Tips for a Stress-Free Diwali This Year

As a community, we very strongly believe that woman is solely responsible for taking care of all the preparations for Diwali or any festive day. She needs to be involved in deciding what must be cooked, how the house must be cleaned, etc. Especially, in joint families or those with elders and conservative mindsets who religiously follow festive rituals, women are bound to follow ‘guidelines’ perfectly and prepare for the family, which adds to their mental burden and can cause stress.

There are barely enough hours in the day – work 9-5, get ready, attend Diwali parties, get adequate sleep and maintain healthy eating habits plus account for the time you’ll spend stuck in traffic.

Dealing with festive blues & enjoying the festive season without feeling burdened is very much needed.

Tips for a Stress-free Diwali

Practice facial and breathing exercises or wrist and neck stretches to take charge of yourself.

Breathing techniques are exercises to improve your lung health for better respiration and relieve stress.

Pursed Lip Breathing

You can practice pursed lip breathing at any hour of the day. We recommend you practice this technique 4 to 5 times a day.

1. Relax your neck and shoulders
2. Close your mouth
3. Inhale the air slowly through your nose for a count of two
4. Purse your lips
5. Exhale the air through your pursed lips for a count of four

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as “belly breathing” uses the diaphragm for breathing.
Relax your neck and shoulders while practicing this exercise.

1. Relax your shoulders and lie down on the floor.
2. Put one hand on your belly and another on your chest.
3. Inhale through your nose for 2 seconds and pay close attention to how the air moves into your abdomen. Your stomach should be expanding as you inhale while your chest is staying constant.
4. Exhale through your pursed lips while pressing on your abdomen gently. Your stomach should be sinking in as you exhale.
5. Start with practicing for just 5 minutes. Increase the time as these exercises become easier and more comfortable to perform.

Shoulder Rolls

• Roll the front of your shoulders forward and up as if you are trying to squeeze your ears with your shoulders.
• Hold them there for a moment and then slide your shoulders back and down.
• Do 5 in that direction, and then repeat 5 times in the opposite direction.

Wrist Rolls

1. Bring your fingers into your palms to create a soft fist with each hand.
2. Roll your wrists in circles about 10 times in each direction.
3. Then bring your inner wrists together with your fingertips gently touching each other. Start to roll your inner hands into your outer hands creating a circle toward, and then away from, your body.
4. Your inner wrists will touch and then your outer wrists will feel while your fingers follow the movement. Repeat 10 times.

Simple tips to beat the Diwali blues:

1. Surround yourself with positive, supportive people, who can give you a helping hand.
2. Learning to say NO, be assertive, and build healthy boundaries for myself.
3. Setting some ground rules for self.
4. Take out “Me” time.
5. Understand that festivals are seasons for happiness and enjoyment and not a burden on the family’s women.
6. Take a break from work and spend time with loved ones. Treat yourself to the item you enjoy the most, and some self-love to uplift your spirits and that of your family. This much-deserved dose of pampering can result in more productive and positive post-festive work ethics. Instead of going out for parties, bring home some scented candles, make some comfort food and put on an all-time favorite movie, and relax this festive season.

Maintain a positive outlook as much as possible to avoid getting carried away. Remind yourself to take a deep breath every time something annoys you.