'Tis the Season - Ways to keep your holidays low stress and healthy!
Dylan Friedmann
SVP, Chief Client Officer at APEXA Corp Bilingual Leader / business enablement / insurtech/ underwriter
This time of year can get hectic and even stressful. You are likely being pulled in many directions, work, family, friends, community – all while trying to get ready for the holiday season. My friends and family will attest to the fact that I too fall to the pressure of the season, despite my efforts to find a happy balance. Like many of you, there are seasonal traditions I have: I like to bake a variety of homemade treats for colleagues, friends and neighbours, plan charitable events, coordinate seasonal outings, decorate the home & tree, find that “perfect gift”, collect toys, clothes and food for others while finishing year end work requirements. So the question is how do you stay healthy, happy and reduce stress while juggling all the other stuff?
Below are some of my favourite ways to be happy, keep the stress at bay and have a good holiday season….all wrapped up in one package (sorry no bow on top!)
8 ways to Feel Good – less Stress!
1) Stop and Smell the Citrus. Yes, I said Citrus. Smelling citrus fruit can help alleviate stress as it increases your levels of norepinephrine – a hormone that effects mood. So you can peel that orange, tangerine or lemon - or you can purchase items like lemon or orange essential oils so that you have the scent all day. (1,4)
2) Let it Go….(For me - let it Snow?) I recently read about the idea of forgetting about perfection – stop obsessing over things. I realized that this is something I have been focused on for at least two years. It was two Christmases ago that I changed the seasonal tune “Let it Snow” to “Let it Go”. I don’t sing this to family or passing children, it is merely a tune I sing “in my head” when I catch myself striving for perfection. Those times when I am spending hours trying to fix someone else’s “stuff” for them, focusing on seasonal details that are likely almost unnoticeable to others, or trying to alter the outcome on things for which I have no control. (1) I sing my song, take a step back and focus not on perfection – but the other important things in my life.
3) Get your Sunshine on. Sunshine – specifically sunlight reduces the effect of SAD (Seasonal Affective disorder), a mood disorder that is related to seasonal changes. So embrace the sun and get the light therapy you need. (1, 5)
4) Walk it off. Walking – as a form of exercise has a soothing effect. According the nutrition-and-wellness expert Ann Kulze, M.D., “rhythm and repetition of walking has a tranquilizing effect on your brain, and it decreases anxiety and improves sleep”. So reset and maybe sleep better all by taking a walk.(1)
5) Get your sleep! I have written before about the importance of sleep and ways to improve the quality of sleep, so this a gentle reminder on how important it is to get you through the day – and your holidays! 5- HTP is a plant extract that is thought to increase the serotonin, which is linked to helping sleep and reducing anxiety. (3)
6) Enjoy a little – Just say no! At this time of year there are many requests – people who want to see you, places to go, events to attend. You don’t need to be a scrooge, but it is OK to say “No” and only attend some of the events. Your time is important, keep some of it for yourself.
7) Routine (aka your habits) – stick to them – at least the good ones. This may also sound familiar if you have read my other posts, but keeping those good habits going centres you, and the good habits likely have benefits that are part of the motivation to them in the first place. So don’t over commit during the holidays, keep your book club, your morning visit to the gym or evening meditation.
8) Tech Free! How dare I suggest turning off the tech? The constant stimulation that occurs from the stream of rapidly firing notifications from our various tech devices, work emails and messages, social media accounts and calls is exhausting. It interrupts our attempts to relax and can result in stress, especially in women. These events can trigger a Flight or Fight response and increased adrenaline levels. Turning it off is giving you the break from the stimulation and interruptions. (1, 2)
Many experts have weighted in on good exercise options during the winter, but here I am highlighting a few of my personal favourites. Try these outdoor activities to keep you moving during the snowy winter weather, and gain the health benefits of being active! Note that the snowy winter activities go beyond being exercise, but give you fresh air and the added benefit of strengthening your “balance” muscles because of the uneven or slippery terrain created by snow and ice. Add to that the built in core work out because of how you are constantly striving to stabilize as you carry out these activities.
Some of my favourite winter activities that keep you fit:
1) Ice Skating: You can skate on the rink or pond, usually many low cost options exist and you can skate at your own pace, or if you want to strive for a greater physical outputs you can add short sprints to your repertoire, or obstacles to skate around. A 150lb person can burn around 240 calories in a half hour. (6)
2) Cross Country Skiing: This is a truly effective work out, using both your upper and lower body, and it is a cardio calorie burner. A person weighing 150lbs can burn approximately 340 calories in a 30-minute period. Typically, you can find skiing option on trails, in parks, on beaches or golf courses. Dress in layers, because you can warm up quickly along the trail.
3) Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding. Not as intense as cross country from the perspective of calorie burning, but at 150 lbs, you can burn about 240 calories per half hour. Just don’t refuel on junk food at the lodge! Again I recall when I haven’t skied or boarded in a while you really feel those “balance muscles” at the end of the day. Typically it is a day long event, so you can really burn a lot of the course of the day. (6)
4) Snowshoeing. This too is a full body activity, so you not only gain some cardio, but you get to work your leg muscles and all the support/balance muscles you may not use. In reflection- the terrain can also increase that core work out! If you are moving along at a moderate pace, one can burn around 270 calories in 30 minutes. (assuming 150lb person)(6)
5) Touch Football. Our football league used to wrap up before the snow, but not always. Some of the best games we played were in the snow. Silly fun…albeit slippery, so dress for the weather. Running around, throwing the ball, making plays and you could be burning 200 -300 hundred calories per ½ hour. You can play with a small or large group, a great way to send an afternoon. (6)
Many of you reading this are fortunate to be in a situation where you can give gifts, share your time, entertain in your homes, provide treats and meals to those around you - but it is still a balancing act. Our energy isn’t limitless. So combine some techniques for reducing stress with some outdoor exercise suggestions and I wish you the best - stay happy and healthy over the holiday season!
1 http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306655,00.html#go-tech-free-0
2) http://www.thebodysoulconnection.com/EducationCenter/fight.html