During a holiday visit with – my partner’s parents…
By contributor Aemilia Madden.
Let’s list all of the things that tend to stress me out during the holiday season.
First, there’s travel – the usual traffic and airport congestion. Then, there’s the welcome but often smothering return of intimate family time. Plus, there always manages to be a last-minute work crisis which pops up amidst the cooking, gift giving, and obligatory celebrations. There’s plenty to be thankful for this time of year, but not without a hefty helping of anxiety.
This year was an especially nerve-wracking one for me, as I found myself skipping my family Thanksgiving for the first time and traveling to my partner’s parents’ house. We’ve met before and luckily get along great, but the pressure of making a good impression over the holiday kept me up in the nights leading up to the big event.
So, I decided to see if I could enlist a little help – relaxation gummies – to soothe me and assuage some of my stress. I’d tested a few before with mixed results, as I didn’t love how the ingredients made me feel. But I decided to try out Higher Dose’s Chill Chews, which boast magnesium, a natural muscle relaxer that can help to calm the body. The chews also include adaptogenic mushrooms and ashwagandha, both of which are thought to aid with stress release and relaxation. The combination was intriguing, so I figured why not give them a go.
Let’s list all of the things that tend to stress me out during the holiday season.
First, there’s travel – the usual traffic and airport congestion. Then, there’s the welcome but often smothering return of intimate family time. Plus, there always manages to be a last-minute work crisis which pops up amidst the cooking, gift giving, and obligatory celebrations. There’s plenty to be thankful for this time of year, but not without a hefty helping of anxiety.
This year was an especially nerve-wracking one for me, as I found myself skipping my family Thanksgiving for the first time and traveling to my partner’s parents’ house. We’ve met before and luckily get along great, but the pressure of making a good impression over the holiday kept me up in the nights leading up to the big event.
So, I decided to see if I could enlist a little help – relaxation gummies – to soothe me and assuage some of my stress. I’d tested a few before with mixed results, as I didn’t love how the ingredients made me feel. But I decided to try out Higher Dose’s Chill Chews, which boast magnesium, a natural muscle relaxer that can help to calm the body. The chews also include adaptogenic mushrooms and ashwagandha, both of which are thought to aid with stress release and relaxation. The combination was intriguing, so I figured why not give them a go.
Because I’m a bit of a last-minute decision maker, my gummies order wouldn’t have likely arrived at my house pre-holiday, so I made the bold decision to have the box arrive at my partner’s parents’ home instead. When we arrived, I was already feeling tense from a long, trafficky car ride, and knowing that I’d have to be “on” all evening. The package was already waiting for me, but rather than sneak it away, I decided that a little chill pill might be a welcome gift for the whole family. Bold, I know.
While I felt a bit anxious offering them up (perhaps thereby defeating their entire purpose), everyone was game to try the suggested dose of three Chill Pills after our first dinner together.
I popped open the package and doled them out. The deep purple gummies were chewy without being overly sticky or hard to bite, fruity – a bit sweet, but also earthy – but hard to pinpoint the exact flavor.
It may be unsurprising to learn that, soon after we “dosed,” a collective round of yawns ensued. We put away the games and dessert and decided that we were all blissed out enough to head for bed. Personally, I fell asleep quickly and deeply (which isn’t my usual, unfortunately).
The following morning, the family convened, with my partner’s dad making the gummies his first topic of conversation. He eagerly chatted about how deeply he’d slept, experiencing especially vivid dreams, and wanted to know if we’d had the same. I had a hazy memory of a dream or two, but overall felt more as if I’d awoken not only refreshed but also without feeling the stress or anxiety of the day ahead hanging over me.
As it turns out, it's much easier to spread holiday cheer when you’re actually calm and cheerful yourself.
While I felt a bit anxious offering them up (perhaps thereby defeating their entire purpose), everyone was game to try the suggested dose of three Chill Pills after our first dinner together.
I popped open the package and doled them out. The deep purple gummies were chewy without being overly sticky or hard to bite, fruity – a bit sweet, but also earthy – but hard to pinpoint the exact flavor.
It may be unsurprising to learn that, soon after we “dosed,” a collective round of yawns ensued. We put away the games and dessert and decided that we were all blissed out enough to head for bed. Personally, I fell asleep quickly and deeply (which isn’t my usual, unfortunately).
The following morning, the family convened, with my partner’s dad making the gummies his first topic of conversation. He eagerly chatted about how deeply he’d slept, experiencing especially vivid dreams, and wanted to know if we’d had the same. I had a hazy memory of a dream or two, but overall felt more as if I’d awoken not only refreshed but also without feeling the stress or anxiety of the day ahead hanging over me.
As it turns out, it's much easier to spread holiday cheer when you’re actually calm and cheerful yourself.
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