10 Tips for a Stress Free Holiday Season

1. Eat a Balanced Breakfast every day during the busy holiday season to manage your appetite and keep your energy up.
2. Sleep Enough each night so you'll be sure to make good decisions about what you're eating and how you're spending your time and money.
3. Put Your Well-being First by making self-care a priority. Make time daily to relax and rejuvenate so you look and feel your best.
4. Say No to commitments, events (and foods) that don't nourish you or enrich your life.
5. Go With The Flow when things don't turn out how you expect. Don't let hassles become roadblocks.
6. Cherish The Moment. Remember when you were a child and delighted in small and unexpected magical moments?
7. Smile Freely at everyone you encounter. Never underestimate the power you have to change a situation with warmth and friendliness.
8. Take A Break. There are only so many hours in the day, so put non-essentials on hold while you ramp up for the festivities.
9. Ask For Help when you need it, and return the favor when you can. That's what friends and family are for.
10. Indulge A Little. The holidays only come once a year, so give yourself permission to be joyful and have fun instead of bogged down with details and commitments.
    

Seasonal Blues

With the sudden plunge into darkness after the Daylight Savings Time changes, you might find yourself dealing with some winter blues. Do you find that you suffer from symptoms of fatigue, the blues, irritability or trouble focusing this time of year?

Well, according to the Mayo Clinic - you could be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. These symptoms may be caused by changes to your circadian rhythm due to less sunlight hours this time of year. If you feel down for days at a time and can't seem to get motivated to do activities you normally enjoy, the Mayo Clinic recommends that you go see your doctor.

For the rest of us - simply adding more light to your day, exercising regularly, managing stress, keeping up social connections, or taking a trip to a warm sunny location can make a big difference. Read specific tips on preventing and managing seasonal blues here...

The Dangers of Chronic Emotional Stress

Did you know that chronic emotional stress is dangerous for your health over time?

Our bodies have two nervous systems. The one that gets you ready to fight or flight is called the sympathetic nervous system. The other one is the parasympathetic nervous system which regulates relaxation, body repairs, and digestion. When one of the systems is engaged, the other one is not active.

According to Dr. Ben Kim, anxiety, tension, frustration, and anger set off your body's fight or flight response in the same way that running into a mountain lion would kick in your survival instincts.

So, when emotional stressors keep your sympathetic nervous system in a state of chronic stimulation, your body does not get a chance to repair itself, relax, and digest your food well to nourish the body.

This means you end up with accelerated aging and breakdown of your body's tissues over time.

The good news is that practicing deep relaxation on a regular basis can tone your parasympathetic nervous system and improve your health. Take a look here for some ideas on how to incorporate deep relaxation into your lifestyle.