It is not called your BIG day for no reason. Brides have a lot racing through their minds before and on their wedding days. It is probably the only event that will only come once in your life. It is the start of something enormous, with no turning back. And apart from when you took your first steps as a child, this is the only other event that people remember forever. So you start thinking .. will my dress look good or maybe I shouldn’t have had that chocolate cake yesterday, will the weather play along, will all the service providers show up on time, what have I missed?! Phew! No wonder that by the time you walk down the aisle you’re a big bundle of nerves. Thing is, nervous energy, when channelled right, can turn into excitement. And what a beautiful day to be excited about! Here are some tips to stay calm on your wedding day and to ensure you enjoy and absorb every second of it.
1. Let your hair down with your friends
They say laughing is the best medicine, and this is the perfect occasion to test it. New studies show that during stressful times, being around a best friend(s) may decrease the level of the stress hormone cortisol. So before your wedding, when you start feeling your nerves getting shot, take some time off and spend it with your best friends. Nothing relaxes us more than being in the presence of people we love and adore, and sharing with them about our anxieties and worries. Have some fun, and coupled with the release of endorphins, you’ll be wondering what you were getting so stressed for in the first place.
2. Take your shoes off and walk
Several studies have revealed that walking barefoot on grass or sand can actually reduce anxiety and stress by as much as 60% and also release feel-good endorphins when done regularly. Make time to go for a barefoot walk for at least 30 minutes every day leading up to your wedding. It will make you feel more relaxed and energized to face the challenges of your upcoming wedding day.
3. Read something that is non-wedding material
Reading can be a wonderful (and healthy) escape from the stress of planning your wedding. Simply by opening a book, make sure it is non-wedding related though, you allow yourself to be invited into another world that distracts you from thinking about your wedding day. Reading may even relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. Research has found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. This article does not constitute as the right type of material for reading .. remember to read something that has nothing to do with weddings.
4. Breathe
Breathing is an automatic function of the body that is controlled by the respiratory centre of the brain. When we feel stressed, we start breathing faster as part of the fight-or-flight response. Start by sitting upright in a chair, the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire breathing exercise. Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly. This exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. Do this twice a day or anytime you start feeling tense.
5. Give your partner a hug
"We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth."
Hugging increases your level of the oxytocin, otherwise known as the "love hormone", and hugging is also lowers the levels of stress hormones like cortisol. This, in turn, may have beneficial effects on your heart health and more. Recent studies found that after a period of warm contact with their partner, women’s blood pressure was lowered. The other benefit of course is that it’ll strengthen the bond between you and help remind you why you love him and getting married in the first place.
Wedding Venue - Intundla Wedding Venue
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