Post-Holiday De-Stressing Tips

Beat those post-holiday blues by cooking up a hearty and delicious soup that is loaded with fresh, healthy vegetables.

Try this recipe for Quick Minestrone Soup from Epicurious.com and make it your own by experimenting with your favorite vegetables.

Or go for your own tried-and-tested recipe for mac and cheese or a chili-busting beef stew.

Create an At-Home Spa

Soak your way to relaxation and transform your bathtub into a private oasis. Soaking in rose petal-scented bath salts and rose petals can make bath time feel like therapy.

Try this Modern Rose Spa Set for a complete treat.

Just dissolve bath salts in running water, put on some soft music, sit back and let the suds unravel the strains of the day. Afterwards, wrap yourself in your largest, softest towel you have for that soothing spa-like feeling.

Take a Beauty Break

Sometimes all you need to re-energize after a stressful week (or two) is some beauty sleep. For a quality snooze, minimize light, noise and temperature extremes-make sure your bedroom is comfortably cool, about 68 degrees.

Invest in a good pillow to keep the stress out of your neck. Try a Tempur-Pedic pillow, which is made of pressure-relieving material.

Relax and Renew

Experts (and thousands of yoga fans) say that the supported poses and breathing practices of yoga can help heal the effects of stress. Grab a friend and check out classes in your area or try some simple yoga exercises at home.

Tara Fraser's A Step-By-Step Guide to Yoga at Home for Everybody is an excellent introduction to yoga and offers meditation tips and easy-to-follow sequences-including one for early morning energizing.