Urgent Alert Don't Let Holiday Fatigue Ruin Your Festive Spirit!

It’s that time of year where time seems to speed up as the holidays and end of the year get closer and closer as the to-do list gets longer and longer. The days get shorter and it feels like your free time becomes non-existent. You start to feel tense, your muscles get tight, your breathing gets strained and self-care falls to the sidelines. You may then experience headaches and poor sleep and a busy mind. Your sleep gets less and less and you start to feel tired and drained. You get too tired mentally and physically to make good food choices which adds to the fatigue and which makes you want to move less. Your increased demands make you work too hard on less sleep and you start to go round and round the fatigue/stress wheel. How do you get off??

Be Intentional…

Start with the schedule. Schedule in the to dos AND schedule time for active rest. Active rest, what is this active rest? By putting “active rest breaks” into each day, you will make it to the finish line of the holiday season. If you wake up fatigued, be mindful and look at your schedule and add in some active rest activities. It could be anything that requires less energy. Walking, stretching, breathing, meditation, a nap, or any quiet activity. You don’t have to stop living, just change the schedule up until you build up some energy again. But wait,

There is more...

Breathing and Meditation have been well studied and shown to balance and align the body's energy centers, which can increase overall vitality and reduce fatigue. Deep, mindful breathing, can oxygenate the body and provide an energy boost to your fatigued system. Deep breathing exercises can also activate the body's relaxation response thereby reducing stress and its associated fatigue. With the increase in energy comes clarity in your mind making day to day activities and stress more manageable. You will be able to do more self care, exercise and the tasks on your to do list. You will feel better mentally and physically.

There is hope...

Yoga Therapy can help you connect your mind and body. Sometimes you don't even know how tired you are until you stop! It's very easy to go, go, go, until you crash and burn! Then, you are forced to rest. Forced to stop and connect and forced to adjust your schedule. By slowing down and pausing, you will start to feel what your body is telling you. Is it tired, is it overwhelmed? What do you need? Do you need water, a rest, or a stretch? Yoga therapy can improve blood circulation and help to distribute oxygen and nutrients more effectively, which can increase your energy levels. It will also enhance sleep quality and help with insomnia, and reduce sleep-related fatigue.

Do you want to enjoy the holiday season this year?

It’s time to be mindful, intentional and connected. Isn't that what you want for the holidays? To enjoy each moment as it comes along instead of ticking each item off the to-do list? Make this the season to slow down, breathe and enjoy. Make active rest a priority on the to do list and the daily schedule so you can remember the holiday season instead of it blowing past you and reach the end line feeling like you were run over by a truck!

If you are ready to enjoy the holidays, go to my website for a free breathing technique or for more information on how I can help you incorporate yoga therapy into your daily life and learn to live with ease.

About Bobbi:

It's been quite a journey! Graduating from Simon Fraser University in 1994, I've dedicated my career to helping clients with their rehabilitation, particularly those recovering from motor vehicle accidents.

At Christmas time in 2018, my family experienced a roll-over accident, down a mountain in our brand new minivan. My entire family was in the vehicle, and thankfully I was the only one who was injured. The resulting concussion caused memory fog, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, nausea, and headaches.

Navigating the Western medical approach didn't provide the relief I sought. Despite being advised to rest, I persisted in working and caring for my family. After almost a year of frustration, a yoga therapist/kinesiologist introduced me to a different path. Through slow movements, body reconnection, and doing less, I surprisingly began to improve. This contrasted with what I'd been taught in Western medicine.

Curiosity led me to dive into yoga therapy training, and the changes were astounding. Symptoms lessened, energy increased, anxiety vanished. Inspired by my own transformation, I became a yoga therapist with a mission to help those who struggle and might be labeled with "chronic pain." I'm eager to guide others toward the change they deserve.