DIY Stress Relievers

You don’t have to go to a lavishness spa to unwind. There are plenty of ways to do so in the comfort of your own home. Take a luxury bath with these tricks:

• For dry, rough skin, add a cup of powdered milk to your bath.
• To soothe irritated skin, take a warm oatmeal bath followed with a self massage of lotion.
• Add several sprays of your favorite perfume to the bath for a sumptuous smell.
• Create a spa mood in the bathroom by lighting candles and dimming bright, overhead lights. When it’s time to get out of the bath, wrap yourself in a big plush robe and lay around and lounge awhile for the ultimate experience.

Take a Time Out

Planning a wedding often leaves little time for other interests or hobbies. Take a weekend or two off throughout the wedding planning to do something you enjoy. Pick up a new pastime to get you out of bridal mode every once in awhile. Here are some great suggestions:

• Read a book.
• Take your dog for a walk.
• Volunteer for the needy.
• Write in a journal.
• Scrapbook.
• Listen to your favorite CD
• Plant a garden.

Doing a favorite activity will help you to relieve stress and tension and will put your focus on something enjoyable. Taking time out to do something that you enjoy (besides planning a wedding) will help you reconnect with your life.

Indulge a Little

With all the dieting and exercising brides do, sometimes it’s nice to just let loose and indulge a little. We’re not saying to go overboard here and consume an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, but it's ok to have a scoop or two every once in awhile. Indulging yourself in a few guilty pleasures once in a while won’t spoil your diet, but it might spoil your bad mood. If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed with wedding planning, occasionally indulge yourself in a favorite food or activity. Whether it be a chocolate chunk cookie or taking a day off from your workout, spoiling yourself every once in awhile can be good for you.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

A hearty dose of laughter works wonders for our spirit. Laughter is known to be good for your health because of the release of endorphins. Here are some tips to get you chuckling every day:

• Watch a funny movie with your honey.
• Let loose and be silly. Do something quirky and comical to get the ball rolling.
• Tell a cheesy joke. Even if others don’t laugh at it, it will make you grin.
• Listen to children laughing. There is nothing better to make you smile than that sound.
• Visit a comedy club. There is bound to be someone there that makes you giggle.

Whatever it is that makes you laugh, find it and then do more of it because laughter truly is the best medicine.

A Stress Relieving Snooze

A busy bride will often cut down on her time in bed to do late night wedding planning or to attend early morning wedding appointments. But sleep is something you truly cannot do without. A lack of sleep can leave you tired, cranky, lethargic and stressed. Sleeping restores, repairs and rejuvenates you, so that you can wake up with a clear and well rested mind. Consider a catnap on the weekends if you feel sluggish or tired. Catnaps - a few minutes here or there - are great refreshers that relax your body and mind. So give yourself the indulgence of sleeping well and watch the tension melt away.

High-Impact Exercise for High-Stress Days

For some brides, candlelight, warm baths and massages don’t always relieve the wedding planning stress. When this is the case, try high-impact exercises to alleviate and reduce your stress. Exercise has a positive effect on stress and as an added bonus, it makes you feel better and provides a great workout. Kickboxing, karate, jogging or riding a bike are great workouts for stress relieving. They are high impact workouts that dispel negative energy, get your cardiovascular system moving and your heart pumping. On the days that you need exercise, but want something a little less demanding, try yoga or Pilates. Both of these workouts will give you the same stress-busting benefits of high impact exercises. Exercising for stress relief will help relieve tension, expel extra energy and get you in shape for your big day.

Take a Breather

There is one thing you can to immediately relieve some stress in a pinch: breathe. If you are sitting at your desk with your mind dizzy from all the things you have to do, take a moment to sit back, close your eyes and just breathe deeply. During tense times, breathing may be erratic, or we hold our breath, which constricts the amount of oxygen that our brain receives. Here are some breathing technique tips that just take a moment of your day:

• Breathe into your abdomen, place a hand on your stomach to make sure your lungs are expanding properly. Breathe in and out slowly like this for five minutes.
• Take a relaxing sigh. Breathe in deeply, and sigh deeply while you exhale. Do this two or three times and while you breathe out and sigh, imagine your stress being blown away.
• Breathe in through your nose deeply and out through your mouth, pushing all the air out of your lungs. Do this for two minutes to relax and renew your thinking.

Sometimes when the wedding planning seems overwhelming, you just need to sit back and take a breather.

A Regular Rub Down

Regular massages throughout the wedding planning process can help a bride relax, rejuvenate, ease tension and help with circulation. A series of massages will give the most benefits, so plan on scheduling massages regularly throughout your wedding planning. If visiting a massage therapist regularly doesn’t fit into your budget, exchange massages with your sweetie. Here are some tips for a DIY couples massage:

• Use lotions or oils to avoid painful friction.
• Always start out with a light massage and increase pressure if required.
• Don’t massage on the bone. This can be painful and take away from a relaxed state of mind.
• Keep the massage in the 10-15 minute range. This will ensure that the massager doesn’t get too tired and the one being massaged doesn’t get too relaxed to reciprocate.

Whether you get a professional massage or one from your fiancé, the point is to take a little time out to pamper and indulge yourself on a regular basis.

Aromatherapy Indulgence

Relax a little on your big day with some aromatherapy magic. You can add a few drops of essential oils into your bath or even your unscented lotions for an everyday treat. There are different types of aromatherapy that you can use for different benefits. For example, chamomile, sandalwood and lavender are well known for their relaxation benefits. Eucalyptus is great for their calming and refreshing benefits. And pink grapefruit essential oil helps curb your cravings for sweets. There are additional benefits to aromatherapy, such as boosting your immune system, uplifting your spirits and aiding in your overall well being and health.

Note to the expecting bride: Aromatherapy is not suggested for use during pregnancy because it may carry some risk. But for the typical bride to-be, aromatherapy might be just what you need to boost your mood.

Start Your Day Off Right

When you wakeup on your wedding day, take a long relaxing bath, or schedule a massage for yourself. Makeup, hair and getting dressed will be a whirlwind of excitement and frenzy, so starting your day off in a relaxed state will help to set the tone for the rest of the day. Stay as relaxed as possible before the excitement of the day begins.