One of the most challenging things when we quit drinking is learning to relax and unwind in sobriety. It’s not that it’s foreign to any of us, it was just so much easier to deal with it during the drinking days. All we had to do was pour a drink to take the edge off.
But when you decide to become a better, improved version of yourself, that option is off the table. It leaves you even more stressed when you don’t know how to effectively deal with it. Which is the last thing you want.
With these five tips, you’ll be able to relax and unwind in just a few minutes. So grab a cup of coffee or tea, get comfy and get inspired to rewrite your story one breath at a time.
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GUA SHA MASSAGE
Gua sha facials have been all the rage for the past few years. But have you ever used a gua sha tool to massage your neck and shoulders? It feels amazing. Especially when you’re having one of those days. It really helps to relieve the tension and knots from your neck and shoulders. You can even do it when you’re watching tv in bed.
DEEP BREATHING
Deep breathing brings the body into the parasympathetic state (rest, digest, restore, and heal). That’s right- using just your breath, you can bring your body out of anxiety, stress, and depression.
TRY THIS SIMPLE BREATHING TECHNIQUE TO UNWIND:
- Inhale for a count of 5 feeling your belly rise.
- Hold for a count of five.
- Exhale for a count of 5 feeling your belly contract.
- Repeat this until you feel better.
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YOGA IN BED
You know when you’re having a stressful day and all you want to do is lay in bed, but then you feel even worse for not being productive? Try yoga in bed to relax and unwind in sobriety. You get the comfort of your own bed while being kind and nurturing to yourself. It’s really the best of both worlds. You can read more about the benefits of yoga here.
This is a great seven minute sequence you can do in bed.
HERBAL TEA
There’s just something about a soothing cup of tea. For a moment (even if it’s brief), you forget about your problems. There are so many different types of herbs you can try but I highly recommend ginseng, ashwagandha, and holy basil. They’re adaptogenics so will help your body adapt to stress while restoring you.
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WRITING
Writing out your feelings really helps you learn to be honest with yourself while stepping into your vulnerability. Whatever went wrong- write it out. Use pen and paper for this. It feels more cathartic than typing it on your phone or computer because it’s almost like you can feel the stress leaving your body. If you want to go deeper, safely burn that piece of paper as a symbol of your worries and stresses leaving your life.
What challenges have you faced when trying to learn how to relax and unwind in sobriety and how have you learned to cope with it? Leave a comment below- you never know who you’ll inspire. Also, please share this with someone you think will benefit from this read.
See you soon…in the meantime, love yourself so much that even a Hallmark Christmas movie would be jealous.
