You already know the holidays are extremely stressful. You’re already trying to eat right, maintain your exercise program; now, you’re adding shopping, and zooming into family functions (maybe?), and yes the COVID stress-How long with that last?
It can be quite a drag on your time and your mental health. When this happens, you could be useless to your friends, family, or your co-workers. So what can you do to maintain your mental health throughout the holidays?
Follow these tips:
- Manage your stress- If you can, remove yourself from stress situations. If not keep in mind that most of the stress we have is manufactured by our brain and isn’t actually worthy of “stressing us out”
- Keep your routines the same (or as close as possible) – same wake and sleep time. schedule your workouts
- Stay Active (our 4-minute no excuse workouts will help)- whatever and whenever you make the time, get in your workout.
- Practice Daily Stress Relieving Techniques, like yoga or meditation. You are welcome to join our complimentary yoga on Monday and Wednesday with Megan 6:15 on Zoom code 388-115-1146
- Spend some time with those you want to spend time with- Make this quality time. Be present in each moment. Not on the phone, social media, or texting. Just be there and enjoy.
- Understand when you need time alone- me time is very important. Don’t feel guilty about taking some to recharge. Recharging yourself is the ‘oxygen mask’ protocol on the airplane.
Big Tip – – -Take care of yourself so you are capable and prepared to take care of others.
Even though we may not be able to completely control what goes on around us, we can control things to keep ourselves sane. And one of the best ways to do this is through exercise. Exercise helps lower stress, balances out important hormones, and improves memory, concentration, and focus. All which you need during the holiday season.
So what should you be doing? According to the American Council on Sports Medicine, you should be:
- Participate in moderate exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
- Participate in vigorous-intensity exercise for a minimum of 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
- Participate in strength training at a minimum of 3 days each week
I will personally add in 5 to 10 minutes of meditation, yoga, or other mindfulness exercises each day to clear my head, reduce stress, and maintain balance throughout the holiday season.
The holidays can be stressful. There is a lot to do, and not much time to do it. But, the holidays can also be one of the best times of year—since you get to see family you don’t normally see, and you’re immersed in the spirit of giving. Although it can be stressful, you need to keep in mind your mental health and manage your stress—before it becomes a problem. Don’t Wait!
I hope that these tips help you control your stress—so you can maintain a happy, healthy holiday season.
Here is a Family Workout (4- minute no excuses) with me and my son Alexander (11). Please join us for a round of fun workout.
