How to have lower-stress holidays
Whether you adore the holidays or dread them, they are always a source of peak stress, especially for women. Magical holidays are often spearheaded by grandmothers, aunts, mothers and female friends. All the traditions and tasks are in addition to the day-to-day stress that is ever present in our lives.
From eager anticipation to a solid state of overwhelm – wherever you fall on the spectrum, holiday stress for women can look like:
Mood swings and irritability
Sleep disruptions
Headaches and body aches
Anxiety and depression
Fatigue
Weight fluctuations
And prolonged stress can even affect menstrual cycles and hormones.
But there are ways to lower your holiday stress and have a more relaxed, enjoyable season.
Get active
Get outside for a walk or a run or even get your heart pumping with some fierce workouts. The cortisol spike during intense exercise reduces the cortisol response to other stressors in life. As a bonus, exercise releases stress-busting endorphins.
Gentle exercises, such as yoga and tai chi, help combat stress by putting the nervous system into a more parasympathetic state (another way of saying to help your body decompress).
Know and respect your interaction limits
Some individuals get energy from being around other people, others can be exhausted by too much interaction with others. Know your limits and respect them to help keep stress at bay. If you’re looking forward to connecting with others during the holidays and it helps you to recharge, be sure to schedule regular interactions and activities. If you’re overstimulated by being around people for long periods of time or around large groups or people, limit those interactions and take breaks alone or in smaller groups.
It can be difficult for women in particular to ask for some space or alone time, so a polite way to let people know is simply to say, “I need a little break to recharge, I’ll be back in an hour,” or “It’s time for me to head out, I look forward to seeing you again soon.”
Choose your food and beverages carefully
The holidays can be a free-for-all for food and drinks – cookies, eggnog, cocktails, enormous meals with people encouraging second and third helpings…
Caffeine can increase stress by elevating blood pressure and stress hormone levels. And, while a small amount of alcohol can help many people feel temporarily relaxed, the holidays are often about excess and that includes drinking. Alcohol can increase anxiety and cause sleep disturbances.
Similarly with food, balanced, nourishing meals can help our bodies operate on sustained energy instead of relying on sugar spikes that come with the inevitable crashes.
Many women end up skipping meals when our lives get busy and we encounter too much stress. Skipping meals leads our body to perceive increased stress and release cortisol. This prompts the liver to release sugar into the bloodstream for a quick source of energy. Elevated cortisol can lead to persistently elevated blood sugar, weight gain and worse.
Eating balanced meals helps balance blood sugar levels and sends your body safety signals instead of stress signals. Even when your routine is disrupted it’s important to eat balanced meals on a regular schedule. Limit refined sugars, increase your intake of fiber-rich foods and stay hydrated.
Plan ahead
While it may feel overwhelming to add holiday tasks to everything else on your plate, it’s important to plan ahead as much as possible. Make lists of gifts, items you need to have on hand and anything you need to bring while visiting. This can help avoid last minute panic and stress spikes.
You can also plan your involvement in events ahead of time. If it increases your stress to be around a particular group of friends or family members, plan to be in attendance at any event with them for a certain amount of time. Mentally prepare yourself for staying only for that time period and be sure to let people know up front you will only be staying an hour (or your designated time period).
And if something is sprung on you at the last minute and you don’t have the time, bandwidth or desire to participate, remember that, “No,” is a complete sentence. There are dozens of ways to politely decline an invitation, let this be your permission to use them as you need.
Have relaxation at the ready
Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of an event or an overwhelming moment, your heart racing, your muscles tense, your mind checking out and your body just wanting an escape. Have relaxation techniques handy to help combat this acute stress response.
Put your feet on the earth to feel grounded.
Take some deep breaths.
Change your location.
Move your body.
Practice left nostril breathing.
Yogic traditions teach us that the left relates to “moon energy:” Cool, calm and reflective. The yogic practice of left nostril breathing can have a calming effect on the body. Studies have even shown alternate nostril breathing can be effective for stress and anxiety reduction.
Simply press your right thumb against your right nostril and breathe slowly and deeply through the left nostril. That’s it!
Get some sleep
Getting better sleep can lead to less anxiety and more resilience to stress. You’re probably saying, “Great, but HOW can I sleep with all the holiday tasks on my mind?” Try to maintain a consistent sleep routine, even across the holidays. This includes:
Keep the room cool.
Turn off all screens at least one hour before bedtime.
Find a bedtime routine that helps calm you.
Don’t drink caffeine after 1:00pm.
Get exercise and natural light during the day.
Jealously guard your sleep, especially during what can be the most stressful time of the year.
Don’t lose yourself in the holiday and keep yourself squarely in the equation. Remember, the holidays won’t be any less magical for others if you take an hour or two to care for yourself. In fact, self-care and rest may just make the holidays better for others as you can be fully present and relaxed during your time together.
Is prolonged stress affecting your health? If you’re located in Minnesota, schedule your free consultation with Dr. Natalia Pellegrino to discuss stress reduction techniques and strategize to mitigate potential health effects.