Managing Holiday Stress

Tis the Season, yes?  The season of love, joy, hope and peace.  The Season where we honor the spirit of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice.    Ahhh, peace on earth, goodwill to all.

But for many of us, it's also the Season of Stress Balls.  

We have so much to do ....  Gifts to buy, gifts to wrap, decorating, parties, shopping, family events, and the list goes on.  Many of us find ourselves stretched to the limit - out of time, money and patience and overstuffed with too much food and too many indulgences.  
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Yes, the stress grinch can really take a bite out of one's holiday spirit.

Usually when I talk about stress, I emphasize the difference between acute and chronic stress.  How acute stress, while intense, is also innately human - it's what we were designed to manage.  We face a danger or threat and with a burst of adrenaline, we respond.  We run for our lives and when it's over, systems return to normal.

Unfortunately, these days, many of us experience chronic stress, where we are constantly "running for our lives" - with the unfortunate consequence that the stress response is constantly upregulating through our bodies.

When you consider the daily chronic stress load that most people are carrying - perhaps up to our eyeballs - when the stress of the holiday season is poured on top, we can simply be overwhelmed.   So what can we do about it?  Well, here are a few ideas.

• Make a list of everything to be done for the holidays.  In reviewing the list, think about the activities, tasks or traditions that you truly enjoy and/or are essential for your holiday happiness.  And what can be eliminated, minimized or simplified.  Several years ago, I made what was then a hard decision to discontinue sending Christmas cards.  Do I miss it?  Yes, maybe a little bit.  But the time, money, and stress that I saved was worth it to me.  Perhaps you have every co-worker and every friend (and their children) on your gift-giving list.  Is it possible to simplify?  Try talking to your friends and seeing if a gift exchange, or celebratory dinner together could take the place of all those gifts. 

• Maybe you're thinking to yourself, um, no, I don't care to release any of my holiday traditions. In that case, if you have the means, consider getting a little help with other more day-to-day obligations, like housekeeping, shopping or cooking.  And be sure to find at least a little time to follow some of the recommendations below!

What Else Can You Do?

Whether or not you pare down your holiday whirlwind, there are still simple things that we can do to help us survive the holidays with our stress levels below the danger zone:

• Eat cleaner foods, organic if possible (and don't forget your protein)
• Say no (or at least often say no) to all the added sugary foods and processed carbs
• Reduce caffeine and avoid or limit alcohol
• Add Omega 3 rich foods like salmon to your weekly diet
• Incorporate stress reduction tools into your day-to-day life, including such things as meditation/prayer, yoga, Pilates, therapeutic massage, essential oils and gratitude journals
• Add much needed nutrients to your day:
  • Vitamin C to support your immune system.  Vitamin C is depleted quickly in times of stress
  • B Vitamins to give you energy and boost your metabolism
  • And, of course, a high quality multi-vitamin or multi-pack (see image to the right)
  • If sleep or stress issues are particularly troubling for you, reach out to me, I'm happy to help
• Strive for 8+ hours of sleep every night (set an alarm to go TO bed)

It's not just oranges... Did you know strawberries are also a good source of Vitamin C?

Designs for Health's Twice Daily Essential Packs contain Twice Daily Multi, Calcium Malate Chelate, Magnesium Malate Chelate and omega-3 fatty acids.

To Sum It All Up

As we head into the holiday season, here are my final words of advice!  Take a little bit of (very precious) time to prioritize what really matters to you this season, what makes you joyful and happy, while minimizing, eliminating, simplifying or delegating the rest.  Eat clean, healthy foods and supplement as needed.  Stay in gratitude and recognize when you are becoming overwhelmed (and get some help).  Most importantly, take time to enjoy family, friends and traditions without letting stress become the grinch that stole your holiday spirit.

Our family Christmas Tree (2013) with a wedding ornament and one of many butterflies in memory of our first-born daughter.