The hustle and bustle of the holiday season does not have to mean it is also a time to fret and stress.
We often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to get everything done and make sure each aspect of a holiday gathering are perfect. However, those self-demands can leave us feeling anxious and warn out. Primary Care Physician Leslie Strickland, MD, with St. Lawrence Health’s Brasher Falls Community Health Center pointed out it is necessary to focus on what is important during this time of year, and that means looking beyond material gifts.
“Holiday stress can be more intense due to cultural and family expectations, in addition to expectations we place on ourselves,” she said. “Financial stress can be exacerbated during this time when there is an assumption of gift giving and entertaining. The holidays can also bring up or increase feelings of grief, sadness, and loneliness.
“Make sure to be kind to yourself; do not diminish or ignore your difficulties or emotions. Try to be present and compassionate for yourself first and foremost,” Dr. Strickland added.
When we are overly stressed or anxiety-ridden for several days in a row that stress can affect every part of our physical and emotional health. People under stress can experience disrupted sleep, increased blood pressure, increased pain, and heartburn. Stress may also cause people to engage in unhealthy behaviors to seek relief, such as overeating or overconsuming alcohol, which may help temporarily, but cause more suffering in the long term.
Primary Care Physician Michelle Prentice, MD, with the Massena Hospital Medical Group noted that self-care is an important step in staying healthy during the winter season, and is also beneficial to alleviating feelings of stress.
Self-care means prioritizing things like getting morning sun (vitamin D), practicing gratitude, nourishing your body daily with vegetables and fruits, drinking eight cups of water, and blocking off time for eight hours of sleep daily.
Keeping Active
“Staying healthy and active in the colder weather requires self-care, rather than self-indulgence,” Dr. Prentice said. “Exercise can be more challenging in the winter, but is still important. Consider wearing layered clothing and hand warmers so you can take a morning walk, snow shoe or ski with a friend or family member, and enjoy nature in daylight while socializing and exercising. When celebrating with others, consider hot cocoa, tea, or cider instead of alcohol.”
If you are traveling for the holidays, there is often the feeling of added stress about arriving on time.
“Try to remember that the most important thing is to arrive safely. Do your best to plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time, and try to let go of circumstances that are impossible to control,” Dr. Strickland said.
“If you do find yourself becoming anxious this holiday season, take some deep breathes,” she continued. “Noticing your feelings and thoughts as they arise in a non-judgmental way can be very helpful. Breathing is an easy and always accessible way to ‘drop’ into your own body to provide relief from thoughts that might seem overwhelming.”
St. Lawrence Health’s Primary Care Providers are available to assist their patients in staying mentally and physically healthy this winter and always.
