You slept through the alarm. You’re late for an important meeting. You spill coffee on your clothes in your rush out the door. The car won't start, your heel gets caught in a grate, and you arrive at work just in time for the boss to be standing there watching you walk in late… and that’s all before 9am. 

If you couldn’t even read the above without getting an uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach, then you know what it is to feel stressed! With daily life busier than ever before, we’re all on a seemingly never-ending treadmill, or sitting at a conveyor belt where the work waiting to be done just never stops coming!

Stress doesn’t have to be part and parcel of your daily life though, there are many ways in which you can easily relieve the niggles of daily life, taking just a few seconds a day or a whole glorious weekend to keep your mind as fit as your body! Here are our top five suggestions for looking after you.

 

Walk it off 

Exercise decreases the presence of stress hormones like cortisol in the body, and increases endorphins, the feel-good chemical naturally created in the body. A brisk walk in the fresh air is enough to do the trick, and you’ll get the added bonus of adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine releases in the body – which all add up to make you feel great.

 

Sleep it off

If insomnia is the source of stress for you, then concentrate on making sure you get sufficient rest every night. Progressive muscle-relaxation is a great tool for this. And don't worry – it's nowhere near as complex as it sounds! Simply start at your toes, tightening the muscles, and hold for 5 seconds, then release; continue with each muscle group, going up the length of your body. Get into the habit of doing this every night and you should be heading for a much sweeter passage to dreamland.

 

Get under the skin 

Increased levels of stress hormones can create breakouts on you skin, which in turn can leave you feeling more stressed than ever! It’s a vicious circle, so get under that skin and detox as a ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach. Use a loofah once a week to circulate blood and improve lymphatic drainage, and replace the morning caffeine fix (or at least one of them) with some fresh lemon slices in hot water to cleanse the body.

 

Time out

If you’re working in an office environment and seated in front of a computer all day you could be setting yourself up for headaches, neck and back pain and worse. No matter how busy you are, take the time to get up and stretch properly, get some fresh air in your lungs, and give your eyes a break from the computer screen.

 

If all else fails… 

Everyone needs to be pampered from time to time. If the day to day stresses are piling up on you then a little trip away from it all is the way to get your head back to a happy place. Northern Ireland boasts a whole host of amazing spa destinations where you can be pampered to your heart’s content. The Merchant Hotel in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter is a haven of tranquillity and offers a range of treatments using a signature product range that is 100% organic, natural and luxurious.  The Galgorm Resort and Spa, set in 163 acres of lush parkland in Ballymena, Co Antrim, has been designed to create a space where the indoors meets the outdoors. Experience the ancient rituals of bathing in cold, cool, warm and hot environments or indulge in a range of full or half day spa packages including the Turkish Delight – a two hour Thermal Spa Experience, a Turkish Soak Massage and a Eve Lom Radiance Facial.  Allure House of Beauty in Lurgan, Co Armagh has a team of professional therapists and beauticians offering specialist skincare treatments and a range of spa packages to help you escape from the stress and strains of modern life.  Suit your own preferences with a tailor-made package from the list of treatments such as a Hydrotherm Massage followed by a manicure, pedicure and facial. And these are only a small number of the fabulous spa destinations ready and awaiting your arrival. 

 

 

To find out more information on spas in Northern Ireland or for further information on places to stay or things to see and do, check out the free booking and advice service and callsave 1850 230 230 or click on www.discovernorthernireland.com.