Christmas can be a particularly stressful time, especially for busy mums.

According to recent research, mums spend over 50 hours preparing for the festive season.

All the shopping, wrapping, cooking and preparation certainly takes its toll on the average woman.

A pre-Christmas survey by Opinion Matters showed that over 80 per cent of individuals say it takes a month to recover from the stress caused by Christmas!

Rather than needing a holiday after your holiday, make sure that you take some time out of your day to practise some yoga moves to ensure that you stay calm.

Triangle

This easy stance is particularly beneficial to a woman who needs an energy boost on the go.

Stand with your feet about three feet apart, left foot turned out. Extend your arms out to the sides and lean to the left, lowering your left hand to your shin and your right arm up towards the ceiling.

This should be repeated on both sides.

As this is a slow and easy pose, it should be incredibly soothing.

"Yoga looks to promote unity with body and mind, which can make our responses to the stresses around us more appropriate and leave us feeling 'grounded'," explains Charlotte Watts, a nutritional therapist, yoga teacher and co-author of The De-Stress Diet.

Relax

This position is especially beneficial to those who sit at a desk all day and suffer from stressful aches and pains.

Grab a chair (preferably not your office chair), and place your left hand or elbow on your seat for support, while reaching your right arm to the ceiling.

You can twist your body as much as you like - getting a greater stretch the more you move.

"Better posture and alignment can lead to improved circulation, digestion and hormone balance. Specifically this can help common issues like back and neck pain, headaches, clenched jaws and muscle tension, cramps and spasms," Ms Watts says.

Posted by Freya Harper