19 ways Maine brides can de-stress as they plan their wedding!

23 Apr 19 ways Maine brides can de-stress as they plan their wedding!

The average engagement is between 13 and 18 months. No matter who you are, how laid back you feel or how much meditation you do, at some point you are going to feel like you just cant take any more! Not to worry, it is a normal part of the process for all brides. No matter if your engagement is 1 month or 30 months, this list will help you in those moments where bridezilla is waiting to come out!

1. After a hard day, leave the TV off and put on some soft, sexy music. Have a glass of wine with your fiancé. Put away the wedding books, the color swatches and the venue brochures, and just sit and remember all the reasons you love each other so much!

2. Give yourself regular days off. Just like a real job, working at something every waking minute is not healthy. Set times where you are working on your wedding and when you are not, try not to answer emails, make (or take) phone calls or anything else that will suck you in on those days off.

3. Plan a quiet night at home with your significant other, play your favorite song, watch favorite your movie, and make your favorite foods. Turn off the cell, put down the Blackberry, and enjoy just being together.

4. Call a girlfriend, especially if you have one that has been married recently and vent your frustrations to her! She will understand and will reassure you that everything is going to be just fine!

5. Work out with your man. Join a gym together or go for weekend bike rides. Exercise raises the endorphins in your brain and increases your general sense of well-being. It also has the tendency to switch your brain off completely from your planning and focus you on a needed distraction.

6. Take a walk and hold hands with your man. A recent study showed that holding hands reduces stress levels—as long as the hands are his hands. Reach out!

7. Sometimes you don’t need a vacation; you just need a moment to clear your head. Visualize the waves on your honeymoon beach. Imagine the sound and the warm water on your toes; focus on each breathe deeply. Set the timer on your phone before you start for 3 minutes. Get lost in the images, in the sounds and the smells. You will be amazed how much this will help.

8. GET OUT… into nature, that is! Viewing the outdoors can lower your heart rate and relax you. Don’t try to substitute a virtual tour here, only the real thing will work. It does not need to be a camping trip; a simple few minutes around the local dock hangout will do just fine.

9. Fresh Cut Flowers! It is not always just the luxury it may seem on the surface. Fresh cut flowers can give you a real boost and help you feel more connected and warm. Place them on your bedside table, on your desk or in your bathroom. Anywhere you find yourself spending quality time!

10. Make a stop at the delegation station! Wedding planning can be crazy and sometimes a girl just needs to let go of the little things and let someone else step in. Go through your crazy long list of things you need to do and mark the ones that you feel comfortable delegating. Look to your family and maids of honor to help you knock them down one by one.

11. Essential Oil Aisle. Hit the essential oil aisle at the local health food store. They will have an entire section of them that are designed to help you de-stress. Find a smell you like and buy some of it. Put the vial in your purse and when you start feeling stressed, SNIFF IT! Also, wipe some oils on light bulbs of lamps (before you turn them on) at home or in the office. The heat will release it into the air around you. Think calm thoughts enjoy the smell of stress release.

12. Got anger? Do like mom use to tell you. That’s right, think back to being a kid and listen to your mom. STOP, COUNT TO 10 AND BREATH DEEPLY. These few seconds can make all the difference between becoming bridezilla and being cinderella.

13. Laughter is the best medicine. This is really true when it comes to stress. Don’t underestimate the value of a good belly laugh when it comes to getting out of the pre-wedding funk. Have a funny friend? Invite her out to drinks. Rent a funny movie or hit the local comedy club. Not only will you feel better, but all that laughing may help you fit in your dress even better!

14. Feeling too much pressure? Maybe it is time to vent! Find a close friend or a relative and ask them if it would be ok if you just vented for a minute. Let loose, lay into your wedding planner, your caterer, your dress maker, throw your fiancé under the bus, lay into your maid of honor (as long as that’s not who your venting to) and get everything off your chest. Sometimes, in just 10 minutes, you can let off enough steam to really calm things down.

15. Massage it away. Ok, you are probably on a tight budget getting ready for the wedding. But, what good is it if you crack up and you have to have the ceremony at the loony bin? A 30 minute massage (or an hour… or two) can really help you relax and de-stress. Look for coupons, or if needs be, have your man give you a massage… who knows it may just lead to another stress relieving activity!

16. Tryptophan yourself!  Eat foods with high levels of tryptophan (think bananas, oats, soy, poultry, milk, cheese, nuts). These ingredients have been proven to help your brain produce chemicals that calm you down. But, watch those nuts and cheeses! They can be high in fat, so you may want to use this one sparingly or rotate this with exercise.

17. GO H2O! Dehydration will affect your mood. Skip the coffee, sports drinks and soda, and start drinking LOTS of H2O (water). Try to drink up to 1 gallon a day to stay hydrated and to flush any toxins that are in your body making you irritable.

18. Limit Consumption- of both alcohol and caffeine. I know this may sound crazy…. but it’s true, even that drink that you thought was going to calm you down and settle your nerves. Studies show that both these can lead to the jitters and feelings of uneasiness. So, skip the drink to reduce your stress.

19. Blood Sugar Matters! Whether you have cared much in the past or not, when you are planning your wedding you need to be on top of your game. Treat yourself well, eat small meals throughout the day; don’t skip meals and try not to fall into the sugary, starchy snack trap. This will help stabilize your blood sugar and keep you on an even keel.