Holiday Stress Busters

The holiday season is upon us. And while it is the “most wonderful time of the year,” in many ways, it can be the most stressful time of the year. Most of us are not appropriately addressing our stress, and quite honestly, it can wreaking havoc on your body, because it ongoing stress interrupts your normal cellular functioning and places your body in a state of high alert, that while great for acute emergencies, long term makes you more susceptible to developing a variety of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and age related cognitive decline.

The most wonderful time of the year becomes challenging, for several reasons-from gift purchasing to challenging family members.  The holidays can push us over the edge and make us more susceptible.

So what do we do?

First and foremost

Get in the spirit of giving-celebrating the true meaning of the holiday season, in whatever way you deem appropriate.  When my nieces were little girls, one year I asked for their permission to buy gifts for needy children instead of buying toys for them, and they happily agreed.  It is one of my most treasured memories.

Here’s a holiday stress busters:

  1. Schedule your time
  2. Get plenty of sleep
  3. Make adjustments to your exercise program
  4. Consider nutritional support -Theanine in particular is one of the best stress disrupters available. It is an amino acid green tea extract that stops the stress response, lowers the blood pressure, and protects the nervous system, without any known side effects.
  5. Pay attention to your breathing, and use deep breathing exercises to maintain diaphragmatic breathing.
  6. Journal—take20-30 minutes a day and write about your feelings—whatever is on your mind. Doing this practice during the holiday season, while help to strengthen your immune system, reduce your stress level, and your overall health.
  7. Focus on the spiritual aspects of this season and it’s true meaning, rather than the focus on buying and
  8. Count your blessings, and practicing gratitude is one of the most powerful emotional antibodies that will protect your body.