5 Tips to De-Stress During Your First Holidays as Newlyweds

While it is primarily a season about joy and love, the holidays can also be a stressful time – especially for couples. Balancing the needs between different families is tough from the start, but the pressures seem to be compounded for your first holiday season as an engaged or newly married couple. To help stay calm and centered during this trying time, Equinox founder Lavinia Errico offers her top five tips on lowering your stress levels.

- Take a break and change your environment. When we are stressed the best thing to do is to get up and take a swift walk outside. “Step away from the computer and focus on a physical activity as opposed to the emotions you are feeling. If you are in physical pain, try and read a book or focus on positive emotions,” says Lavinia.

- Disconnect and reconnect. Slow down! We are always “on,” connected to our devices and going a million miles an hour. “Take a moment to enjoy an activity that encourages you to reconnect with yourself and your loved one. One of my favorite activities right now is Naam Yoga, which is a combination of breath, sound, and movement,” explains Lavinia. “It is beloved by influencers such as Stella Hopkins (wife of Sir Anthony Hopkins), Anthony Burrell (Beyoncé’s choreographer), and many more,” adds Lavinia. If you’re willing to try it yourself, you may join these celebrities and millions of yogis this Sunday for Naam Yoga’s Global Gathering in Mexico City that will be broadcasted online.

- Clap your stress away. Clap as if you were a toddler. “It may sound silly, but clapping for one minute straight brings positive hormones to your brain,” say Lavinia. “Doing that with your significant other is an added bonus.”  Your body automatically associates this movement with happiness and it also increases your blood circulation. 

- Three-point breath. Everyone should do this before entering the home of their in-laws. “Inhale for five seconds, hold your breath for five seconds, and exhale for five seconds. Continue to do this for five minutes,” suggests Lavinia. Being able to create a pattern for your breathing helps you to relax your mind. 

- Develop a routine. “The best way to ensure your and your loved one’s stress levels are consistently down is by having a meditation or breathing routine you stick to every day – just a few minutes in the morning and again in the evening,” explains Lavinia.  Research suggests that meditation is able to ease stresses like anxiety, stress, and even pain.

Read tips on how to handle uncomfortable conversations at holiday dinners, read a newlyweds' guide to navigating holiday traditions, and learn how to stay relaxed on your wedding day.