4 Ways to Relax as a Mom

You can’t seem to catch a break when you’re a mom. Even with your hobbies and family, it never feels like downtime since there’s always something to get done or clean up. But, unfortunately, there’s no vacation when it comes to parenting and not even an early bedtime. Moms constantly must answer the call to be their child’s caretaker, mediator, teacher, chef, and entertainer. It’s a full-time job, even alongside an actual full-time job. 

While most moms wouldn’t change their situation for anything in the world, it can sometimes be exhausting. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a lot of relaxation opportunities. Taking time for yourself as a mom is essential, or you risk burning out very fast. Thankfully, there are numerous ways to relax as a mom to stay sane while keeping up with your family.

Ways to Relax as a Mom

Meditate

Overwhelming emotions are part of the human package, but that’s doubly so for moms out there. Having a child means experiencing a ton of fluctuating emotions for yourself and a little one too. Emotional labour is a huge part of motherhood. It’s normal, but it can also make relaxation a lot harder.

Meditation can help you clear your head, let go of emotions you don’t need and let your stress melt away. Meditation is wonderfully easy to do, too. All you have to do is find a comfortable place and sit quietly for five minutes. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. If you have thoughts pulling your attention away from your breathing, let them go and bring yourself back to only focusing on your breath. You can do it for five minutes, or you can do this for an hour. The longer you can meditate, the more benefits you’ll see from it. If you take any small moment of silence you find to meditate, you’ll likely feel much better much quicker. It’s simple and doesn’t need much more than dedication and quiet. 

Make time for a massage

Massages are truly magical — especially when you’re a new mom. You probably don’t have much time or money to invest in regular massages, but you can still reap the benefits of a great massage. If massages aren’t your thing, or you don’t have the time and money for regular visits to a masseuse, you can invest in something like an infrared sauna blanket and make yourself an at-home spa. Then, while the kids are at school or in bed, you can take an hour to rest your body physically. 

Massages are a great way to relax, relieve stress, reduce pain, boost your immune system and so much more. Your body is probably a lot more stressed than you realize. Try giving it the same care you give everything else in your life. 

People living in and around Canada’s Festival City like to sign up for a Thai massage near Edmonton involving stretching to improve blood circulation and relaxes muscles. Such a treatment can be a great stress relief for many moms.

Take a bath

A bath is an excellent option if you want something easy, relaxing, and low-maintenance. You don’t even have to go all out with a fancy bath mat or candles if you don’t want to — grab some bath salts, turn on some music and sink into a nice, warm bath. Baths aren’t just relaxing — they can also be great for your skin health and have been shown to reduce pain. A good soak in the tub is the perfect way to relax and unwind after a long day, especially if you have young children.

Turn off your devices and read a book

Reading is one of the best ways to relax. It’s a low-impact activity (aside from turning pages) that is incredibly easy to do one-handed while holding a baby or sipping a cup of tea. You can read while your child naps or read while they play. Reading is a great way to unwind, expand your knowledge and get lost in another world. It can be done almost anywhere — including places where you don’t have much alone time. It’s also a great way to unwind after an intense day. If you’ve been stressed out all day and feel like you can’t stop thinking about everything you must do, reading is a great way to chill out quickly.

When the world seems to move so quickly all the time, it’s hard to slow yourself down. Social media and other internet activities make that problematic. Putting down the phone in favor of a tactile, mentally stimulating activity like reading a book will boost your mental health much more than you expect.

If you’re a new mom, you may feel like you don’t have any time to yourself. But it’s essential to make time to relax, even if it’s just for a few minutes a day. It’s up to you to take care of yourself, so you can be healthy, happy and present for your family. With the list above, you have plenty of ways to relax as a mom to stay sane while keeping up with your family.