga practice. One of the ways to help you enter a meditative state is to use essential oils that bring focus, clarity, relaxation, and connection. You can choose a single oil that your intuition tells you is perfect for you at this moment, or you can choose or create your own blends that help you relax. Because of their thousands of benefits, essential oils are able to stimulate deep breathing, therefore improving this aspect of your yoga practice.

The practice of yoga includes holding postures (asanas) and observing prana (life force energy) in the body to strengthen the connection we have to the energy flow in our bodies. Essential oils are known to aid in this process, and further support the practice of yoga through aromatherapy. The quickest ways to bring your body back into balance are through natural therapies such as Aromatherapy, Meditation, and Reiki.

Both meditation and essential oils help to stimulate the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. When paired together they do wonders for managing emotional wellness and releasing negative thoughts and feelings. The more these tools are used, and in conjunction with each other, the quicker we can stimulate the relaxation response when we find ourselves in a stressful situation.

What is Meditation?

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What is Meditation?Meditation is an experience that engages your mind and can offer both relaxation and energizing benefits. It develops a mind-body connection that encompasses fitness, health, and wellness.

Essential Oils are a great way to further deepen that connection and ignite your inner senses.

Meditation exercises, when practiced regularly, can be powerful at calming the nerves and bringing the mind to a restful state.

Research shows that meditation may physically change the brain and the body and can potentially improve health and promote healthy behavior.

Benefits of Different Essential Oils for Relaxation and Yoga

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Essential OilsHey there! So, there are many different oils you can use for relaxation and/or yoga. It really depends on the person. For some people smelling something that brings back happy memories is all it takes to relax. Such as Pine essential oil may be relaxing for you if it reminds you of the fun times you had when camping.

Some common essential oils for calming or relaxing are Lavender, Stress Away, Cedarwood, Peace & Calming, or Frankincense. You can simply put a drop or two in the palm of your hands and cup your hands over your nose and inhale slowly to enjoy the calming effect. You could also put some in a diffuser or on your wrists. My favorite relaxing oils are a combination of Joy and Stress Away. I have blended them together with some witch hazel to make a perfume out of them and have received many compliments on my perfume.

For yoga, you could use any of the calming oils or if you are interested in something to help you focus you could try some Peppermint. It is great for focus as well as many other things like upset stomach and clogged sinuses. If you wanted something uplifting you could try Orange, Joy, or Lemon. One way to use the oils while doing yoga would be to put some of the oil in a spray bottle with distilled or filtered water and spray lightly spray your yoga mat before starting. This way you can smell the oil every time you get close to the mat.

Well, that’s it for now. We’ll chat again later on.

– Melissa