Release Your Stress

The holidays can be joyful but often bring on stress, depression, and anxiety. Feelings of loneliness and isolation are also common as we remember those who are no longer with us. Think of all the other stressors – wrapping up work demands, running last-minute errands and shopping, dealing with heavy traffic, and lots of crowds. Add in social obligations, houseguests, and family needs, and the emotional results are intense.

Many of us feel exhausted, unable to sleep, likely irritable, and moody at this point. How can we stay calm and focused during these holidays?

• Be realistic when managing holiday stress and expectations. Make a prioritized to-do list. Often it helps to calendar everything to visualize your responsibilities in advance. Ask for help, simplify tasks, and be realistic. Don't worry if everything isn't perfect!
• Do less. Overcommitting during the holidays is easy. Choose activities and invitations most significant to you and learn to say “no” to everything else. Encourage traditions to evolve and transform as lifestyles change with family and friends.
• Shopping and gift-giving. Secret Santa gifting helps ease the need to shop for everyone. Gift cards are often the perfect gift. If you ask older family and friends, the most cherished contribution is “presence,” followed by simple handmade gifts. For those with an extensive gifting list, consider making batches of healthy cookies, cupcakes, granola mix, or seasonal fruit baskets.
• Maintain healthy habits and take care of yourself. Calendar in downtime; relax and refresh your body and mind with a soak, massage, or meditation. Get plenty of sleep. Eat well. Stay well hydrated with water and do some daily aerobic exercise. Avoid using more pharmaceuticals and drinking excessive alcohol.
• Take a walk outside. Regular walking is a natural mood enhancer. Exposure to sunlight offers a feel-good burst of serotonin to fight SAD and send the blues packing. Also, the natural rhythm of walking helps soothe the body, decrease anxiety, and improve sleep.
• Focus on small adjustments. To feel less stressed, put on some of your favorite music. Cook with more spices to trigger endorphins and uplift your spirit. Set your mobile phone on airplane mode for a couple of hours. Unplugging from the barrage of emails, texts, and phone calls can help you wrap up a project without distraction. Even taking a simple 20-minute nap can be refreshing in the middle of a long day!

Still out of sorts? Ease holiday stress with QOL:

Serenelle® melts stress, increases energy, and sharpens focus in just 40 minutes. Sensoril®, a proprietary form of the Indian herb ashwagandha, is a central component. This ingredient reduces symptoms of anxiety, irritability, fatigue, and inability to concentrate without drowsiness. The amino acid Suntheanine® L-theanine, naturally derived PharmaGABA®, a neurotransmitter; and standardized lemon balm extract is synergistic components that produce calming brain waves, improve mood, and increase mental alertness.

It’s not likely you’ll avoid all the holiday stress. But initiating healthy responses to stressors will allow joy and feelings of gratitude to infuse your festivities!