To relieve stress and feel relaxed during pregnancy, here are some things you can do:
- Talk with someone you trust
- Talk with other pregnant women
- Stay active and go for a walk every day
- Keep a balanced and healthy diet
- Let family and friends help you with cooking, shopping and other tasks
- Have a massage so you can relax and sleep better
Talk with someone you trust and other pregnant women
Right now you might be having several thoughts and concerns about your present and future. After all, this is a challenging time because of the huge transition you’re about to get into. It’s a new chapter that brings new happiness but also a new set of challenges.
Instead of keeping all the thoughts in your head though, it helps if you talk it out especially with someone you trust or with other pregnant women who are likely to be thinking of the same concerns. Once you “externalise” your thoughts, you’ll feel instant relief and that you might gain a new perspective about something that worries you.
Stay active and go for a walk
Staying active can actually help you relax. It’s especially the case after doing a light exercise (consult your doctor before doing any) because this activity releases endorphins (the “feel good” hormones). As a result, after the exercise you will feel some relaxation and this good feeling might linger for the rest of the day or night.
Even just a little walk can help you feel relaxed because of the activity itself and the fresh air. The key here is to stay active every day so blood continues to circulate efficiently and that you stay healthy. If you stay physically healthy, feeling relaxed and getting into the right mood might become easier.
Keep a balanced and healthy diet
This is related to staying physically healthy. If you always get the right nutrients, your biochemical functions will stay on the right course. Although significant physical and hormonal changes are expected during pregnancy, staying physically healthy by always getting the right nutrients can make it a bit easier to cope with those changes.
Let family and friends help you
Pregnancy can make it hard for you to move properly or as quickly as you were used to. As a result, you might take longer than usual to complete your shopping list or prepare each meal. This will lessen the time for your own relaxation and enjoyment (and feel that you’re depriving yourself). To still have some time for yourself, it’s good to let your family and friends help you with cooking and shopping. This way, you can catch some naps or perhaps get a massage (this can help you elevate your mood and improve your sleep).
Have a massage
During and after the massage, you will feel some relief from stress and discomfort. Finally or even just for a few hours each day (the positive effects of massage can linger throughout the day or night), you can forget about the pain and discomfort and better focus on your new journey of carrying a child. Massage can also help relieve tension, ease muscular pains and encourage better sleep.
If you want to learn more about safe pregnancy massage, you can visit this page.
