HEALTH & WELLBEING
REDUCING THE STRESS OF CHRISTMAS By Amanda Whitlock, Total Wellbeing Matters While Christmas is known as ‘the season to be jolly’, it’s often a significant source of stress. This year more people are saying they are feeling overwhelmed as they feel pressure to make it extra special to make up for the effects of the pandemic. In addition, a lack of time and money, worry about debt, and the pressure of buying the perfect present contribute to more stress. This leads to the Christmas holidays feeling like a long ‘to do’ list rather than a time to relax. So, try these Christmas stress-busting strategies to help make Christmas feel more fun and less of a chore. Limit spending and set a budget Being organised and realistic about your budget ensures you do not overspend. Have a conversation with your family and friends as to what the spending limit is. You might find they welcome the chance to cut their spending too! If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that relationships with friends and family are much more important than material objects. Manage expectations Everyone has an idea of the perfect Christmas, but reality often falls short of this vision. Despite well laid plans, no event ever runs effortlessly! Rather than accumulating stress along the way from any mishaps, view these as opportunities to exercise flexibility and resilience. Don’t allow the dinner being thirty minutes late, spilling food on the kitchen floor, or undercooking the sprouts to ruin your day. Just take a deep breath, laugh and move on. Don’t put yourself under pressure trying to cook a meal as detailed by
a celebrity chef with over 500 ingredients. Essentially, Christmas dinner is a Sunday roast – so cook what you and your family will enjoy. Take some time out You do not have to manage Christmas alone. Learn to delegate and ask for help in achieving some of your tasks. This will free up time for you to destress. Find something relaxing, such as reading a book, watching a Christmas film, listening to music, or having a long bath. Go for a walk One solution for holiday stress could be as simple as taking a walk. Regular exercise helps to decrease tension and boost and stabilise mood. Furthermore, exercising produces endorphins – natural painkilling chemicals that are released in the brain – that improve your ability to sleep and reduce stress. Convince the rest of the family to leave the comfort of the settee and come along on the walk with you, making the walk more fun.
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Find some joy As you decorate the tree or bake mince pies, forget all the items left on your to-do list and give yourself permission to have fun. Laughter goes a long way in the fight against stress. It lightens your mood, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and also releases endorphins. Laughter also boosts circulation, helps muscles relax, and lessens the physical symptoms that are associated with stress. Merry Christmas everyone!
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