The winter holidays are meant to be a fun and exciting time of year, but for many they can be stressful and exhausting. If you are the organizer, the cook, have unpleasant memories associated with the holidays, or just don’t like crowds and holiday music, you might find yourself among this group. The following stress-reduction tips can help to keep you calm and happy during this frenetic season.
Take a Time Out for Yourself
Often it is not a single incident, but the accumulation of everything that makes us stressed. Create a quiet corner in your home or office for a soothing time out. When you feel things getting out of control, go to your quiet spot and spend 10 to 30 minutes meditating, just resting quietly or listening to music. For some, aromatherapy can help relieve stress. Others have specific song lists that relax them. Whatever helps you, remember to take a break.
Exercise to Wind Down
While physical exercise speeds up the heartbeat, it is also an excellent way to reduce stress. Taking the time once or twice a day for 15 to 30 minutes of mild exercise such as yoga, walking or stretching, is a good way to keep stress under control. It is also helps burn some extra calories from eating holiday goodies. Exercise your body to relax your mind, and you will find yourself feeling much better in no time.
Set Realistic Goals
If you are one of the people preparing for the holiday or hosting an event, set realistic goals for each day. Often stress occurs when we can’t finish our tasks for the day.
Setting goals that can actually be completed will prevent this type of stress. In fact, completing your tasks will give you a great sense of accomplishment. This advice is also helpful when deciding what is needed to prepare for your guests. Don’t overextend yourself.
Reward Yourself
Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back when you do something well. You deserve the praise and most likely do not remind yourself enough how well you are doing. Accept praise from others. They mean it when they tell you how accomplished you are.
Eat Healthy Meals
While it is easy to overindulge during the holidays, you will feel better if you restrict your indulgence to your favorite treats. When you maintain a healthy diet, you feel better physically which helps you stay relaxed and happy during stressful holiday preparations.
Allow Yourself to Celebrate
Just because you are preparing or hosting, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t spend time with family and friends celebrating. Allow yourself to relax and spend time with people to enjoy the events and parties all throughout the holiday season.
Supplements to Reduce Stress and Fatigue
While you can get nutrients from food, you may need some extra support for the stressful season or stressful moments. Metagenics offers several supplements that can help you reduce your stress.
NuSera® helps promote a feeling of calmness and relaxation during times of stress. Available in a chocolate-flavored chewable, this science-based formula features a clinically effective dosage of Lactium®—a bioactive decapeptide—which research suggests promotes a healthy response to stress. In clinical studies, this unique ingredient was shown to boost the body’s ability to manage stress.
Adreset® is designed to build resilience and enhance stamina in individuals who are feeling weak and fatigued due to stress. This supplement helps address feelings of physical fatigue associated with prolonged stress, features herbs that support an adaptive response to stress through their influence on the HPA axis, and features concentrated adaptogens, including ginseng root, cordyceps, and rhodiola extracts, used to address multiple body systems involved in the stress response.
Reduce stress for yourself during the holidays by learning more about these Metagenics products or by learning more about how you can encourage wellness in your entire family. Contact Dr. Kelly Austin N.D. and the Prime Wellness Team with any questions at austin.nd@gmail.com.