Six Tips to Stress-less this Holiday Season

Anyone else feeling stressed by the holidays? 

While some things are out of our control, there are a lot of things we can do to help lessen the stress of the holidays and generally adjust our response when stressful things that happen.

Try* these six tips to de-stress during the holiday season, and all year long!

1. Focus on what you can control. That’s not politics, the weather, or what your neighbor is doing with their over-the-top Christmas display. What you can control is your reaction to what happens. This is the essence of stress mangement.

2. When people think about finding ways to manage stress, they often think about what MORE they can do… like go on vacation or starting a strict 1hr a day meditation routine. Sometimes it’s more helpful to do LESS. Don’t over commit. Ask yourself, Do you really need to go to that 3rd holiday party today? Do you need to volunteer at your kids school to do every holiday event after working your full time job? Do you need to search pinterest all day at work to find the perfect Elf On The Shelf dioramma? Maybe not! Overcommitting leads to feeling overwhelmed, stressed and fatigued. Maybe a nice, simple night with a cup of hot tea and your loved ones is just what you need. This leads us to number 3.

3. Don’t be afraid take the time you need to recharge your batteries. You know what you need when it comes to rest. Get to bed earlier if you need more sleep or sneak in a midday nap. Having enough rest will make it easier to manage the stressful situations that come your way.

4. Get regular exercise. Even though it’s cold and dark, try to get outside and get moving. Keep it simple. Take a walk during your lunch break. Maybe hot yoga to melt the winter chill? The endorphins released during exercise make you feel happier and calmer.

5. Add in some adaptogens. Adaptogens are a class of herbs that help us adapt to stresses of life. They allow us to approach life with ease and grace. Sounds great, right!? They are! Some of my personal favorites are ashwaganda, reishi, maca and astragalus. Try checking the selection at @wholefoodsmarket.

6. Enjoy the moment! Try to stay in the present instead of lost in your to-do-list. Mindfulness reduces overwhelm and with practice, can help our reactivity to stressful moments. A simple way to develop a mindfulness practice is washing your hands. (A good to stay healthy too!) Pay complete and full attention to the experience of washing your hands. Bring your entire awareness to the feeling of the water on your hands, the smell of the soap, and the sensation of the suds. (Also did you know the optimum time to wash your hands to get rid of all of the winter sicknesses going around is to sing a full “Happy Birthday” while washing? You can sing it in your head… but singing out loud might bring some additional stress relief!) Use this tip to develop a little mindfulness practice. Over time it can have huge benefits for your overall health and can make the holidays more enjoyable.

*As always, to be on the safe side, check in with your doctor before starting a new exercise or supplement routine.

Enjoy a cup of hot tea and De-stress with a FREE mini-stress relieving treatment at Emerging Energy Acupuncture. Valid for new patients only. For details and to schedule online, go to https://emergingenergy.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php.

More About Dr Mary Claire Dilks

Mary Claire Dilks is a licensed Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine/Chinese Herbs and owns Emerging Energy Acupuncture, located in the Jewelry District in Providence. In practice for over 13 years, Dr. Dilks has also completed a year long advanced herbal training in Dermatology with a world renowned herbalist from the UK. In addition, she makes natural skin care and aromatherapy products, and has been named Best of Rhode Island (“Best Inner Healing”) by RI Monthly.