Lockdown 3.0. We’ve been here before, but this time it’s darker, colder and filled with post-Christmas holiday blues.However, this time it’s also sweetened by the knowledge that the vaccine is here and being rolled out as we speak. There is some light and certainty at the end of the tunnel, despite being hard to imagine right now! RESCUE Remedy® has come up with 6 tips to gently get you through and empower calm in this third (and hopefully final) lockdown:

Use this time to rest

With the vaccine already being rolled out, when else will you be able to take some time out from socialising and rest? 2020 was a hard year, so this lockdown can be the perfect time to recuperate and recover for 2021. Don’t feel bad if you’re feeling particularly fatigued; the weather, stress and heading back to work will all contribute to that. If you need to sleep a little longer than usual or take a nap in the day, allow yourself to do so. Try good sleep hygiene to make sure you’re getting enough sleep; putting your phone down an hour before bed, fully relaxing before you sleep, breathing exercises. Add products from our RESCUE Night range into your bedtime routine and have a natural night’s sleep. RESCUE Night is made with our signature RESCUE formula and added white chestnut essence, long used to help switch off the mind from unwanted repetitive thoughts.

Practice self-care

Self-care isn’t just a buzzword; it has tonnes of amazing benefits and can help manage stress. Simply defined, it’s any action or behaviour to avoid health or emotional problems. It doesn’t have to be a week long retreat; you choose what is self-care for you. Go for walks, cook a wholesome meal, do a face mask; whatever will help you feel better. It’s so easy to get consumed by our to do list; especially when so many of us are working from home so much more these days. We recommend adding it to your daily routine just like any other task, at least twice a week. ‘Finish work at 5pm, long bath until 5:30pm’. It will give you something to look forward to at the end of the day.

Do some gentle exercise

Don’t pressure yourself to get super fit like many of us did during the first lockdown. It’s dark and cold, so it’s much harder to motivate yourself to exercise. We all know the benefits of exercise though, and it’s a great way to relieve stress, so we’re looking to gentler, low-impact classes to reap the benefits. Yoga is a proven way to bring calm into your life, and there are many free classes online nowadays. We especially like Yoga with Adriene, as there’s something for everyone whether you’re a beginner or seasoned yoga pro. Pilates, Yin and Barre are other examples of low-impact exercises with amazing benefits if you’re over the 30-day Yoga Challenges.

You are what you eat

It’s believed by many that mind and body need to be balanced for complete wellness. It can be easy to fall into a takeaway routine every night when you’re stuck at home (no judgement). If you feel like you can, trying out cooking some new nutritional dinners can be a great way to relax and feel extra healthy. Cooking a long meal is also a great way to practice mindfulness. Include fresh vegetables for Vitamin C, dark green leafy veg for magnesium and wholegrains or nuts for B Vitamins which can all help balance hormones and reduce stress. It’s Veganuary this month, so there’s tonnes of great new recipes online to test out. The Veganuary website has free recipes from all around the world, so you can travel to India, Germany, Jamaica from the comfort of your own home.

Journal

People who practice gratitude journaling have reported benefits such as more positivity, sleeping better and an ability to express more compassion and kindness. The best part? It’s so simple to put into your daily routine. There are lots of beautiful gratitude journals available to buy online which are also a lovely way to self-reflect. You just need to write down 1-3 things you’re grateful for each day. That’s it!

Try writing and/or saying some positive affirmations every morning. These are mini mantras that you can repeat to yourself regularly to reinforce ideas of what you are, who you want to be, and shed an encouraging and optimistic light on your emotional wellbeing. It can be helpful to remind yourself of why you are wonderful and what you like about yourself, especially when you’re feeling down, stressed and are away from friends and family. You could put all the affirmations you write on small bits of paper and keep them in a jar, so you can access them whenever you need a boost.

Try meditation

Meditation has become really popular, particularly over the last year, and it’s not hard to see why! Benefits include reducing stress, improving sleep and increasing focus. There are lots of guided meditation apps you can try now which help you if you’ve never tried it before, or if you want to try different methods of meditation. We particularly like Headspace and Calm. Keep your RESCUE Remedy at hand and feel empowered to tackle a hectic day.

Visit www.rescueremedy.com/en for more information.