1. Tea
I really like Yogi tea. Well, I like a lot of teas, but Yogi tea has a really good variety, is easily accessible, affordable, & often made with organic ingredients. For relaxing, I like the Kava & Bedtime varieties. (Vanilla Spice Perfect Energy is one of my morning favs.)
2. Music
Classic trance from '96-00 is some of the best music ever made IMO. Find a Pandora station you like or create a playlist on iTunes. Mine is called "Downbeat Lyrics."
3. Yoga / Meditation
I finally crossed over into the Yoga realm this year. I used to not like it (all my friends gasp.) I think it was because when I did do yoga before, it was because I had to take it in conjunction with the dance program(s) I was in. This meant it was pretty advanced (read: uncomfortable wondering where my pelvis is upside down) and mandatory (read: not very fun when you have to do something & try to do it well.) I decided to try it again at a gym I work at, and LOVED it. I found the simple movements at the end of a long Monday the perfect way to end hours of hard work.
4. Pilates / Other Exercise
I'm a huge fan of Pilates. When I first started taking it in college for my Dance degree I fell in love with it and the way it made me feel after every class. Pilates is great for almost everyone: It's low impact, you don't have to be flexible or awkward like yoga, it's easy on your back... You just plain feel better after.
5. Supplements & Eating Healthy
Ha! Time to cheat. Or do it the hard way?
Supplements: Valerian is great for anxiety & relaxation. Melatonin is good for sleep. B2, B6 & other B Vitamins are great too, and for energy (figure that one out.) Magnesium has been featured in some studies. Kava is another supplement (like the tea as well.)
Eating healthy: I'm serious. I have changed my eating habits twice in my life:
The first time I went from eating Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburgers with Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges & a milkshake at least 3 times a week to not drinking cow's milk at all while hugely cutting down on processed carbs and meat (and many other animal products. I couldn't give up cheese though.) This first time started out for purely vanity reasons: It was the first year I both wasn't teaching dance and didn't have my full-time on-your-feet-for-9-hours-a-day-in-heels job, so I was gaining weight. Two things happened: 1) I dropped 15-20 pounds within 2-3 months by just those two changes, and 2) I stopped getting sick. Like, catch every cold that comes along, strep throat & bronchitis twice a year every year in my life sick. The latter is what made me stick to eating healthier. Within a couple months, it was so night & day. It still is.
And the second time: I wanted to get my butt off all those crappy prescriptions I was on (for things like anxiety & my heart etc) and start being able to live life. Studying nutrition & eating healthy for my body is what made it happen. It took me from being practically bed-ridden for a solid two years to having the freaking amazing energetic happy pinch-me-I-don't-want-to-wake-up-ever life that I have now.
Yeah. Food can and will do that to you.
Bonus way to relax: Vino.
Yes, a glass of red wine at the end of the day can not just help relax, but red wine is also good for the heart. :)
Study for yourself, be healthy & happy. And relax!
