x
Site Logo

Tag: compression boots

Mini Pause #48: Deload & Rest: Why & How to Do It

Posted on by stephanie-estima

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

There are many types of rest, all of which make us better, stronger, happier, and more resilient. Give yourself permission to rest.

WHY

I often conflate rest and recovery with laziness and failure. It is an ongoing battle that I am actively unwinding and examining in my life.

I, perhaps like you, have to remind myself that the pernicious lie women often bump up against is that if we are not productive, we are engaging in the slovenly sin of being a sloth. That our worth is intrinsically tied to our productivity. For someone who is used to pushing the finite limits of her matter, it can be hard to slow down, breathe, and recover.

I was recently reminded of this last week when I took three solid days off from the gym and off all activities other than walking meetings on my treadmill. I had accumulated so much fatigue (physically from the gym and a recent move), as well as emotionally, I found myself dreading the gym. And while I was there, I wasn’t able to hit the same weights and intensity that I’m used to.

I also found myself avoiding conversations that had to be had and avoiding friends because it felt like there was too much turmoil for me to put on my happy and brave face.

When I finally reached out to my friend, it felt good. It felt like a relief. And I was reminded of how, when you have the right company, they WANT to help you. It is an honor for them, in the same way, it is an honor for me to help when I’m asked. I’m also happy to report that when I did come back to the gym, my PRs were non-stop on every single exercise.

While I still know I have a residual allergy to resting, I, like you, am a work in progress. Striving for better than yesterday. And rest is an integral part of that.

WHAT

Physical fatigue is a natural consequence of consistent and regular training. We accumulate physical fatigue every time we hit the gym. We wait a few days for the soreness to subside, and then we go at it again. After several weeks of intense training approximating failure, all of us will accumulate fatigue that our bodies cannot clear at the same rate.

Several factors are at play here: weeks or months of intense training ramps up cortisol, downregulates testosterone, degrades the quality of your workouts, and increases the potential for injury.

I find most women hit this need for physical rest between the 8-12 week mark of training.

There are several ways to deload that I talked about in Mini Pause #18. Today, I want to also offer a few ways rest can dramatically benefit your physical, mental, and emotional self.

HOW

Take a partial or full break from your normal exercise habits. For me, this looks like decreasing (or eliminating) the volume at the gym for three days during one week every 12 weeks or so.

Other ways you can amplify physical rest and fatigue are by:

  • Getting extra sleep
  • Sauna therapy 
  • Cold water immersion
  • Breathing techniques & breathwork
  • Meditation
  • Compression boots
  • Walking
  • Chiropractic adjustments

SENSORY REST

This is a break from the things that thwart your senses (hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting) on a daily basis.

For your eyes:

  • Switching off from social media for a few days
  • Dimming overhead lights at sunset and keeping them off
  • Closing and refraining from texting and group chats

For your ears:

  • Eliminating background noises
  • Driving in the car in silence
  • Wearing earplugs in public
  • Taking a break from AirPods/music

For your nose:

  • Throwing out all candles in the home (and let’s just pinky promise to never buy more)
  • Opening up windows and doors to freshen up our indoor spaces
  • Having plants that clean the air (I love spider plants)
  • An air purifying unit running constantly in the bedroom or kitchen area
  • A lavender spray for your bedsheets
  • Mouth taping to encourage nasal breathing overnight

SOCIAL REST

Social rest can mean either a break from social engagements like social media or carving out time to spend with those who charge up your batteries. These are the people that make you feel seen, heard, and understood. The other thing this entails is actively removing or avoiding those who do not. (Spending time with and playing with animals also is a wonderful way to rest from human interaction.)

For me, this meant admitting to a friend that I was being reclusive and relying on old code (retraction) when I was feeling overwhelmed.

EMOTIONAL REST

Sometimes, we shove our emotions deep inside us and lock them away, foolishly thinking they don't impact our present-day thinking and behaviors. Or we rely on old coding and old strategies based on old patterns to get us through who we are today.

Emotions are the stamps on our experience–in the present and often colored in from past lived experiences as well. As scary as it might feel to open that pandora’s box, sometimes we need to be the witness to our own pain, angst, and interpretations.

