Holidays a hot mess? tips to dial back the stress.
Ah, yes, the holiday season is upon us. You’ve started to work on your gift list, as well as every other list for the holiday parties, the Christmas dinner, and the list of items that still remain on your ‘to do’ list. But of course, it’s not just the lists. You’re not looking forward to that office party, or perhaps just the hustle and bustle in the stores as they get ever so crowded as Christmas day approaches.
Does the holiday season become a hot mess for you? Does it have to be that way? Maybe not. Today, we’re going to discuss what stress is, how it affects the body, and offer up some tips that can help dial back those stress levels so you can enjoy, not dread, the holidays.
what is stress
While stress doesn’t have a specific, concrete definition, it is often defined as “a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” During a stressful moment, the body is plunged into what is known as the sympathetic nervous system response. Better known as the “fight or flight” response, it is during this time that the body goes through various processes that we will go into later.
Fight or flight is typically an acute response to an outside force, but there can also be chronic stress and distressing stress. Chronic stress is characterized as something like worrying about bills, and other daily living worries. Distressing stress is an event that carries with it a negative connotation. Does stress always have to be a bad thing? Not necessarily. There are times that the body can achieve eustress. An example of this could be a marriage, graduation, or any celebratory event.
what happens in the body under stress
So what is the impact stress has on the body? Well, this can be measured in so many ways it’s almost impossible to list them all, especially since everyone’s body is different. But here’s how stress generally works. The brain’s hypothalamus assists with several functions in the body including autonomic nervous system as it pertains to food, your heart rate, and bladder contraction; but it’s most significant role is with the endocrine system as it determines the release of hormones, and the nervous system as it sends and coordinates synaptic information. Too make a long story short, the hypothalamus regulates food satiety, body temperature, emotions, sleep, sexual behavior, water intake, and reproduction.
This vital part of the brain does so much to regulate systems of the body, which essentially is tied to your hormones (endocrine system). When your hypothalamus detects a stressful situation, it begins the process of regulation through the endocrine system as a way to protect your body and heighten your ability to evade your stress. Hence, when you get stressed out your pulse and breath quicken, and your muscles tense up to do their job in the “fight or flight” response.
But when your body is living with daily stressors, the hypothalamus is working overtime and this can take its toll on the body and manifest into things like headaches, heartburn, insomnia, rapid breathing, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, pounding heart, increased risk for cardiovascular attack, stomachache, fertility problems, erectile dysfunction, missed periods, low sex drive, and the list continues on.
Remember, the hypothalamus helps to regulate so many different parts of your autonomic system, that those parts of the body will be the first to feel the affects of overuse of the hypothalamus when it comes to chronic stress.
tips to dial back the stress
Thankfully, there are ways to dial back the stress and give your hypothalamus the break it deserves. Below are a few different methods of releasing and managing stress that may work for you:
Breath Focus - focusing on your breathing calms down the heart rate and directs your attention more inwardly than outwardly. As you focus on the rhythmic inhales and exhales, your pulse should begin reducing pace, and your muscles should ease. One of the easiest ways to practice breath focus is to use the 4 Square method. Picture your breath cycle like a square box. Inhale for 4 seconds on the first side. Hold that breath for 4 seconds for the second side of the square. Exhale for 4 seconds on the third length of the square. And lastly, hold for 4 seconds before inhaling to start the cycle over again.
Body Scan - Take your breath focus to the next level by not only getting your breathing under control, but reducing muscle tension by scanning your body during your breathing and targeting specific areas to release tension.
Guided Imagery - In this technique, you use different images that help you relax. For example, if the rhythmic waves of the ocean help you relax, then you would imagine that you’re at the ocean listening to the waves roll in.
Mindful Meditation - This method of relaxation involves you getting into a meditative state of mind that focuses clearly on the present and nothing else.
Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong - These forms of ancient art have you focus on your breath while artfully moving your body with flowing movements. By doing this, it gets you into a mind-body state that your main focus is the artistic movements coinciding with your breaths.
Spirituality and Repetitive Prayer - In this method, you repeatedly recite a short prayer while you focus on your breaths.
Exercise - Get your body moving to reduce the stress. It is important to note that in some cases over-exercising can increase stress load. Be mindful of how much you’re taxing your body.
Bed Time Routine - Making sure your body gets adequate rest is so important. And solidifying a great bed time routine can help ensure that the sleep you have is restful and rejuvenating. Figure out a bed time routine that works best for you that includes shutting down devices about 30 minutes prior to give your brain time to wind down from the stimulation.
foods that help with stress
Eating a balanced diet is a great way to keep your stress in check. Avoiding caffeine can also be a key to decreasing how your body reacts to stress. It’s never a bad thing to decrease your processed sugar intake either, which can wreak havoc on your digestive and hormonal systems. And don’t forget that alcohol has its own sugars so that will not be overly helpful in a stressful situation either.
Okay, so what are some foods that will help turn that stress dial down? You will want to focus on foods that are high in Vitamin B, Omega-3, magnesium, protein, and fermented foods. Some examples of those foods include: beef, chicken, eggs, avocados, olives, salmon, dark chocolate, bananas, dates, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut.
turn that hot mess into managed stress
While the holidays can be a very stressful time of year, it’s important to remember that your body is your greatest asset and it needs some tender, loving care during this time of year too. By understanding how your body responds to stress, you can begin to manage it in the best ways that work for you. Everyone is different, so give the techniques above a try for a few minutes a day to see which one helps you the most.
Be sure to give your hypothalamus some love too this holiday season. It’s always on helping regulate so many different systems in your body so you can function everyday. Give your hypothalamus the gift of managed stress through mind-body techniques and the food it needs this holiday season. Your body may just thank you for it.