Life Hacks for Self-Preservation During Silly Season
October 23 | 5 minute read
Words by Christie Sinclair
We’ve officially reached the time of year when every conversation ends with ‘let’s organise a catch-up before Christmas', which means my shoulders are perpetually (though unintentionally) glued to my ears and I have a constant sense of urgency (read: low-grade panic) no matter what I’m doing.
Why do we feel the need to ‘squeeze something in before the end of the year’ as though everything stops when we reach 25 December? Quite frankly, I don’t think my nervous system – or hairline – can survive another jam-packed silly season without some intervention.
Being ‘busy’ can really take a toll on our health and wellness, Mairead, an acupuncturist and Ayurvedic medicine practitioner from The Melbourne Apothecary, tells me: “The busier you are, the higher need for self-care.”
Curious as to what self-care rituals might actually help preserve my sanity over the next few months, I called upon the team of experts from The Melbourne Apothecary, the holistic health practice MECCA teamed up with when we opened our Bourke Street flagship store this year (you’ll find them in the MECCA Apothecary on the Ground Floor). Specialising in modern naturopathy – think nervous system regulation, herbal remedies, aromatherapy, breathwork and nutrition – they blend science and ritual in a way that actually feels doable.
Together, we talked about how to keep calm and grounded with simple techniques and tweaks to help your body and mind remember that it is not, in fact, running a race to the end of the year.
The power of small self-care rituals
Carly – breath coach, life coach, naturopath and practice director of The Melbourne Apothecary – agrees: “Cultivating self-care rituals gives you a strong foundation to be able to anchor and balance yourself when life throws unexpected curve balls (which happens to all of us!).”
Set the tone for your day
Carly agrees that mornings are key, as it’s one of the best times to influence your brain and nervous system. “Every morning, I do yoga in combination with breathwork. My mat is my anchor to balance.” She also notes, “Blood sugar stability informs nervous system stability for the day.”
And for Mairead, meditation provides a powerful daily reset: “Even 10 minutes a day of stillness – connecting with source energy, maybe some dao breath or circular breathing to strengthen your energetic field – can do wonders. This can literally change your life in the most positive way!”
The fastest way to shift your mood? Scent!
Chamomile is practice manager Sarah’s all-time favourite for calming, grounding, digestion and preparing for sleep: “There is nothing more calming than the Cool, Calm & Collected Tea from The Melbourne Apothecary (made with organic chamomile!).”
Tools to help you breathe through it
1. “Breathe through your nose, not your mouth (day and night).”
2. “Put your tongue in the right place – gently pressing half your tongue against the top palate. Swallow and notice what your tongue does to feel where it needs to go on the roof of your mouth. When your tongue is in the right place, you physically cannot breathe through your mouth.”
3. “Relax your belly; this allows your diaphragm to move as you breathe and breathe out through your nose. You’ll notice your navel lifting out on the in-breath and retracting on the out-breath. Diaphragmatic breathing facilitates better gas exchange in your lungs.”
Her tip to reset when you’re feeling particularly stressed: hum continuously and breathe through your nose only. “You produce nitric oxide in your nasal passages naturally, and humming amplifies that by about 15 times. It has broncho-dilating, vasodilating and anti-inflammatory effects, so helps clear your airways as well as soothe your nervous system.”
Maybe all you need is a bath?
Annabelle calls it an “incredible moment of self-care and love each evening,” recommending “dim lights to support your circadian rhythm, a cup of herbal tea and a soak in magnesium flakes to calm the nervous system”.
And for Carly, every bath or shower is an opportunity to “flex your nervous system adaptability”: “I always end my hot shower or hot bath with a 30-second cold shower. Sometimes I go back and forth for extra benefit (at least two minutes hot, then 30 seconds cold).”
Press pause before bed
Meanwhile, Annabelle believes that slowing down starts with tuning in, “listening to your body and easing off the pressure to do it all is essential.” Instead, she says to focus on what your body is craving in that moment, “from a guided meditation, soft stretch, a warm bath, a short walk in nature or eating your dinner in the sunshine.”
And for Carly, calm always starts with the breath – “Humming and nose breathing for 10 minutes for a quick and effective nervous system soothe” – especially if you’re feeling stressed or anxious, or prior to eating or sleeping.
