A very merry stress-mas?
‘Twas the month before Christmas, when all through the house
Every creature was stressing – every man, woman and mouse;
The to-do lists were growing, people were flurrying in despair
In hopes that they’d be ready for Christmas to be here…
Every year Christmas seems to creep up on us just a little bit more! While full of merriment, happy memories, good food and drink, and end-of-year relief, the festive season is a stressful time for many. With gatherings to organise, menus to create, presents to plan and purchase, and holidays to organise, sometimes we might even wish for it all to be over! Sadly, stress can hijack our celebrations and make it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit, or worse cause physical symptoms like neck or back strain.
Is stress always bad?
Stress can be a positive or negative force. Short bursts of acute stress can be good for us, priming our body to react quickly in adverse situations, and sending us into ‘fight or flight’ mode. However, this becomes a problem when our body frequently goes into stress mode even when our lives are not in danger. Chronic stress can be detrimental to our health, taking a major toll on the body, mind and soul.
What happens to our body when we’re stressed?
The physical effects we experience when stressed are:
- Alarm signal – our body perceives a threat
- Brain trigger – signals reach the amygdala (the brain region that helps with decision-making and the regulation of emotions) – which alerts the hypothalamus (the section of the brain which controls hormone production)
- Hormone cascade – adrenaline and cortisol (the stress hormone) are released
- Messengers – cortisol, adrenaline and other chemicals enter our bloodstream and travel throughout our body
- The key master – cortisol fits into the proteins of each cell like a lock
- Response – cortisol boosts our sugar levels. Adrenaline increases oxygen flowing into major muscles, making the heart pound. We’re now primed for fight or flight.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s research suggests that up to 90 percent of all illness and disease is stress related. Chronic stress can lower our immunity, causing us to be more susceptible to infections. It can cause headaches, an upset stomach, skin rashes, hair loss, a racing heartbeat, back pain, muscle aches, hives, eczema, loss of libido and more. Stress can also contribute to the development of heart disease and high blood pressure.
What can we do to avoid stress?
Leading up to Christmas we may not be able to completely avoid stress, but we can learn to control our body’s stress response to prevent damage to our health and wellbeing.
Step 1: Identify stress triggers
Figure out what causes you stress. Stress can come from a variety of sources. Stressors fall into two broad categories of physiological (e.g., sleep deprivation, very cold temperatures, or illness) or psychological (e.g., change, fear, anxiety, or family issues). Stress can differ between people depending on their attitudes and interests – for example, Christmas shopping might excite and entertain you, whereas someone else may find it traumatic. It’s important to notice the things that trigger the highest levels of stress.
Step 2: Reduce or eliminate your major stressors (where possible)
It’s time to take control of the situation so as to reduce or eliminate stress completely. This may involve changing priorities or routines.
For example, if Christmas shopping is a major stress point, make a plan of attack and delegate! Make a list of recipients, present ideas, a budget and a deadline, and divide it among your partner, kids or friends – whoever wants to help! Otherwise, vouchers are always a good option.
Step 3: Get enough ‘me’ time
Many of us fall into the trap of always being on-the-go and we burn ourselves out. It’s so important to take time alone, even if it’s not for long, to unwind, relax and revive! This involves:
- Being sure to take a lunch break
- Delegating jobs to others
- Leaving time in your calendar unscheduled as ‘time off’
- Going to bed early
- Letting off steam by catching up with a friend or writing in a journal.
Looking forward – how can we keep stress to a minimum?
It’s so important to not let stress take over our lives, no matter how busy we are! To help keep stress levels at bay:
- Take breaks from known stress triggers
- Do introspective tasks like gardening, walking, or yoga, to allow time to think
- Exercise to improve mood, fitness and general wellbeing
- Research shows that adults with strong social support – people who regularly receive hugs – are less likely to succumb to the common cold
- Don’t take life too seriously! Crack a joke to boost heart rates, breath rates and oxygen consumption
- Supplement where needed – talk to our caring team in-store for natural supplements to help with stress relief.
So let’s move into this Christmas season with bells on our boots, laughter in our hearts and stress nowhere to be seen! Enjoy the festivities, cherish happy memories, and have a happy holiday with friends and family.
