We all know that Anxiety is beoming more and more common these days, in fact it can be declared “Epidemic Status” It is the #1 Mental Health Diagnosis in America today and we all know anxiety can increase for anyone during the Holidays if we don’t watch it.
So here are 10 WAYS you can beat and decrease anxiety during the holidays:
1. LIMIT SCREEN TIME BEFORE BED! Many doctors are coming out saying that the light emitted from our smartphones, computers, tablets, and TV’s can have a big effect on your body’s natural sleep schedule. Limit your exposure to these things a few hours before bedtime. Also don’t charge your phone close to your bed, charge from a place that is far from your bed if possible!
2. LIMIT SUGAR INTAKE & REPLACE WITH FRESH FRUITS! Sugar can take its toll on your body in multiple ways including your nerves. When we eat sugar it causes our blood sugar to spike right away. Not to long after that there is the “Crash” meaning your blood sugar levels drop low. Our bodies are designed in a way when our blood sugar dips below a certain level it sends messages to our brain that we are hungry and actually slightly activates the “Fight or Flight” response. Our ancestors counted on this to keep them alive when hunting and gathering. When we get hungry we actually get a little jittery making us nervous.
Fruit on the other hand provides many health benefits including fiber which helps to stabilize that blood sugar. Honestly fruit to me is better than cookies, cakes and fudge. I am not saying never to enjoy a cookie, a slice a cake, or a piece of fudge, rather I am saying limit your consumption or a key word that I use is “Moderation”! Make sure you eat or include a lot of fiber in your diet and drink plenty of water which is the next point.
3. Eat plenty of FIBER. A lot of times the fiber you eat has a lot of your vitamin B’s and other things that help your body stay calm and relaxed!
4. Limit Caffeine Consumption- This is a no brainer. Caffeine is a stimulate meaning it excites you central nervous system. It can also effect your sleep. Some great alternatives would be to drink herbal teas, and water. Herbal Teas have things like Chamomile and Valerian Root that promotes a state of calm and relaxation!
5. EXERCISE- This has been proven to be as effective as some medications in relieving stress, anxiety, and even depression! The Holidays may be very busy, but it is defintly worth the time to make your holidays as enjoyable and stress free as can be. Also believe it or not it will increase your energy. Exercise also stabilizes that blood sugar and of course helps keep the weight off. This should be done all year not just the holidays of course.
6. TAKE TIME TO MEET WITH SOME FRIENDS FOR A TEA or other low stress activity- A lot of people when meeting up with friends or family during the holidays they pick big busy resteraunts, clubs, and events making things louder, hectic, pressure filled, and actually less social in some ways. Don’t get me wrong I love doing those things like most people, and being a social butterfly I am always in favor of the big events and have an attitude the more people the better, however I think it is VITAL especially during the Holidays to slow down and have more intimate conversations with our strongest relationships. A local shop that serves tea often times sets up a perfect setting that promotes relaxation, and intimate conversations that promotes high quality catch up time with those you love. This is also one of my favorite things to do, because it also saves you money. During the Holidays we are all about saving the money. It also will help you watch your weight, and if you drink herbal teas as mentioned above it will further promote relaxation. Guaranteed if you are able to do this a few times during the Holidays your will have a longer lasting high quality less stressful, and rested Holiday experience.
7. DAILY “ME TIME” & MEDITATION- Again I believe this is something we should all do all year but especially during the holidays. You should strive to take minutes to an hour to just turn everything off reflection the day, read, journal, color or something to get that high quality me time. Reflection and journaling or coming up with a gratitude list are good things that really help calm the mind. Reading really helps me.
8. Limit Alcohol Consumption- Again I don’t think a glass of wine with dinner or a Christmas event is a bad thing, however I wouldn’t go too much above that. I mean once again the word moderation comes to mind here.
9. You know sports basketball in particular is my love. And I couldn’t write about this without mentioning Basketball. I mean to me personally this makes my life heaven no matter what time of year it is.
10. TREAT YOURSELF- Something I love to do and often did several time during “Finals Week” at Indiana University Bloomington is go catch a late night movie all by myself and it did wonders. I also made a personal time at night every day or at least tried to. Yes during “Finals Week” I simply did NOT deny myself of any want and lessoned the restriction’s in my life and that helped a lot. If I wanted something I go I or did it. That will be for another article geared towards how to be successful in college. I did go to the many movies with friends as a students a lot too, just saying going all by yourself sometimes is therapeutic. Something I still love to do!
I believe if you do all of these things or even just some of these things on this list you will have a a much more relaxed happy energetic Holiday Season that will leave a much stronger positive memory of this Holiday season compared to the ones where you are stressed and don’t do those thing.
As ALWAYS Huntington News Now does advise talking to your doctor before making any changes to your diet or exercise program!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM
YOUR HUNTINGTON NEWS NOW
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