I often find making sense of my emotions and witnessing them helps me make sense of who I am and gain clarity on what is important to me. There are several ways to connect with your emotions, including:

  • Journaling
  • Crying
  • Shaking
  • Supervised psychedelic therapy
  • Therapy
  • Dancing or movement
  • Singing or humming

CREATIVE REST

For all you Boardroom Bettys tasked with problem-solving, this can be very analytical and left-brained. Creative rest means stepping away from the problem and your daily grind.

  • Get out in nature and engage in the natural world.
  • Go for a walk.
  • Travel (this can be a nearby weekend escape or getting on a plane to a further destination).
  • Be playful. How can you curate awe and wonder in your life today? Can you dance? Sing? Play with your kids or go to an animal shelter and play with some puppies?
  • Visit a museum and look at art.
  • Find pictures of places and landscapes you love.
  • Draw or doodle.
  • Try something kinesthetic like baking, pottery, or painting.
  • Dream about your desires.

MENTAL & SPIRITUAL REST

Sometimes, what you need is an analog reset. Your brain needs quiet and the ability to wander. Here are some simple examples:

  • Turn off the radio or music when driving.
  • Sit in silence with a cozy blanket, close your eyes, and hone in on the rise and fall of your belly.
  • Listen to hymns or music without words. (I’ve recently been enchanted with music at 963Hz, often dubbed “the God frequency” or “healing frequency.”)
  • Try Yoga Nidra.
  • Do something repetitive and cathartic (that doesn’t take up brain space), like laundry or tidying up.
  • Express gratitude for what you have now (that’s easy to overlook).
  • Hum to entrain the parasympathetic nervous system.

NOW

Choose just one of the above that speaks to you. Plan for it in the next month–actually put it on your calendar–ideally over the holidays or as work winds down for the year.

You already know which one you need. Go with your intuition and let it be easy.

What I Recommend

Mentioned in Today's Article

Sauna

  • Sunlighten: Fully integrated red light and infrared light models for your home. Click here and use code DRSTEPHANIE for an exclusive discount.
  • BON CHARGE: A space-saving and portable sauna blanket. Click here to get 25% holiday savings for a limited time. Discount auto-applied.

Cold Water Immersion

  • Coldture: Cold water plunging improves both muscle recovery and performance. Click here and use code DRSTEPHANIE to get exclusive holiday savings on a cold plunge tub bundle.

Compression

  • Rapid Reboot: Pneumatic compression boots are a must-have for your recovery practice. Click here and use code DRSTEPHANIE to get an exclusive discount.

Clean Air

  • Jaspr: A sleek in-home unit featuring commercial-quality HEPA filtration and real-time air quality monitoring. Click here and use code DRSTEPHANIE to get an exclusive discount.

Gift of Health Guide

You’ll find special discounts on products that support and improve your health, your fitness goals, your recovery practice, and your skin health. Start Gifting!

Now Open: EVEN BETTER! Premium Membership Subscription

Don’t Miss Out! Founding member pricing–monthly, annual, or lifetime options–will end December 31.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Here’s what’s new for members this week:

  • The December SOLO episode went live on Wednesday with Dr. Stephanie discussing the recent study on Ozempic and GLP-1 agonists, focusing on their effects on heart tissue and muscle mass. This short dark-roast episode explores the balance between short-term benefits and potential long-term health risks, particularly regarding cardiac health and muscle loss.
  • The members-only podcast (ad-free & early release) with Tamsen Fadal, went live on Friday. The episode gets into the pivotal changes her documentary, “The M Factor,” and her upcoming book, “How to Menopause,” are making and her goal to shred the silence about women’s real experiences of menopause. You’ll also hear Dr. Stephanie’s new end-of-show commentary that’s exclusive to members!

EVEN BETTER! benefits for you:

  • Early and ad-free access to the weekly BETTER! podcasts.
  • Private “Ask Me Anything” episodes based on member questions. (Special Live AMA event Dec. 10! Register here.)
  • Surprise guests and solo shows only for members.
  • My insights from the guest discussion coupled with recommendations you can use to build habits and routines that support your goals.
  • Downloadable action guides. Coming Soon!
  • Bonus content beyond the podcast episodes.
  • Exclusive discounts for brands I love.
  • Being part of a community with like-minded Bettys!

