Ways To Reduce Holiday Stress
December 15, 2008 by rainier
The holidays are often depicted as a magical time when people reconcile and dreams come true. The holidays can be fun, but they also can be a source of great stress. It is easy to get stressed out during the holiday season, especially if you try doing too many things at once and expect all of them to turn out perfect. Stress, as most of us know now, can undermine your health by making you more susceptible to illness, and so it is important to know how to minimize stress or at least learn how to handle it better.
Holiday stress is caused by heightened states of anxiety that may be caused by financial instability, busy shopping malls, time deadlines, high workloads, depression, relationships, physical demands, or family stress. Signs of holiday stress include feeling irritable, feeling overwhelmed, insomnia, weight gain, headaches, sickness and depression.
According to the American Institute of Stress, more than 110 million Americans take medication for stress related causes each week. When the holidays come along, people already predisposed to stress can find themselves feeling blue and more stressed out than usual.
For those who don’t ordinarily feel stressed under the pressure of events or deadlines, the holidays can still play havoc with our lives. So what can we do? Plan for stress, say the experts, just like you plan ahead for any calamity you want to avoid.
The good news is you don’t have to let stress ruin your holidays. Try to pinpoint what you’re anxious about. Are you feeling stressed because you’re not going to be able to fulfill your children’s gift requests? Are you and your spouse wrangling over holiday expenses? Are you feeling left out because your friends are enjoying the season and you’re not?
Start by considering your attitude. There’s no magic bullet, but your attitude can make a difference. Ask yourself: Is your situation a small, medium or large problem? How upset do you want to get over it, and for how long? Look at the possibilities around you, not the restrictions.
1)Quick Tips for Stress Reduction
# Have a positive attitude.
# Try not to worry about things out of your control.
# Problem solve with people around you. Ask them to help you alleviate stress.
# Exercise. A few extra minutes of exercise a day can benefit your overall health.
# Eat Nutritional food. Decrease the amount of fat and sugar you eat.
# Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages
# Rest. Try to get eight hours of sleep each day.
# Get a massage. A massage can be beneficial for the mind and body.
2)Try dedicating some time each day to meditate.
* Quiet place. Find a spot in your home or outside that’s quiet and removed from other distractions.
* Music. Play some quiet, mellow music that helps you relax.
* Deep, full breathing. Breathe deeply and concentrate on your breathing.
* Focus. Your mind may wander, but as it does just refocus on your breathing — this isn’t a time to sort through your thoughts, this is a time to recenter yourself and clear your mind of the daily stressors.
Take 10 minutes each day to meditate and you’ll see your stress levels reduce. Remember, exercising, eating healthfully, and getting proper amounts of sleep will also help you manage stress.
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