Nothing against wine. I love a glass of Chardonnay or a nice Pinot Noir over dinner. But relying on alcohol to calm our nerves obviously isn’t ideal, so here are a few other ways to take the edge off.
1. Move your energy down.
When we’re nervous, overwhelmed or generally wound up, our energy level is too high. Instead of being balanced, grounded and steady, these forms of overexcitement make us shaky and literally uptight. Shoulders jack up, breath gets shallow, voice becomes high-pitched. So much energy swirls around our heads in these states (the head is the peak of the so-called energetic body), it can be hard to contain. That’s when we explode.
One antidote is to move energy down. There are a few ways to do that. Deepening breath is one of them. This entails more than just lengthened inhales and exhales.
Shallow breathing only makes the upper chest rise and fall. Deep breathing moves the belly. It sounds simple enough, but for those of us who’ve spent most of our lives sucking in, it’s not easy.
Try this. Lightly press your thumb into your solar plexus — the area just below where your ribs meet. Think directly below a bra strap in the center of your body.
Use an inhale to push the thumb out. Exhale and bring it back in. This kind of breathing will cause your belly to rise and fall. It engages the diaphragm and triggers a relaxation response. Moving breath down is a means for moving energy down and it’s great first step for feeling more settled.
2. Drink Turmeric Tea or Golden Milk
Turmeric is highly regarded for its broad healing properties and feel-good effects, like reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation and sleep. Depending on your mood, there are a few different ways to prepare a warm and calming elixir.
If you’re the kind of person who prefers unsweetened tea and/or drinks black coffee, you might like this pure and earthy concoction.
Turmeric Tea: Combine 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of freshly grated (and peeled) turmeric in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out the turmeric and serve with lemon and/or honey.
If you’re more of a latte person, try this version.
Golden Milk: Combine the following ingredients in a small pot with a wire whisk: 2 cups milk of choice, 3/4 teaspoon dried turmeric, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder, ¼ teaspoon ginger powder, 1 tablespoon honey (more or less to taste). Warm the mixture over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly until hot, not boiling.
3. Relax your head
Referring back to point No. 1, when we’re wound up, there’s too much energy around our heads. Pay attention to this next time you’re in a state. It can feel almost like the rest of your body — from the shoulders down — doesn’t exist.
When you notice this, place a hand on the top of your head, apply light pressure, and breathe deeply. Feel your scalp release and your face totally un-crinkle. It’s like they’re both literally letting go. Allow that feeling to move down through the rest of your body before removing your hand.
4. Stretch your neck
When we’re in a manic mood, all the tension in our upper bodies can wreak havoc on our necks. A simple neck stretch can release some of that stress overall.
Here’s my favorite one.
Tilt your ear toward your shoulder (for added sensation, sit on your opposite hand). Relax your jaw, settle your shoulders, and breathe deeply. Feel the stretch along the lengthened side of your neck. Stay here for a few moments until you really start to settle. Do each side.
You might also check out one of my free yoga videos. Wind Down Yoga is an 18-minute sequence that’s meant to help you slow down and relax; find it here.
5. Shower or bathe
Sitting in a warm bath can be magically comforting and restorative, and showers can be whatever you want them to be! Need help waking up? Take a shower! Need some soothing? Shower! If you step in with the intention to unwind — you’ll get it.
On a related note, there’s some research to suggest that bathing or even just immersing your feet in hot water before bedtime can help you fall asleep. For years, I’ve done one of the two before hitting the hay, and I swear by both. Seriously, just warming your feet will do the trick.
I hope these tips offer you some ease. Everything is better when we’re not worked up — wine included.