Mini Pause #43: Stressed? How to Calm, Soothe, and Find Peace

Posted on by stephanie-estima

Call on the All-Loving Mother Within You

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

There’s distress (GAH) and then there’s eustress (Ahhh). In perimenopause, you’re going to experience both. Call upon the gentle mother within you to calm, soothe, and reach for what you need in each moment. Your nervous system will thank you.

WHY

In the tangled web of perimenopause and the relentless tide of to-do lists, sleep becomes an elusive dream that gives rise to weary, brain-foggy days.

The neverending waves of worry and angst occupy your mind, with racing thoughts governed by wild hormones, overturning your desire to embrace the fleeting present moment.

Ah, perimenopause. What a trip.

WHAT

Stress can be a good thing. Exercise, sauna therapy, cold plunges, compression boots, and red light therapy–these are all examples of eustressors. They elevate and anoint the body to heal, adapt, and recover. (I share my top choices with you in “What I Recommend” below.)

But there is also the repugnant, slow poison stress that can seep into every cell in your body, slowly turning the most robust of colors into muted grays. The seemingly never-ending storm that drowns out your desire to live life on your terms. A vice that tightens its grip on the throat, heart, and chest, and ends up choking out your joy, happiness, and peace.

Welcome to your chronically dysregulated nervous system.

You can have two responses to chronic stress:

  • The fight or flight response, where you might avoid a situation entirely or cause chaos and fiery arguments because you feel overwhelmed, cornered, and locked in; or,
  • The freeze pathway, where you feel numb, disassociated, and muted.

HOW

The first step is to recognize this is happening and acknowledge that you may be struggling. This is the time to be gentle with yourself.

The second step is figuring out what you need to do for yourself at this moment. Whatever you choose doesn't need to fix the problem. It just needs to be something that responds appropriately to your immediate needs.

  • Is it a cup of tea?
  • A walk?
  • Reminding yourself of how far you have come?
  • Getting some sunshine on your face?
  • Taking a few deep cleansing breaths?
  • Gratitude for what you have survived and gotten through?

NOW

Go ahead and choose one of the above (or another similar activity that dependably brings you to a more balanced state). They all cost nothing and can do wonders for your ability to take care of yourself and respond to your own needs.

Now, imagine you are a loving, calm mother.

Imagine your baby is looking up at you with her big eyes looking for guidance, protection, and answers.

That baby is your body. Your body will find a way to do whatever you give to it.

If she is fussy and upset, maybe she needs a warm bath, followed by some fuzzy socks and a warm cup of milk.

If she is frenetic and has a lot of pent-up energy, maybe she needs a walk or a run in the park, or some time to smash weights at the gym. If she is irritated and tired, maybe she needs a nap.

You can begin to view and respond to your body cues as if you were tending to your own child who is all trusting, innocent, and dependent on you.

And in so caring for her gently, she may begin to calm down, be soothed, and finally find peace.

What I Recommend

Boost Your Stress Recovery with Minerals

When it comes to easing stress, I’m all about simple fixes. The last thing you need when you’re stressed out is another complicated addition to your day.

When we are chronically stressed, our bodies ramp up the use of minerals and vitamins to keep up with the demands of the stress response. In perimenopause, having a regular mineral supplement in your rotation will help replenish lost minerals and keep your cells running smoothly.

That’s why I depend on BEAM Minerals. Their plant-based mineral supplement is tailor-made to relieve stress—it contains every essential mineral your body needs, in the right ratios, with rapid absorption. You can literally feel it relaxing you in minutes.

If you don’t replace the minerals chronic stress is eating up, you become more vulnerable to future stress. Researchers call this the “vicious circle concept” of stress—the more challenging your life, the harder it is for your body to recover, and the worse your stress will get long-term. [*]

Replenishing your mineral stores gives your body the tools to fight back. Minerals in the right ratio increase your stress tolerance, speed recovery from stress, and help you reach a state of balance, breaking that cycle so you can feel good again.

Best of all, BEAM makes things easy. All you do is take a shot of mineral-rich liquid each morning, which tastes like water and boosts your stress resilience.

