Six Cheap Ways to Relieve Stress

Credit: Flickr/Jan van der Crabben

Cooking with spices can rev up your metabolism and relieve stress

When you can’t get away for a tropical break or spa massage, here are some cheap ways to relieve stress while the post-Christmas bills are rolling in and the grey days threaten your mood

Christmas is over, but the bills aren’t. As your credit card statements come rolling in, you resolve to not only put the ix-nay on any spending sprees but forego your daily latte and eschew the weekly fashion fix. Heck, maybe you can cut out bread and milk, too.

In the midst of all this belt-tightening, metaphorical and actual, the turning off of the Christmas lights and the packing away of the presents has left you rather, well, grey. With no fancy vacation to a tropical clime or even a day at the spa to look forward to, how do you put a spring in your step pending the arrival of the real thing?

Six No- to Low-cost Stress Busters

A tennis ball. Can’t afford a pricey massage? Use a common tennis ball or roller to gently stretch your fascia, or muscle sheath. Lie on a mat and position the ball under kinked areas. Roll yourself gently over the ball, taking plenty of time.

The pool. It isn’t the beach, admittedly, but getting into your suit and hanging out in a sauna, hot tub, or pool can be the perfect antidote to dreary winter weather. See if the fanciest hotel in your area allows locals to drop in for the day; for a small fee you can use their luxe robes and towels, fancy up with complimentary toiletries in the dressing room, and generally imagine yourself in a far better place.

Beauty treatments at home. Using a body brush or loofah before or in your shower can exfoliate skin, improve circulation and generally bring back your glow. Whip up an oatmeal mask or sugar scrub for even more gorgeous goodness.

Trading places. Use a home-exchange website or Craigslist to find others in your fix and swap houses for a quick, low-cost getaway. Variety is the spice of life, so your rural cottage or minute downtown pad might be just what your swapper wants – and vice versa.

Sunlight. Run, don’t walk outside the minute you catch even a glimpse of the sun’s rays. If you’re stuck in an artificially lit office from sunup to sundown, even a 15-minute mini-break in natural light can reset your mood and prevent winter blahs.

Spice. It sounds silly, but cooking with flavourful spices will give your taste buds the vacation you can’t otherwise afford. Spicy foods rev up your metabolism, too, and help shed unwanted extra holiday pounds.