How to Beat Stress Over the Holidays

(Originally Posted on Nov 2, 2015)

Stress can be troublesome on the way our bodies feel and how we project our mood. It can make PMS and menopause symptoms more intense, as well as cause us to gain unnecessary weight and delay our efforts to get pregnant. We know that stress is something we have to combat throughout the year, but for some of us the holidays can pile it on. We worry about finances, our homes are filled with family (whom we love, but can also make us want to pull our hair out), and our calendars are filled with gatherings, leaving little time for ourselves. Let’s look at how we can beat holiday stress, and keep our bodies healthy. 

Exercise

Make sure you schedule time in your busy days to get the exercise you need, even if you have to show up to your company work party fifteen minutes late. This is one area of your life you don’t want to skip because exercise does such a good job of beating stress and keeping you happy.

Get plenty of sleep

Once you get to the party, it may seem like a good idea to stay for the duration, but if it cuts into the time that you need to be sleeping, you should bow out a little early. Getting plenty of sleep will keep your batteries fully charged, and you fresh for the next day. While it can be difficult to make yourself leave certain events, choose a smart hour to make your exit and stick with it.

Take time to stress

If you feel completely stressed out, then go ahead and take fifteen minutes a day to dwell on what’s bothering you. Set a timer and once it goes off, then put all of your stresses out of your mind for the rest of your day. If they creep back in, remind yourself that they don’t get any more of your time for the day and move on.

Say no to some things

Don’t feel obligated to go to every holiday event that you and your family are invited to. It’s okay to say no and stay in for a movie night. Trying to balance a continual stream of activities weeknights and weekends will leave you exhausted and stressed. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then say no to a few of those gatherings, and don’t worry about giving an excuse. Say thanks for the invitation, but we can’t attend due to a conflict in our schedule. It doesn’t matter that conflict is nothing more curling up on the couch with a book.

Don’t neglect important appointments

Make sure that you commit to appointments that you have lined up over the next two months, like your gynecologist. When you don’t make these important dates, then it just makes your to-do list bigger and more overwhelming.

At Palm Beach Obstetrics & Gynecology, we wish you a joyful and stress free holiday season. We’re here when you need us for any feminine issues you have questions and concerns about. Contact us at 561-434-0111, or come by our locations in Lake Worth, Palm Beach Gardens, and West Palm Beach any time you need to talk or make an appointment.