It’s one of my secret weapons for staying calm and collected when life gets hard. And no matter how busy you are, I KNOW you’ve got 30 seconds in your day to down a shot of liquid minerals.

If you want (or need!) a little extra stress recovery, try BEAM Minerals, especially the Advanced Electrolyte & Micronutrient Support set. Use code BETTER at checkout to get 20% off your first order.

My Go-To Eustress Choices

SAUNA: When I got a sauna this year, I admit I was surprised and how quickly I experienced the benefits. Beyond recovery, just taking the time to sit with my thoughts and assess my day (noticing and naming the stressors) have made a difference in how I frame my needs and my time. Infrared and red light work with the body to improve mitochondrial function, too. While I knew that, I’ve been getting a solid energy boost energy with consistent sauna use–and more energy helps everything.You can start with shorter sessions of 10-15 minutes and work up to 30-45 over time.

  • Click here to get use tips and check out the Sunlighten sauna styles. Use code DRSTEPHANIE to get an exclusive discount.

RED LIGHT THERAPY: I also got serious about red light this year for recovery. The bonus side effect has been stress relief. To lay on the PEMF mat, I have to slow down. To get the full effects of the sauna blanket (yes, some days I swap), I have to be still.

  • Click here for details on the BON CHARGE red light therapy collection and use code DRSTEPHANIE to get 15% off.

COLD PLUNGE: If peri or meno is causing restless nights filled with a whirring brain or a misfiring thermal system, or your recovery is stalled, or if you have that feeling of just being off, cold therapy can help. And don’t make it hard. Start with 3x a week, 3-4 minutes per session. That’s it! And you don’t have to get as cold as the guys, either: 10C-16C / 50F-60F is adequate. Stay in until you elicit a shiver response. (If you can only do 1-2 minutes at first, that’s ok, too. It’s not another competition.)

  • Click here to learn about Coldture tub and barrel choices. Use code DRSTEPHANIE to get an exclusive discount.

COMPRESSION: Post-workout compression does wonders for inflammation and muscle soreness. And when you lower your inflammation and pain, your stress levels go down.

  • Click here to learn about the many benefits of Rapid Reboot and use code DRSTEPHANIE to save 10%.

INSIDER STRESS-LESS TIP: It’s getting close to the holidays when you’re likely focused on your family and friends. I encourage you to take a few minutes to look into any of the eustress products I’ve mentioned above and save this Mini Pause edition. Or, click the links and plunk something in your cart for later. Some terrific holiday deals are coming your way, which means you can put the spotlight on yourself!

  • Be looking for our digital Gift of Health Guide 2024 and a robust list of the best holiday specials from our partners coming to you via email and Mini Pause in November!

Now Open: EVEN BETTER! Premium Membership Subscription

Want in? Check out all the benefits of being a member:

  • Early and ad-free access to the weekly Better! podcasts.
  • Private “Ask Me Anything” episodes based on member questions. (Note: The Mini Pause Question of the Week Section has been sunset. You’re invited to join the Premium Membership for access to Q&A opportunities & episodes. )
  • Surprise guests and solo shows only for members.
  • My insights from the guest discussion coupled with recommendations you can use to build habits and routines that support your goals.
  • Downloadable action guides. Coming Soon!
  • Bonus content beyond the podcast episodes.
  • Exclusive discounts for brands I love.
  • Being a part of a community with like-minded Bettys!

Subscribe HERE to find several introductory membership options to fit your budget.

Mini Pause #42: Push. Pause. Repeat. Then Add in Recovery.

Posted on by stephanie-estima

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

Less pushing. More pausing.
Like, in perimenopause. The recovery is literally baked into this time of your life!

WHY

Maturing in life is realizing that, as women, we are not meant to push ourselves off a cliff with our to-do lists or productivity binders, or that we have to hustle and hack and grind our way to success.

Maturing in the gym means knowing when to step back and allow your body to catch up to the physical asks you have been making of her.

If big juicy glutes and delts to match are your goals, you can’t be pounding them into submission to grow. You have to love them hard and then love them hard while you pause.

Push. Pause.
Push. Pause.

