Melt Away Stress and Find More Energy

Soothing remedies can sort just about any kind of tension resulting in a happier, calmer more energised you.

Unwind your Mind

For calming brews that deal with stress, start with a herbal teabag and then add a tincture.

Create a collection of tinctures, they last for years and the following list can be used for many different reasons

Your kit should contain: Lavender, Oat, Korean ginseng and Wild lettuce.

Now find your stress profile:

• Stressed and lack Energy

Add 20 drops Korean ginseng tincture - an adrenal energy tonic - to verbena tea

• Stressed and not Sleeping

Make a cup of chamomile tea and add 20 drops of wild lettuce tincture, a gentle sleep remedy, and if you are extremely stressed, add 20 drops of lavender tincture.

• Stressed and Tearful

Oat tincture restores the nervous system. Add 20 drops to a mugful of lemon verbena tea.

• Stressed and Panicky

Create a tea with a duo of chamomile and verbena teabags, plus 20 drops of oat tincture.

The above suggestions are a delicious way to pause in your daily rush, find calm, create energy, and let your stress melt and float gently away.

Essential Oils

Lavender - has a soothing and calming effect on the nerves, relieving tension, depression, panic, hysteria and nervous exhaustion in general and is effective for headaches, migraines and insomnia.

Vetiver - helps calm and overactive mind, can be used for nervous complaints, dispelling hysteria, anger and irritability and also to relieve insomnia.

Chamomile - calming and relaxing abilities, especially on the nervous and digestive systems, regulating and easing the menstrual cycle. It has a soothing and healing influence on the skin, as well as a potent remedy for inflammatory conditions. (Do not use during pregnancy)

Frankinsense - In burners or vapourisers it can be used for bronchitis, colds, coughs and voice loss, as well as to calm the mind, reduce anxiety and cultivating internal peace and placing past obsessive states into perspective.

If you are wound too tight to relax and get a good night's sleep, try a regular end of the day routine that lets your mind know it's time to stop and rest.

It can be simple, such as washing up or brushing your cat or dog, but a nurturing ritual for you is always worthwhile.

Stealing 20 minutes from your sleepless night is always worthwhile.

• Dim the lights

Light a candle, the lack of light lulls the brain, run a warm bath. Lace it with lavender, vetiver or camomile essential oils - about 5 drops in a cup of full-cream milk swished through the water.

Make a cup of chamomile tea, or one with a tincture to relax you even further, while you soak.

• Slide into the Tub

A warm bath raises your body temperature, with improves sleep quality, relax for around 10 - 15 minutes and drink your tea.

• After your Bath

Smooth on body lotion, spray your pillow and sheets with a sleep mist containing a more fragrant relaxing essential oil and slip under the duvet.

• If you have anything on your mind, write down the thoughts on a notepad and calmly forget it until the alarm rings.

Deep Breathing

Relaxed breathing can bring about a change of state when you find your rhythm is out of sync.

Breathing, while gazing at a focal point outside of your self, breaks up feelings of self-absorption such as worry, self doubt and guilt. In short, relieves the pressure on all of the anxiety buttons.

Try the four corner breathing technique recommended by Dr. Lucy Jo Palladino a clinical psychologist, author of "Find your Focus Zone".

• Find something with four corners, - a picture, a window a door.
• Look at the upper left-hand corner and breather in for a count of four.
• Focus on the upper right hand corner and hold your breath for a count of four.
• Move the lower right hand corner and breathe out for a count of four.
• Move your gaze to the lower left hand corner, silently say the words " Relax, Relax, Smile" - and do just that.

You may repeat the four steps over and over until you feel calm.

Light an oil burner using calming essential oils such as lavender, frankincense or vetiver, or an incense stick.

Stretch for Energy

I love simple, and this easy back de-stress technique combines one good stretch and effective deep breathing to straighten out the little tension knots.

• Sit cross-legged on the floor, with your spine straight, OR on a straight-backed chair with knees together and feet flat on the floor.
• Look straight ahead, ensuring that your back, neck and head is in alignment.
• Breathe in deeply as you take your arms out to your sides, then lift them up high as you simultaneously take your head back and look upwards. At first you may run out of breath, but you'll soon gauge how much you need.
• Link your fingers and carry on stretching your arms up above your head. Now breathe out as you drop your head right back, concentrate on breathing out. This will really help release all that stress and tension
• Drop your Arms back down to your body and then repeat the moves 4 - 8 times
• Do the exercise slowly and do one or two stretches at first, before moving up to more. It will work its magic on a tense back and energise too.

Cucumber

The smell of cucumber is said to reduce anxiety.

Read yourself to a state of Calm

Research shows that just six minutes' reading can reduce stress levels by 68%.

Brush off Tension

Small, rhythmic movements such as brushing your hair can calm one. You can also brush or stroke your animals, always very relaxing.

Yoga Break

Lie down with your legs - from the back of the knees to ankles - are up on a chair seat. Put your head on a soft, flat cushion, arms at your sides with palms facing up and open. Stay in place for 10 minutes and then lower your legs and roll on to your side for a minute, before getting up.