Holiday Stress Management Strategies
As Christmas approaches, many of us become filled with excitement, joy, and anticipation for the holidays. For others, this is a highly stressful and perhaps emotional time of year. Financial stress, enhanced family tension, a greater awareness of loved ones who are no longer with us, to name a few. Heightened stress levels have a negative impact on our emotional well-being along with physiological effects such as weight gain, difficulty sleeping, aggravation of current health issues, lower energy… Here are a few strategies to put into place this year to help your emotional and physical well-being.
- Create a Budget. It is all too easy to over-consume this time of year in amongst the carols blasting, bells ringing, and the buzz of frantic shoppers. Set a limit and stay within it. Itemize the people on your list and what you are able to spend. Consider homemade cards, baking, drawing for names rather than buying gifts for everyone.
- Schedule down time. The holidays can fly by with a jam-packed schedule, leaving you counting down the days until your next break. In amongst the Christmas dinners and Boxing Day shopping, schedule time to spend in your home or doing something that relaxes you. Read a good book, play board games, listen to music, or take a stroll.
- Enjoy your plans. We can think of events as things to cross off of our ‘To Do’ list, or we could enjoy the moments and quality time with our friends and family. The days will come and go, things that need to be done will get done… make an effort to take a deep breath and enjoy the Christmas ride!
- Spend time outdoors. Winter is a beautiful season, find something that you enjoy in the outdoors and take time to do it. Fresh air is cleansing and the outdoors boost your mood and immune system. Bundle up and go for a stroll, cross country skiing, snowshoeing.
Merry Christmas everyone, wishing you all a healthy, happy, holiday season.
In Health,
Dr. Karen