It’s National Relaxation Day

 

 

lavender field

Did you know August 15 is National Relaxation Day? Let Delysia Chocolatier be your guide on the best ways to celebrate. Since this time of year with its back-to-school crush is anything but relaxing, take some time to take care of YOU today.

1. Visit an aquarium – without the kids. Studies show that watching fish swim has the same effect on your brain waves as taking Xanax.

2. Light some candles and take a bubble bath. Soaking in a luxurious bubble bath can melt the stress away. Scents such as lavender and vanilla can help with relaxation.

3. Speaking of lavender, the Delysia Chocolatier shop offers several lavender chocolates created with the sweet serenity of this local herb. Our lavender bark is relaxation wrapped in chocolate. And our Texas truffle collection includes our unique lavender truffle in addition to our prickly pear and sweet local honey truffles.

4. Look at photos of baby animals. Nothing will relax you and put you in a good mood than some pictures of adorable, squee-inducing, awwww-inspiring baby animals.

5. Unplug. Turn off your computer, put your phone on Do Not Disturb, ignore your TV and remember the days when you didn’t need a screen to keep you entertained.

6. Absorb your surroundings. “Mindfulness is the here-and-now approach to living that makes daily life richer and more meaningful,” says Claire Michaels Wheeler, MD, PhD, author of 10 Simple Solutions to Stress.

7. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Repeat.

8. Indulge in Chocolate. You didn’t think we would have a relaxation list and not include chocolate, did you? A 1.4 oz square of 60% dark chocolate can calm your nerves, regulate levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and stabilize metabolism.

9. Get a spa treatment. Some quality you-time while getting a manicure/pedicure/massage/facial will make you feel blissful inside and out.

10. Smile. It will not only change your mood and the moods of those around you, it can lower your heart rate. So take a deep breath, smile, and let bliss overcome you.

What are some of your favorite ways to relax?

 

Nicole Patel

Nicole Patel is the proprietor of and chocolatier for Delysia Chocolatier. In 2006 while pregnant with her first son, Nicole made a batch of chocolate truffles as holiday gifts. To the delight of friends and family, she continued to create chocolates as a way to relieve stress from her corporate engineering job. In 2008, a chance trip to Becker Vineyards led to Nicole being the first in Texas to make truffles using local wines. Within five years, what started as a hobby turned Delysia into one of the Top Ten Chocolatiers in the Americas, as selected by the International Chocolate Salon.