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Stress-Busting Christmas

Dr Tracey Zielinski

Stress-Busting Christmas

The build-up to Christmas and its aftermath is one of the most stressful times of the year for many of us. Why is this time stressful? Simply because your stress is made up of a messy combination of all the demands and pressures you have on your plate. For many of us, the end of the year leading up to Christmas brings a whole pile of work, financial and social pressures, not to mention deciding what on earth you are going to buy Uncle Johnny this year. So, as much as you might be looking forward to your Christmas break, you might also be feeling stressed by the challenges, demands and decisions you face leading up to it.

How can I tell I’m stressed?

There are some tell-tale physical signs you are starting to feel stressed, including:

  • Feeling irritable and/or snappy
  • Tension in your neck and shoulders
  • Headaches
  • Reflux or indigestion after eating
  • Disturbed sleep
  • Struggling to concentrate or switch your mind off

If you start noticing any or all these signs, it is likely that your stress levels are building and it’s time to take action.

What’s my plan?

You know you’re stressed and you want to feel more relaxed? Well, of course you do. So, here is a simple three-step plan to help you sail through the Christmas season or anytime you feel your stress levels rising.

Step 1. Stop and Breathe

Firstly, you want to calm your body and your mind. This can easily be done by slowing your breath down and breathing deep into your diaphragm. You might try my oh-so-simple version of that technique. I call it Breathing through Your Eyes.

Firstly, take a normal breath through your nose and notice the air flows in and seems to disappear. Now try opening your eyes wide. Breathe deeply in through your nose, focusing on feeling the breath flow into your eyes. You may feel a sense of coolness or a light breeze across your eyes. You should also notice your body start to relax. Breathe slowly out through your mouth or nose as you wish.

Step 2. Pre-Planning

Let’s face it, when you have a lot going on it becomes more important to create a plan. When feeling stressed, the human tendency is to become reactive rather than proactive. You can take back control of the situation simply by pre-planning what needs to be done when.

In terms of Christmas, there are quite a few things you can pre-plan, including:

  • Presents
  • Christmas cards
  • Social and family engagements
  • Christmas day commitments
  • Work commitments before the end of the year

Step 3. Take Action

Once you have a better idea of what needs to be done and when it needs to be done, you can plan your campaign for Christmas. The more you have on your Christmas plate, so to speak, the earlier you should start taking action. Some people go so far as to buy next year’s presents in this year’s Boxing Day sales.

Planning ahead and then taking positive action will have you cruising through Christmas with a light step and a song in your heart. No stress to be seen here, thank you very much. Are you all set to enjoy a stress-free festive season and have fun with family and friends?

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