So many of us are GREAT at pushing and TERRIBLE at pausing.

It’s a Type A problem. I lovingly call us the Boardroom Bettys. We are the insecure, anxious overachievers who need to learn when to take a day off without letting our inner taskmaster tell us we are failures and losers for resting.

You know who you are, BB. It’s ok. I’m you, too.

We go to the gym and go to town on ourselves even when we don’t feel like it. We work out hard to tell ourselves we did a good job and that we won’t be one of “those” women who let themselves go in midlife.

Boardroom Bettys are walking anxiety disorders with a bias for extreme productivity, organizing, and culturally deemed versions of success. You wake up each morning already feeling like you are falling behind with every minute you “waste” getting yourself ready to start your day. If you wake up 15 minutes behind today you better find ways to “make it up.”

You go through your day with an arbitrary minimum level of to-dos checked and minimum viable productivity output. And If you don’t complete it all, you berate yourself into doing more later, tomorrow, or this week.

And while you might be super successful in the ways you have deemed important (career, kids, marriage, home, lifestyle), I’m willing to bet you’re also on some sliding scale of burnt out and resentful.

Is this something you’ll ever shake?
Maybe.
Maybe not.

What I can tell you is that no one is going to give you a medal for beating yourself into the ground, pummeling your esteem, and working yourself (literally) to death.

No medal, BB.
Not even a participation ribbon.

So, without medals or participation ribbons, I’m going to speak to your brain (logic) and your heart (love) about why you need to prioritize recovery.

WHAT

Recovery from the gym is sometimes easier to understand than recovery from life so we’ll start there and draw parallels to why this is important in all verticals of your life. (When I say “gym,” this can mean wherever you do your movement/fitness.)

You have a mother of a workout. You were squatting like it's hot, your inner quadzilla was released for all to see, and the glutes? Well, those glutes were gluting.

You wrap up a great workout. Have a protein shake and do it again tomorrow, right?

Wrong.

It’s now time to pause. What we do in the hours and even days following this will help our bodies adapt to the stimulus so we can reach a new level of adaptation, muscle growth, and strength.

I have spoken about heat immediately following a workout as a way to enhance further muscle protein synthesis. Many gyms now have saunas right in their changerooms and it’s a wonderful way to accentuate more muscle growth through heat shock proteins. To hear more about this, check out this podcast I did on sauna therapy.

Cold water immersion is another important tool as it helps with recovery from intense exercise, reduces inflammation in the body, helps to improve muscle endurance and power, and of course, has some promising effects on the appearance of cellulite.

You don’t want to do cold water immersion daily, and not immediately following an intense workout. You can either do cold water immersion before an intense workout, or at least four hours after the workout. I am in the cold plunge three times a week, usually the day after leg day.

One last item for workout recovery is compression therapy. You’ve likely seen hockey players, soccer players, and any elite athlete where there is a big demand on the legs use these. They are big leg boots that you wrap your legs in and set a certain amount of compression to massage your legs.

There are numerous benefits to compression therapy, especially as it relates to recovery:

  • Increases blood flow
  • Improves lymphatic drainage
  • Initiates release of metabolic waste in muscles
  • Faster recovery from workout (and hence getting back to the gym faster)
  • Increases flexibility and mobility
  • Decreases muscle pain and DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness)
  • Reduces edema/swelling
  • Prevents varicose veins and blood clots
  • Relieves feeling of heaviness

After a big workout, fatigue often sets in along with stiffness and possibly pain. Compression boots gently squeeze the entire foot and leg, enriching the areas with fresh blood making it an ideal therapy for athletic recovery and injury prevention.

So how does this relate to recovery from your life, you ask?

HOW

If you can recognize that the body requires time to slow down and recover from the stress you place it under, it isn’t that big of a stretch to understand that you can get overwhelmed with the demands life sometimes places on you and the need for repose and pause.

Right?

Working yourself to the bone in life is just going to slow down your productivity. In the same way that squatting every day would be the worst idea on the planet. Not giving yourself enough downtime in between sets (or more broadly, the sets of life) is going to make you (gasp!) even LESS productive.

When it comes to muscle hypertrophy, it doesn't happen just by lifting weights. It is a thoughtful combination of the stimulus, recovery habits, and time away from the gym.

