Escape

How to de-stress quickly on holiday

Posted on February 3, 2015

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nobody wants to spend the first half of their holiday stressing about work or other worries. Here are our tips to unwinding fast on holiday.

Book a relaxing spa treatment at U Spa

We all look forward to ‘getting away from it all’ but the reality can be that we bring a lot of our stresses and worries with us, and that can get in the way of a truly relaxing holiday.

Our top tip is take some time on your first day to consciously unwind.

Book in a relaxing massage at the spa

Research has proved that human touch encourages our bodies to release oxytocin, a hormone that counteracts stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, leaving us feeling calm and relaxed.

Choose a treatment specifically designed to relieve stress using deep slow rhythmic techniques, such as these at Constance’s U Spa, and relaxation is practically guaranteed:

Signature U Experience Massage
Relax Massage
Balinese Massage
Ayurvedic Massage

Remember to tell your personal U Spa consultant that your aim is to de-stress and they will combine these relaxing techniques with aromatherapy oils including ylang-ylang, vanilla and frangipane, all known to have relaxing properties.

Wake up early and salute the sun

A sunrise yoga session on your first morning could be what you need to shift your mind-set from one of stress and anxiety to calm relaxation. Yoga is a great stress-reliever with some scientists suggesting that bending your spine, in particular, stimulates the part of your nervous system responsible for relaxing body and mind.

Take in a deep breath – how to unwind on your holiday

Take a deep breath

It sounds obvious but when we are stressed our breathing becomes shallow and rapid. Just taking the time on your first day to sit quietly looking out across the ocean and focusing on breathing deeply can give you an extra boost of oxygen as well as stimulating a parasympathetic reaction in our bodies which helps calm us down.

Avoid contact with the world back home

Whether it’s watching the news, checking on house/dog sitters or (heaven’s forbid) checking emails, take a day off. Make your first day about you, living in the moment, experiencing your new surroundings, really connecting with the person you’re travelling with. You might find that by day 2 those emails don’t feel quite as urgent anymore.

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