Tips & Tricks to Cope with Stress During the Holidays
December can be a chaotic time of the year for several reasons and for many people.
There is something about the end of year, that makes everything more intense and overwhelming. It's filled with numerous stress factors like work deadlines, school deadlines, unachieved goals from the start of the year and so on. Many people feel the excitement of Christmas or a New Year coming around but also can struggle with processing the past year and everything they have experienced.
Overall, December can be a very hectic and stressful time for many people. Here are some stress relief coping mechanisms which can help you make it through this holiday season:
Exercise
this can vary between intense workouts , a light walk , a speed walk and weight lifting. Most important thing is to listen to your body! Pushing your limits is great but when done excessively can do a lot of damage to your body. Physical activity releases endorphins in your body which are feel-good chemicals/neurotransmitters. (Edenfield., & Blumenthal,. 2011).
Journaling
is a very effective method to help one cope with stress. Many studies have shown the benefits of journaling and the various journaling techniques. Here are some forms which may benefit you. (Flinchbaugh, Moore, Chang, & May, 2012)
Brain dumping : just writing down everything that comes to your mind. This acts as a way to release all your thoughts.
Positive vs negative writing : For this, you would split your page in two different columns. First one writes down all your thoughts that are negative and then on the column beside it, turn those negative thoughts into positive ones.
Stress lists : make a list of every single thing in your brain that is stressing you out and then beside it write down how you can deal with the stress. This doesn't mean you have to deal with that item in this very moment but rather only hypothetically. This helps it get out of your brain and onto paper – it also helps validate it.
Idea organizing : write your name in the middle of your page and then draw lines to different things that are on your mind and then expand on them as you write them down. (creating a spider web - a different way of viewing your thoughts/stresses).
Affirmation journaling : pick an affirmation statement which you want to be true about yourself. Write it 10 times in your journal while repeating it in your head while you are writing.
Gratitude journaling : writing a list of things you're grateful for, forces your brain to concentrate and think of things which you are thankful for rather than the things that are stressing you out.
Yoga
In recent years, there has been an increase in research allocated to yoga and stress management. Research has shown that yoga actually helps to reduce cortisol production- which is the hormone associated with stress. (Riley & Park, 2015)
Eating Healthy & Well
Ha! Believe it or not but what you eat actually affects the chemical processes in your brain. You can eat food with GABA precursors in it. GABA is the chemical in that brain which inhibits neuronal activity. When GABA is activated, stress is reduced as there are less messages being transmitted. Stress/anxiety in the brain is processed as an access of messages. Some foods are : chicken , fish , eggs , beans , beets , cabbage , parsley, papaya , brussels sprouts , kale , fermented foods ( pickles , cabbage, olives etc) , miso .. and many more. You can also buy GABA supplements which can help reduce stress response. (Gómez-Pinilla,2008)
Work – Life Balance
Knowing when to work and when you need a day off, that’s self care! It is okay to take a break. We are humans, we weren’t made to be constantly stimulated or constantly doing things/working or using our brains.
Sleep
Sleep allows your brain and body to rest which can ensure proper function when you are awake.
Take an epsom salt bath : epsom salt contains magnesium which is a natural muscle relaxant. It is relaxing. Epsom salt contains magnesium which is a mineral that reduces swelling, inflammation and stiff joints. When sitting in a bath with epsom salt not only does it relax you but can help you also take the time for yourself.(King, Mainous, Geesey, & Woolson, 2005)
Mindfulness
Is the awareness of one's thoughts, feelings, bodily sensation and environments through a gentle, nurturing and accepting lens. Accepting your thoughts and feelings instead of resisting them. Concentrating on the present moment instead of letting yourself wander to the past or future. (Parsons, Crane, Parsons, Fjorback, & Kuyken, 2017)
Breathing Techniques
Counting to 3 , 5 or 10 during each inhale / exhale. This is just one of many breathing techniques which exist. Research has shown that deep breathing has an impact on heart rate and salivary cortisol levels. Following deep breathing techniques, participants have shown a decrease in both of these biomarkers. (Perciavalle et al., 2017)
Creative Expression
Creating art pieces which ever way make you feel good. This could be in the form of abstract painting/drawing/sketching/mixed media. Using different colours/shapes/textures to express your feelings/emotions. Art therapy has been around for many years now and has shown great benefits for reducing cortisol levels and allowing individuals to feel liberated through their art process. (Visnola, Sprūdža, Ārija Baķe, & Piķe, 2010)
Experiencing stress is normal at moderate levels.
During different seasons people can experience different levels of stress. Do not hesitate to reach out for support during these stressful times when needed. This list is not limited and there are many other ways stress can be managed. If you have any questions about any of the techniques mentioned above, please feel free to contact us.
References
Chong, Cecilia S M. “Effects of Yoga on Stress Management in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review.” Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 17.1 (2011): n. pag. Web.
Edenfield, T. M., & Blumenthal, J. A. (2011). Exercise and stress reduction. In R. J. Contrada & A. Baum (Eds.), The handbook of stress science: Biology, psychology, and health (p. 301–319). Springer Publishing Company
Flinchbaugh, C. L., Moore, E. W. G., Chang, Y. K., & May, D. R. (2012). Student Well-Being Interventions. Journal of Management Education, 36(2), 191–219. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562911430062
Gómez-Pinilla, F. Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nat Rev Neurosci 9, 568–578 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2421
King, D. E., Mainous, A. G., Geesey, M. E., & Woolson, R. F. (2005). Dietary magnesium and C-reactive protein levels. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 24(3), 166–171. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2005.10719461
Parsons, C. E., Crane, C., Parsons, L. J., Fjorback, L. O., & Kuyken, W. (2017). Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress
Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants’ mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 95, 29–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2017.05.004
Perciavalle, V., Blandini, M., Fecarotta, P., Buscemi, A., Di Corrado, D., Bertolo, L., … Coco, M. (2017). The role of deep breathing on stress. Neurological Sciences, 38(3), 451–458. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-016-2790-8
Riley, K. E., & Park, C. L. (2015). How does yoga reduce stress? A systematic review of mechanisms of change and guide to future inquiry. Health Psychology Review, 9(3), 379–396. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2014.981778
Visnola, D., Sprūdža, D., Ārija Baķe, M., & Piķe, A. (2010). Effects of art therapy on stress and anxiety of employees. Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences., 64(1–2), 85–91. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10046-010-0020-y