Go to your happy place

Nobody ever said motherhood was an easy job, but some days can be tougher than others. If you find yourself feeling stretched too thin, try some of our sanity-saving tips to rejuvenate and de-stress. Remember, no one’s happy when Mama’s not happy!

Get your namaste on

Since ancient times, people have harnessed the power of yoga to promote positive thinking, reduce stress and foster tranquility. Regular yoga practice has been proven to lower blood pressure and decrease stress hormone levels naturally. Don’t have time to join a gym? Try a mommy-and-me yoga DVD and work out on your own schedule with your baby.

Yoga for moms: The perfect stress relief >>

Make some mom friends

When you barely have time to get a shower or brush your teeth without tiny people screaming in the background, finding time for friends can feel like too much to ask. But women thrive on relationships and the validation of close friends. “When women get stressed, our instinct is often to find a friend and talk things through,” says Joan Borysenko, author of Inner Peace for Busy Women. “Both touch and talk release the hormone oxytocin, which has a profoundly calming effect on your mind and body.” Finding mom friends with kids the same age as your own can be the perfect way to add some adult time into your daily schedule. Kids play, moms chat and everyone comes home happy!

Why all moms need good mom friends >>

Discover five-minute miracles

When you are a parent to small children, the years go by fast but the days can be oh-so-long. Feeling overwhelmed? Ditch the dishes (laundry, mopping, fishing toys out of the toilet or whatever else is on your to-do list) and give yourself a quick five-minute pick-me-up.

Sometimes all it really takes is a five-minute miracle to help you kick back, take a deep breath and relax.

Take a mother’s day out

No matter how savvy you are about fitting mommy-and-me exercise, momversation, five-minute miracles and other stress-reducers into your daily life, there is simply no substitute for an occasional mom's day out. It is easy to get so wrapped up in taking care of others that we often forget to care for ourselves. Whether you choose to hire a babysitter, a mother's helper or enroll the kiddos in a regular mother’s day out program a couple times a week, remember that nurturing your own needs is a gift you can give the whole family.

Childcare solutions: What is a mother's helper? >>

More stress relief for moms

How to de-stress your stressed mom life
Mommy meltdowns: Make it up to the kids
How to sneak in a little me-time