Keep calm and carry on this Christmas

6 simple tips to help you keep calm and carry on this Christmas

It’s meant to be ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ but the pressure of the festive season can often mean a stress overload – there’s just so much going on and so much to think about.  Read on to find out why it's important to manage your stress and what you can do to keep calm and carry on this Christmas!

Are you stressed?

Though you look forward to it all year, when Christmas finally arrives the experience can be pretty overwhelming.  Trying to get everything ready in time can be incredibly stressful – according to research, a third of women feel more stressed in December than any other month.  And no wonder – money worries, family tensions, pressure to socialise, and over-excited children on a sugar high is hardly a recipe for success, not to mention trying to get all the practical stuff done – meal planning, food shopping, ordering the turkey, buying presents, wrapping presents, making a costume for the school nativity… You get the idea.

And, if you struggle to stay at your happy weight or often turn to food as a way of coping with stress or as a reward, then being surrounded by treats and snacks over the holidays is going to make it all the more challenging.

Why you need to avoide chronic stress

Managing stress levels is important for your health in the long term because stress is implicated in so many different chronic diseases, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, depression as well gastrointestinal problems and asthma.

If you’re currently thinking ‘Of course I’m not stressed enough to be making myself ill’, don’t be fooled. Chronic stress – that’s the drip-drip-drip of everyday stress – can be as damaging as major life incident-related acute stress (such as death and divorce) so don’t wait to take action.

It’s also worth understanding that stress, and the accompanying excess cortisol, affects fat distribution by causing fat to be stored centrally around the middle. This visceral fat is hormonally active and can lead to increased inflammation, making it much harder to lose weight.

6 tips to help you manage your stress levels

So if you are relating to any of this here are my top 6 ways to help you keep calm and carry on in the run up to the festivities:

 

1) The 10-minute mind trick

Set aside 10 minutes a day for meditation. Simply sit down in a quiet room with your back supported and eyes closed.  Try to clear your mind of all worries.  Don’t worry if thoughts bubble to the surface – this is completely normal. The more you resist the more it will persist.  Simply bring your attention back to your breath and continue until the time is up.  If you’re new to meditation or need more support, there are lots of apps to guide you through the process – Headspace, Calm, Breethe are some of the popular ones.

 

2) Eat regularly

Erratic eating times and skipping meals can lead to a dip in blood sugar levels, which results in the release of the stress hormone cortisol.  It’s difficult when routines go out the window, but try to stick to three meals (with two optional snacks) a day and your digestion will thank you for it.  Base all your meals and snacks on protein (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and seeds), fruit and vegetables and smaller quantities of complex carbs (brown rice, wholemeal bread or pasta).

Ideally avoid refined or simple carbs (white bread, cakes or biscuits).

 

3) Cut back on alcohol and caffeine

I know it’s hard, especially at Christmas when socialising revolves around drinking, but try reducing your alcohol and caffeine intake as much as possible.  Caffeine causes a release of stress hormones from the adrenal glands - the last thing you want if you are already stressed!  At first, alcohol might help to relax you when you’re stressed out (by promoting the release of GABA, the calming neurotransmitter), but it is quickly metabolised to sugar that can lead to a restless sleep, which leads me onto my next tip.

 

4) Prioritise sleep

Get into a sleep routine that includes relaxing practices such as taking a warm bath with Epsom salts, light reading or stretching.  Introduce a digital detox at least an hour before bed (that means no phones, no TV, no laptops or tablets), so as not to disrupt melatonin production (the sleepy hormone).  A light snack such as an oatcake with almond butter or a banana may help to support undisturbed sleep.

 

5) Eat magnesium-rich meals

Magnesium quietens down the nervous system, helping you stay calm and relaxed. It also regulates melatonin, which controls the sleep-wake cycle.  Eating foods rich in this mineral, such as leafy greens, avocados, sesame seeds, dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa) and spinach can help reduce stress and improve your sleep.

 

6) Get to the cause

Take some time to look at the root cause of any stress in your life and think about how you respond to it.  Do you put too much pressure on yourself?  Are you trying to do too much?  Do you suffer from FOMO – the fear of missing out?  Is there anything you can change or let go of?

If the effect of stress or just general busy-ness is getting in the way of your efforts to stay healthy and you’d like to do something about it, I warmly invite you to book a FREE 30 minute consultation and we can discuss what’s going on.

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