Ditch the holiday blues and bring the holiday glow back to your home zone with these tips and tricks from our experts:
Maintain the holiday frame. “To keep the benefits of your skin after returning from a holiday continue to get enough sleep, try to avoid stress, get some sun exposure avoiding too much sun, and continue to regularly moisturise,” says Dr Saras Sundrum from cosmetic medicine clinic Dr Saras and Co in Sydney.
Detox. You can maintain your detox and recreate a sense of the ocean at home by bathing in epsom salts, a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate. The magnesium helps to produce serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of calm and relaxation. Alternatively, treat yourself to a flotation tank session. You’ll get all the benefits of an epsom salt bath, with additional sensory deprivation to have you emerge a truly relaxed individual.
Rearrange the furniture. You don’t need to be a master at Feng Shui to know that the way you place items in a room can brighten or dull a mood. For a spark of creativity and a sense of purpose all you need to do is spend an afternoon ensuring you’re using your space the best way you can – and throw in a couple of blue pillows for an extra sense of calm.
Meditate. “Lots of people try to meditate and find it’s not for them. In that case I say don’t give up, keep trying and try a range of different approaches – yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, slow breathing exercises – the list goes on and on. There are now a range of apps that can be downloaded which help structure and guide these types of practices, so it’s just like you’ve got an instructor with you.” says clinical psychologist Dr Rosalind Case.
Vary your diet. “The different seasons deliver the perfect foods for each climate. Eating seasonally has many benefits including both nutritionally and environmentally,” says qualified nutritionist Tracie Connor.
Take some time for yourself. Even if you’ve only got time for a cup of tea it will help to dampen stress levels. “Stress causes a flood of the hormone cortisol in our body which attacks our immune system and makes us more susceptible to allergens and bacteria,” says Dr Sundrum. “We also know that stress decreases our lipid barrier and causes it to dehydrate and lose moisture. All this causes us to look dull, dryer, older and blotchy.”
Focus on what’s important. “If you draw a pie chart and divide up the time spent between work, recreation, family, friends, exercise, spirituality and whatever else is important to you, how much of the pie chart would be taken up by work? We need to consider our values, goals and options,” says Dr Case. Your mood will be all the better for it.
A stay-cation is just as good as getting away. Boost your morale by simply giving your body time to rest. Dr Case agrees: “Think about what elements of a holiday you really benefit from. Is it the increased sleep? The time to relax and reflect? Reading books in the sun? Drinking wine with friends? Whatever it is that makes you feel relaxed and restored when you’re on holiday, think about how you can build more of that into your ‘real’ life.”’
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