“Christmas is just around the corner”. That statement may cause you to leap for joy, while for others it may send shivers down your spine. The team at SPEAR can’t wait for the festivities to begin. However, our physiotherapists often see firsthand how stress surrounding the Christmas period can affect our patients physical and mental wellbeing.
There are many causes of stress over the Christmas period including Christmas shopping, Christmas dinners, financial pressures, family dynamics and loneliness. This can lead to poor mental health, physical health and increased pain levels. Resulting in a process called cortisol dysfunction whereby ongoing stress, followed by a poor coping response can lead to inflammation and pain which are both further stressors, resulting in a vicious cycle of stress and pain. If this is not actively managed it can have a significant impact on quality of life.
Thankfully, there are many ways way to help manage stress! In this blog, we will explore three methods to help reduce stress and improve wellbeing for the run up to Christmas.
Exercise
Exercise is one of the easiest things you can do to help reduce stress and improve health. It could be a 30 minute walk after your Christmas dinner (good for digestion!), a game of badminton with family/friends, or going swimming. Exercise as simple as walking releases endorphins which can improve mental health, reduce stress, improve sleep and help burn off some of those Christmas calories too!
It is also a good method to reduce any family tensions by getting a breath of fresh air rather than being stuck in the house. Mind you that’s as long as there’s no kids around to throw snow balls at you!
Relaxation Techniques
Another method to reduce stress is employing relaxation techniques. This can include breathing techniques such as breathing in for five, holding for five and breathing out for five. This could also be gentle forms of exercise such as stretching or yoga to help relax the body. Practicing mindfulness such as meditation to help clear away those stress-inducing thoughts. Or it could even be taking a break from the chaos of Christmas by hiding away, cosying up and reading a book for an hour.
Our sports massage team at SPEAR can also perform massages for relaxation or to help reduce any muscular tension which can be a by-product of stress. Why not treat yourself or someone else this Christmas, and give yourself one less Christmas present to think about?
Delegate
Finally, and most importantly don’t do everything yourself! Make sure to get the whole family involved in Christmas decorations, gift wrapping and shopping. This is a practical and easy way to reduce the amount of pressure and expectations on yourself. And definitely DO NOT do Christmas dinner all by yourself, that can only be a recipe for disaster!
That’s all to say that we hope you have a wonderful time over the Christmas period and that it’s a time of joy rather than stress. If you find that you are having any issues you are always welcome to see one of our physiotherapists at SPEAR who can help you manage stress and any ways in which stress can manifest physically or mentally.
Merry Christmas!