How to keep stress at bay before wedding day

NEW DELHI - The countdown to your D-day has begun, your wedding trousseau is ready and so is your date with the parlour. But if anxiety is taking over and you are losing sleep - then here is a rundown on how to cope with pre-wedding jitters!

With the wedding season about to dawn with the onset of winter in India, Noida-based yoga instructor Vineeta Gogia advises yoga to remain calm and peaceful in the run-up to the big day.

“One can try bhadrasana or the gracious pose which aids in weight loss. One should also do the hero pose to tone the legs and relax them as legs bear the maximum burnt of most activities,” Gogia told IANS.

“Or try the swastika or auspicious pose - it cuts off the blood flow to the legs and re-directs it to the brain - hence gives a calming effect,” she added.

If yoga is not your thing, then calling up your best pals for a chit-chat won’t be a bad option to start with. And if you can sneak out for a cup of coffee, even better.

If going out is an issue, put on some nice feel-good cinema or surprise your relatives with your excellent cookery skills.

As psychiatrist Sanjay Chugh puts it, there is nothing better than to stick to the day-to-day routine.

“The excitement of marriage could be overwhelming. The best way to deal with these emotions is to try to keep yourself to your routine and the general day-to-day activities. This would keep you close to the feeling of normalcy and keep your nerves calm,” Chugh said.

“In many ways, wedding marks the beginning of a new life which would have its own share of happiness, surprises and challenges. Feelings of anxiety and nervousness would be expected, for there is an element of the unknown,” he added.

Gogia suggests yogic diets that consist of a good amount of lettuce which helps in weight loss and promotes a healthy sleep pattern.

Almonds should be included in the diet as they are low in calorie and high on protein. One can also have a lot of spinach that has magnesium which controls emotional binging.

“There is a whole lot of upheaval of emotions and nerves that are inevitable during a wedding. A bride is almost on the run with parlours, last minute shopping, entertaining guests, attending functions,” Gogia said.

“As a result, she hardly gets time for herself and hence it reflects on her skin. A bride makes all efforts to look good on her D-day but what is the point if she is not glowing from within? After all, beauty lies within you,” she added.

Delhi-based yoga instructor Zubin Atre also feels the brides-to-be should focus more on their diets than spending time and money on cosmetics.

“No man would like her wife to look like a princess on the D-day and horrible the next morning when they wake up together. So one should focus on relaxing, meditation and proper diet chart much before the wedding to get the desired results,” he said.

(Shilpa Raina can be contacted at shilpa.r@ians.in)