In life outside the gym, the same rules apply. We can dance with stress, but then we need to know when to break, pause, and when to get back to it.

For me, here are a few recovery habits I practice daily:

  • On the weekends, I sleep in. My kids can figure out their own breakfast.
  • On weekdays, I take my time in the mornings and listen to the leaves rustle and the birds chirp while I’m either walking or sipping a coffee outside.
  • When my kids have late-night soccer practice, I carpool with other parents where I take the early shift so I’m not up too late.
  • I walk a lot. All of my meetings that are not podcast recordings are done on my walking treadmill under my desk. (There are many quality, affordable models available.)
  • I use sauna and cold water immersion weekly. (More info in “What I Recommend” below. Use code DRSTEPHANIE for a discount.)
  • I use compression boots almost daily. (More info in “What I Recommend” below. Use code DRSTEPHANIE for a discount.)

This is what makes me happy.

You, too, can ask for what you want and design the life you want right now.

NOW

Take stock of your life and ask yourself:

  • Where are the acute stressors and where are the chronic stressors?
  • Are there conversations you are avoiding?
  • Are there behaviors or activities you are engaging in because you feel obligated to do so?
  • Where are the moments of proactive joy and peace in your life?
  • What makes you take delight in your daily life?
  • Is there one thing you can implement immediately today to make you feel calmer, more centered, or more grateful?

Stress is a good thing, as long as you know when to lift it up and when to set it down. It's like a weighted backpack: it’s good for you, but understand that you don't always need to be carrying a load on your back to progress.

What I Recommend: Compression & Cold for Your Recovery Practice

Recovery is essential to ensure every aspect of your well-being receives the attention it deserves. Whether you're managing the challenges of transitioning through life's stages or simply seeking to optimize your fitness routine, recovery plays a crucial role in supporting your goals.

RAPID REBOOT: Compression therapy benefits are many, as I mentioned in my main article. In particular, I’ve found that after workouts Rapid Reboot compression boots alleviate muscle soreness, swelling, and inflammation. They support quicker recovery time and reduce discomfort.

It does this by using pneumatic compression to simulate the benefits of a natural muscle pump, which enhances the removal of metabolic waste and speeds up the delivery of oxygen-rich blood to tired muscles. This accelerates the body's natural healing process, allowing you to bounce back faster and maintain your daily activities and lifestyle.

Click HERE to explore how Rapid Reboot's innovative recovery system can integrate seamlessly into your wellness routine. Use code DRSTEPHANIE to save 10%.

COLDTURE: Introducing cold water immersion therapy into my routine this year with a Coldture tub has helped not only with recovery, but also with my sleep, mental clarity, and overall energy.

  • Cold plunging regulates my body temperature and calms my nervous system, and it’s made a positive impact on the quality of my sleep so I wake up feeling truly rested.
  • Cold plunging makes me feel sharper and more focused. It’s like hitting a reset button for my mind.
  • Cold plunging gives me a natural energy boost and helps manage my cortisol levels, which has been a lifesaver in keeping my emotions balanced throughout the day.
Coldture offers a 30-day risk-free trial. Click HERE to learn more and use code DRSTEPHANIE to save $200. I’m excited for you to experience the benefits of cold plunge, too!

Now Open: EVEN BETTER! Premium Membership Subscription

Members have immediate access to numerous content pieces, with more coming online. The membership benefits were designed with input and insights from my community of women. Here's what you'll find within the membership:

  • Early and ad-free access to the weekly Better! podcasts.
  • A downloadable action guide for each podcast episode: Coming Soon!
  • Private “Ask Me Anything” episodes based on member questions. (Note: The Mini Pause Question of the Week Section has been sunset. You’re invited to join the Premium Membership for access to Q&A opportunities & episodes. )
  • Surprise guests and solo shows only for members.
  • My insights from the guest discussion coupled with recommendations you can use to build habits and routines that support your goals.
  • Bonus content beyond the podcast episodes.
  • Exclusive discounts for brands I love.
  • Being a part of a community with like-minded Bettys!

Subscribe HERE to find several introductory membership options to fit your budget.