Nobody wants to spend their holidays stressed out and in a scrooge of a mood.
Stress sucks, obviously.
I’m just putting that out there.
We all know we can use fitness or sleep to relieve stress, but over the holidays we aren’t always willing to prioritize those. So, I put together 5 surprising ways you can manage your stress that won’t take more time away from you and will allow you to enjoy your holidays. Sound good? Awesome.
5 Surprising Ways to Manage Stress
| The truth about holiday stress |
Holiday stress can easily turn you into a scrooge because it:
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- Affects your mood – and not in a good way
- Strips you of your energy
- Makes you susceptible to sickness
Really, who wants to spend the holidays miserable, fatigued and down with the flu? Absolutely no one.
| Are you stressed? |
Stress can be hard to diagnose. If I’m being completely honest, you’re probably stressed because 47% of Americans are. Stress can show itself in many forms:
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- Mentally it can show through:
- brain fog
- lack of concentration
- poor memory
- forgetfulness
- Emotionally it can show through:
- cravings
- moodiness
- irritability
- depression
- anxiety
- Physically it can show through:
- headaches
- trouble sleeping
- lack of energy (fatigue)
- cravings
- Mentally it can show through:
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- Change your expectations. I’m talking your expectations of yourself, others and the holidays. Better yet, don’t have any expectations at all and just enjoy each moment as it comes.
- Say “no” and stick to it. Create boundaries and don’t budge. It will be hard at first and people may not like you for it – but only you know what’s best for you and the family. No apologies.
- Do less and be okay with it. We do too much, period. Let it go! We tend to outdo ourselves each year and it’s not necessary. There is nothing wrong with doing less.
- Delegate away. You have family and friends who can all help out. All the things you aren’t willing to let go of … delegate!
- Relax. Messy house? Missed some holiday baking? Can’t do it all for the big meal? Forgot about Christmas cards? That’s okay, the holidays will still go on. Relax and enjoy the rest.
Stress is really a matter of perception. Change your perception of the event, and your body will change it’s response.
Exercise, sleep and good nutrition will all help your body manage stress, but those 5 tips will help you change the lifestyle factors that allow the stress to become an issue.
