As we come up to Mother\'s day, we are bombarded with little trinkets (and big ones) to show Mom how much we care. As thoughtful as they might be, what most Mothers need is time to refresh their souls and rejuvenate their minds and bodies. According to Rick Hanson, Ph.D. and Jan Hanson, L.Ac, \". . . in our experience, it is usually the mother who is the most stressed and depleted person in the family.\"
The best gift a Mother can have these days, is real time off. The problem is, most Mother\'s don\'t have time for that, and they usually don\'t have the means.
Here is a list of 6 simple stress-relievers for those mothers that are caught in that vicious circle of self-depletion
· Breathe - Deep breathing clears stale air out of your lungs, re-energizes your brain, and even helps you lose weight.
· Get some sun - According to Dr. Marie-Annette Brown and Jo Robinson, authors of the book "When Your Body Gets the Blues" you need 20-30 minutes of outdoor light everyday. Their research shows that "bright light is critical (as it) enhances your mood, reduces your food cravings, and gives you more energy. It even increases the blood flow to your brain, improving your memory and sharpening your thinking ability."
· Go for a walk - Wendy Bumgardner, the "Walking Guide" for About.com, reports that one study of 50 women divided into a group who walked briskly for 45 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and a control group that did not exercise found that the walkers experienced half as many colds as the control group. The walkers also showed an increase in natural killer cells, immune system cells that attack bacteria and viruses. Another study of employee fitness programs showed that people who exercised as little as once a week averaged nearly five fewer sick days annually than those who did not participate in such programs.
· Aromatherapy - aromatherapy can be an ideal solution for pleasant, simple stress relief. uickly decrease stress.
· Dance - According to some studies, dance contributes to increased personal confidence, physical control, agility, speed and balance, good posture and body alignment. Dance is considered to be one of the top five physical activities, out of 60 studied.
· Laugh! - research has shown that laughing can help in: lowering blood pressure, reducing stress hormones, increasing muscle flexibility, boosting immune function, triggering the release of endorphins, the body\'s natural painkillers, and producing a general sense of well-being.
These are just a few of many simple things any mother can do to relieve the symptoms of stress, and overwhelm in her life. There are many other ways and means to incorporate simple stress-relievers into even the busiest of lifestyles. For more information on stress relief for mothers go to the \"Mom-Defrazzler\" website at http://www.mom-defrazzler.com. There you will find free articles, resources and a newsletter all geared to helping mothers cope with the daily chaos of mothering.
Darlene Hull is a real, imperfect mom living in Calgary where she raises and homeschools her two children along with her husband Tom. She is giving away FREE "Mom-Defrazzlers" to moms who need encouragement and great ideas for joyfully being the best mom they can be. Darlene also writes a daily blog on matters pertaining to stress relief and mothers at http://mom-defrazzler.com/Mom-DefrazzlerBlog/nfblog
Contact Darlene Hull for more insights into this topic. Direct line: (403) 208-0513 Email: darlene@mom-defrazzler.com Other helpful information regarding the can be found at: http://www.mom-defrazzler.com.