By: Preet Bains
When I got married last year, I learned that taking care of my internal self was just as important as taking care of my body. I found that other brides I spoke to agreed. Here are some practical tips that helped us get through the wedding festivities – hopefully they will help you too!
SLEEP ESSENTIALS
Finding it hard to turn your brain off and fall asleep?
Getting an adequate amount of sleep improves your immune function (trust me you don’t want to be sick during your wedding week). Here are 5 tips for a better night’s sleep:
- Get off of Instagram and turn your phone off. Start to unplug an hour before bed turn off all your gadgets an hour before you go to bed. Your gadgets radiate a blue light, which is melatonin suppressor. Instead of being on your gadgets pick up a book and read, or take a nice hot bath.
- Drink a cup of chamomile tea 30 minutes before bed. Chamomile tea contains an antioxidant called apigen which helps initiate sleep.
- Decrease your caffeine intake, especially in the form of soft drinks and coffee.
- Pop some magnesium before bed. Magnesium helps calm your nerves and relax your muscles, helping you sleep through the night. Capsules or powder form both are effective.
- Incorporate some sort of physical activity into your day which will make you naturally tired when it’s time for bed. Avoid working out 3-4 hours before bed as it will increase your adrenaline which is counterintuitive. Try going to the gym in the morning or right after work.
SUPPORT YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Supporting your immune system leading up to the big day is really important. Running around, stressing out, and not getting enough sleep affects your immune system in a negative manner.
- Vitamin C is a huge immune system booster, and is essential in your daily intake as your body doesn’t produce it or store it. Eat foods rich in Vitamin C such as citrus fruits, strawberries, spinach, kale and broccoli, and also try taking a Vitamin C supplement.
- Sleep! Refer to the sleep tips provided.
- Our mothers were onto something with adding chunks of ginger to every dish – amp up your ginger intake, ginger is known for it antiviral and antibacterial properties.
- Start sipping on the bone broth if you’re already not sipping on it. The natural gelatin, collagen and amino acids tend to the gut which helps support the health of individual immune cells such as lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
IMMUNE BOOSTING TEA
Brewing a cup of ginger tea is very simple and easy boil water and ginger together and simmer for 15 minutes. If you’re not a tea person try having a shot of ginger juice or just throw more ginger into your cooking.
ANXIETY
Leading up to the big day you WILL feel anxious, and it’s totally okay. There’s a huge amount of pressure for everything to go perfectly. When I started planning my wedding I felt as enthusiastic as anyone else. But very soon afterwards I started to feel stressed and had that familiar “Argh, I have no idea what I’m doing” feeling, made worse by the fact I didn’t sleep well, I didn’t eat well, and felt run down. Here were my saving graces:
- Meditating for 15 minutes daily in the mornings or in the evenings. I used an app called Let’s Meditate – they have great guided meditations.
- 2 months before my wedding, I would get weekly acupuncture treatments. I found that it really helped with calming my nerves and I felt more grounded. Acupuncture stimulates points in your body to correct the imbalances and takes our body out of fight-or-flight mode.
- Cedarwood essential oil helps with melatonin production and an overall sense of relaxation, as well as it has restorative properties. Rub a couple of drops of Cedarwood oil on the bottom of your feet and behind your ears.
- Daily practice of self-care – stop everything you’re doing, unplug, and take an hour out for yourself daily to do what you love – something that brings you joy.
Your wellbeing is important. The wedding can’t happen without you so make sure you take care of YOU!
