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Dear
Doctor,
It’s November, and I am already feeling the pressure of
the holidays looming. What can I do
for stress?
Dear Reader,
Stress is a huge
component in today’s world, especially during the holidays. With so many things to accomplish, and
frequently other people to care for, stress during the holidays can take
much of the pleasure out of spending time with loved ones. With the holidays coming, we can easily
get caught up thinking that we need to do more, or be more, than
usual. This belief system can set
the pattern for behaviors and actions that take energy from our personal
reserves, leaving us frazzled, frustrated and fatigued. With this in mind, here are a few
suggestions aimed at decreasing stress and restoring balance at this time
of year. Many of these suggestions
can easily be incorporated into a busy lifestyle during the holidays:
- Start small and start early. If you know that you
have a lot to do coming up, make a list of tasks to be done, and then
break the tasks into smaller steps that can be accomplished a few
steps each day. This way, you
avoid tackling large tasks at the last minute that then seem
overwhelming.
- Set realistic expectations for yourself: Perhaps consider directing your attention and care into a few
details of the holiday rather than trying to accomplish
everything. Concentrating on
those aspects of the holiday which truly matter to you, and letting go
of the things you really don’t care that much about, can also help to
decrease stress. Asking
yourself the question…”will this matter a year from now”, can
often-times help to define what is really important to you, and
deserving of your attention.
- Ask for help. If you are the one
responsible for cooking the family holiday dinner, decorating the
house, or buying all of the gifts, one great idea is to ask for
help. When guests ask if they
can bring anything to dinner, say YES, and then ask them to bring
something that will help take the burden off of you, like
dessert. With the same thought
in mind, if you are finding yourself overwhelmed with decorating, ask
for help from your family. One
idea would be to share holiday house decorating parties with
friends. It is a wonderful
opportunity to share special memories about ornaments, or holiday
traditions as you and your family or friends open the storage boxes of
decorations and begin decorating.
It can be enjoyable to share memories, as well as the make the
decorating less of a burden.
Same idea goes for holiday baking; bake with a friend, or have
several friends each make a different kind of item and then share a
portion of the goodies with others.
- Set a budget:
Set a budget for yourself, both in time and money spent on the
holidays. Often, we can feel
that we are in over our head with commitments for both of these
things. By sitting down now,
and realistically budgeting your resources,
you can avoid the stress of feeling as though you need to spend more,
or do more for a happy holiday.
- Take care of yourself: When feeling
overwhelmed, or when you just need a break, consider a soothing, warm
bath with a few drops of essential oil in it. Oils to consider are lavender,
marjoram, ylang-ylang or clary sage for
rejuvenation. Make sure you set
aside plenty of time for sleep.
Remember to eat five servings of fruit and vegetables with
healthy protein each day for energy.
Drink plenty of water.
Try to avoid too many sweets and alcohol. Consider taking a break and enjoying
a soothing cup of calming herbal tea like chamomile or catnip tea, if
things in your world get hectic.
- Deep breathing: Another stress buster
is deep breathing: One exercise
is to inhale deeply to a count of 4.
Hold your breath for a count of 4. Exhale to a count of 4, and again
hold your breath for a count of 4.
Do 4 times in a row when feeling uptight.
- Relax: Take time to meditate, sit quietly,
or listen to music-even if only for a few minutes. Try this calming exercise; start by
first contracting then relaxing your muscles for a few
moments-starting with your toes and working your way up your
body. Consider yoga. Burn off stress by taking a 30
minute brisk walk each day.
Smile at yourself in the mirror. Take time to play. Remember to let laughter into your
life.
- Make time for joy. Sometimes, if our mind
is not present in the moment, but worrying or thinking about the
future and what needs to be done, we miss the joy in the moment. Joy which
can include moments when your children are building their memories of
holiday times that will be recalled and cherished in the future. Take the time, now, today, to create
those memories for yourself and for those you love. Take time and most of all, enjoy the
season.
Yellowstone Naturopathic
Clinic
720 N. 30th St.
Billings, MT 59101
PHONE 406·259·5096/FAX 406·248·5655
ync@180com.net
Dispensary
406·254·9682
dispensary@yncnaturally.com
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