Isn’t it odd how the holiday shopping season – undoubtedly the best time of the year – can be so stressful? As fun as it may be to choose and buy great things that your friends and family will love, it’s also extremely stressful to struggle to find parking spots and to wait in line with other stressed-out gift buyers – or to find that the one perfect gift you really wanted to buy is out of stock. You always want to be happy and energetic for your friends and family, and that’s especially true during the holiday season. Sometimes, the best way to keep your spirits up is by making sure that you always give yourself a few minutes here and there to relax and decompress your brain. Reduce your holiday shopping stress with these simple ideas for relaxation.
Indulge with Some Delta 8 Gummies
If you haven’t tried Delta 8 yet, it’s time to introduce yourself to what will undoubtedly become one of the hottest herbal supplements of 2022. Delta 8 is a cannabinoid that’s extracted from industrial hemp plants. Specifically, it’s made from the well-known supplement CBD. To manufacture Delta 8, hemp processors combine CBD with a solvent and an acid, triggering a chemical reaction that converts the CBD to Delta 8. Learn more about the different products that are available by trying them yourself in this Delta 8 gift guide.
You’re probably already aware that many people take CBD as an aid for relaxation, but Delta 8 may actually be even better for that purpose because users typically find that it produces a significantly stronger calming effect. Try starting with a jar of Delta 8 gummies. Take one gummy and relax for a while.
Teach Yourself How to Meditate
If you’ve never tried meditation before, the holiday gift shopping season is the perfect time to get started. Maybe you’ve dismissed meditation as something that’s only practiced by transcendentalists and yoga aficionados – and if that’s the case, you really should give meditation a second look because it’s something that absolutely anyone can do. At its most basic level, meditation is really just about setting aside a few moments each day to sit down and clear your mind of the chaotic thoughts that cause high stress levels. You’ll find that meditation helps you feel calmer and better prepared to deal with the events of the day.
To get started with meditation, all that you need to do is sit or lie in a comfortable position and focus on a single thought. Some people focus on the rhythm of their breathing, and others use mantras. When you notice that your mind has begun to wander, simply return to your main focus. If you’d rather have someone walk you through the process, you’re in luck because the App Store and Google Play both have plenty of free guided meditation apps. Simply download one of the apps and follow the narrator’s instructions. You’ll find that meditation can really have a rapid and profound effect on your overall mental state.
Stop Using Electronics Before Bedtime
Have you ever noticed that your computer has a “night shift” or “blue shift” mode for nighttime? When you enable that mode, your device gently shifts the display’s color palette to reduce blue light emissions. You may find it helpful because blue light disrupts your natural circadian rhythms and can make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
The one problem, though, is that a bright display is going to produce blue light regardless of what you do to manipulate the device’s color spectrum. In other words, using electronic devices right before bed is almost guaranteed to reduce your quality of sleep – and poor sleep quality always leads to elevated stress levels. Instead of checking your social media updates or playing games before bed, try reading a book. You’ll find it easier to fall asleep, and you’ll also wake up feeling more refreshed.
Reduce Your Intake of Stimulants
If you drink large quantities of caffeine or smoke cigarettes, it’s highly likely that your consumption of stimulants is harming your sleep quality – particularly if you use those stimulants too close to bedtime. Caffeine, in particular, can remain in your bloodstream for hours. Nicotine is just as bad because you probably smoke cigarettes at regular intervals from the time you get up until the time you go to bed. The worst part is that you probably don’t even notice the stimulation of the nicotine if you’re a long-term smoker; you simply smoke cigarettes because it’s what you need to do in order to feel normal.
We certainly don’t have to tell you that quitting smoking is the best thing that you can do for your long-term health. To improve your sleep quality right now, though, you should smoke your last cigarette of the day at least an hour before you go to bed. If you’re a coffee drinker, drink all of your coffee for the day during the morning. Caffeine has a half-life of around six hours, so any caffeine that you consume during the afternoon will definitely still be in your bloodstream when you go to bed.
Stop Eating Dinner in Front of the TV
Have you ever noticed how much better you feel after spending some quality time with your family? You’re very busy, and the same is probably true of your spouse and children. During the average day, dinnertime is probably the one opportunity that you’ll have to get all of your family members in one place and find out what they’ve all been up to. Why, then, are you wasting that opportunity by eating dinner in front of the TV? Spend dinner with your family and turn off all unnecessary distractions for a while. You’ll find that spending an hour or so each day engaged in conversation with the people who love you is one of the best ways to reduce your stress levels during the holiday shopping season.
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