Me Time

So here we are, summertime is over, the kids both big and small are back to school. Just as you might think “great, now I have some time for me,” guess what? The holidays are right around the corner and with the holidays come a fair amount of “obligation.”

Did you know that the holidays rank as one of the most stressful times of the year and that during the holidays our stress levels can increase from 25% to 50%? Most of that stress is related to additional obligations and tasks such as attending family gatherings and hand-addressing 50 to 75 greeting cards. It's also related in large part to the additional finances flying out the door in the form of purchased Sony Playstations, X-Boxes, Barbie Dream Houses and well you get the picture.

Now is the time that the networks really blast our kids with commercialism at it's finest. The other day I was cleaning out my little 7-year-old's desk drawer and I found this note: “Hey Kids, you can have your very own blow paints for the low price of $9.99, just call 1-800-222-5555, Now!” Just what I want to envision on Christmas morning: my daughter blowing paint all over the living room.

Let me get to my point, there are ways to reduce the stress of the holidays. What I want to tell you is that there still exists a small window of opportunity for you to get some “ME,” time in before all the hub-bub of the holidays. Yes I know the local merchants have everything on the shelves from Halloween masks to Christmas trees, but I'm here to tell you, don't cave in just yet, there will be plenty of time to shop for the holidays later. Use this time between now and the middle of October to do something for yourself.

Have you ever gone to one of the local day spas and had a professional massage? Some of you out there are nodding your heads -- it is an experience that’s out of this world. Treat yourself to a full body massage and I'm not talking to just the women out there. I treated my husband to a hand and upper body massage before. He's the kind of guy who works hard and then comes home and works hard and NEVER takes time for himself. So one day I purchased him a massage, told him it was not refundable and that he had to do it. He was surprised to find that he really enjoyed it.

One thing from a medical and physiological standpoint you should know is that when you do have a deep muscle massage it releases toxins which have built up in the “stressed” muscles. These toxins then drain into our lymphatic system. So, in order to get rid of the evil toxins, you should drink at least 6-8 glasses of water after a full body massage.

Now for those of you who are just plain squeamish about a stranger touching your body, that's OK. How about someone you know touching it? You can still get a relaxing body massage from your significant other. Here are some tips for a great massage at home:

 1. Adjust your environment to be calm and serene, dim the lights, close the door, and play some soft relaxation music such as Numinous by George Skaroulis.

2. Experiment with different essential oil combinations and blends or purchase a ready-made massage oil. Using an essential oil blended massage oil allows for smooth friction and rubbing of the skin and provides the therapeutic effects that essential oils have on your mood.

3. Research what type of massage you might want to get as well as give and look for reference material in magazines or at the local library. There are many different types of massage designed for different aliments or moods. You may want to try a “hot rock” or “deep muscle” massage.

Have fun, relax and enjoy your “Me” time, because in just a few short days, we will be rushing to carve pumpkins, roast turkeys and assemble life-like pine trees where your favorite reading chair used to be.