Long lines at the counter.

Hours of traffic on the road.

Social obligations.

Awkward social interactions.

Jacked-up prices.

Parties to organize…and clean up after.

Frantic performances in the kitchen.

The Christmas season is upon us and with it comes all the stresses and challenges of making things perfect for our loved ones.

In this post, we look at the detrimental effects of stress and list some coping strategies that’ll come in handy during this time of the year. So that this season, instead of stressing ourselves to illness, we can chill ourselves to health.  

Distress

It’s long been observed in the United States that cardiac mortality peaks around Christmas and New Year’s. Scientists initially pointed to weather-related causes of the phenomenon. The said dates, after all, coincided with some of the lowest temperatures of the year.

Upon closer look, however, and after studying places like New Zealand where Christmas happens in the summertime, researchers concluded that weather wasn’t the culprit of the mortality figures.

It is more likely that the seasonal stress and changes in diet and alcohol consumption combine to form an explanation for the curious phenomenon.

Stress has been linked to a long list of ailments. While not all stress is bad, (there’s “good stress” that makes you feel exhilarated, like when going on a giant waterslide), most of the ones we experience around the holidays have detrimental effects. If stress is chronic, then it can really cause trouble in the different systems of the body.

In addition to the risk of heart attacks, stress can lead to the following conditions:

• High blood sugar—Stress will push your liver to release more glucose into the bloodstream. Over time, this could lead to Type 2 Diabetes.

• High blood pressure—One of the effects of the stress hormone is to tighten blood vessels, which naturally increases blood pressure.

• Weakened immune system—Stress can disrupt the mechanisms that defend the body from disease, making the individual susceptible to a horde of infections.

• Headaches—Tension headaches, which are experienced as having a tight band around the head, can be a source of mild to moderate pain.      

• Depression—The stress reaction can increase the brain’s cortisol levels, hindering the natural development of neurons.

• Insomnia—Stress-induced insomnia is when one’s anxieties and worries keep your body from much-needed rest. Sleep loss triggers the body to release even more cortisol, which makes it even harder to sleep. It becomes a vicious cycle that can have devastating effects on the body.

• Heartburn—When stressed, the stomach produces more acid which can lead to heartburn—a burning sensation in the chest caused by the acid from the stomach traveling up to the throat (acid reflux).

• Stomach issues—The stomach and the rest of the digestive tract don’t escape the scourge of stress. It can manifest through tummy aches, indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation.

• Body aches—Constantly-tensed muscles get stiff, then ultimately become painful. Stress can lead to a generalized muscular ache in different parts of the body as if one has just finished a mixed martial arts tournament.

• Fertility issues—Stress can take a toll on your sex drive. In men, it can lead to erectile dysfunction, while in women, missed periods might make an already unlikely chance for conception even more difficult.

De-stress   

#1 Plan & Prioritize

Half the battle is having a schedule of activities—a to-do list.

For example:

When are you going shopping?

What parties and events are you organizing and attending?

Have these dates and hours written down, and incorporate enough elbow room to allow for the seasonal headaches like traffic, crowded malls, last-minute changes, store closures, power outages, cancellations, etc.

You cannot plan for all these, but holding something in your hand to follow along can ease some of the mental stress.

Prioritize activities and learn to politely say “No” to invitations and requests. This is so that you don’t overwhelm yourself by doing too much and spreading yourself too thinly.       

#2 Manage Your Expectations

I know you’ve just written a plan/schedule for the Holidays. Accept that you won’t be able to follow it to the letter. Perfection has no place in a time like Christmas.

De-stressing this holiday season will involve a lot of different forms of quiet acceptance:

• Accept that the budget will never be enough.

• Accept that the caterer will be late and the party will not start on time.

• Accept that what you ordered and what comes through will never be perfect.

• Accept that people will not perform and conform to your expectations. (Not everybody is as efficient and as hardworking as you.)

Manage your expectations of others and you will drastically cut your frustration this season.

Accept. Don’t expect.  

#3 Don’t Forget Yourself

Filipinos are notorious for putting others first.

Family, loved ones, friends, and colleagues. These are the people we shop for, cook for, and plan parties for.

We want to make sure visiting relatives have a good time. We want to welcome them in a clean house and a full table. We want nephews and nieces to shriek in delight as they open gifts. We want every member of the family to be rubbing their tummies as the clock strikes 12.

All this we do without a single thought to its impact on our health.

Not saying that taking care of loved ones is wrong, but this holiday season, don’t deny yourself the self-care that you also deserve.

Do things that make you happy.

Do things that allow you to take a breather and chill. This may mean different things to different people. For some, it means a good night’s rest. Others would want a tub of popcorn for a movie or two. Others meditate. Some listen to music.

Whatever it is that stills your soul or gives you a chance to breathe, take it.   

#4 Plot Those Social Interactions

If you’re extroverted and gregarious, social occasions will feel like home. But if you’re the type who’d rather snuggle up with a good book than do small talk with a long-lost uncle whom you have nothing in common with, then these moments will be another source of stress.

Things can get awkward when you have nothing to say.

So the only remedy is to secure a list of things, topics, comments, questions, jokes, or stories you would want to use. The only difference between a gregarious fellow and a shy one is that the former has a Rolodex of stories he has told a hundred times before.

Write yourself a list of things to say. Take the time to do this. Now it might feel unnatural, but the thing is, lists work. Yes, they are a crutch, but the one sure thing about crutches is, they work.

This gives you a bit of confidence with the interaction and relieves some of the dread of the “dead air.”

Why not have a battery of questions or queries you genuinely want to ask, like “What Korean dramas are you bingeing on Netflix right now, tita? None? Well, I have the perfect recommendation for you. It’s about this…”              

#5 Eat Smart

The season revolves around food—its procurement, preparation, and partaking.

Eating too much may result in stress and resentment down the road, and end up in a vicious cycle where the individual downs more food.  

This is not a post about dieting, but there is one hack that gives its adherents the best of both worlds.

That is, it does not decrease the pleasures of eating (it in fact increases it), and at the same time, it limits the calories consumed. It’s also deceptively simple.

The hack is that you eat slower.

This means chewing your food a little longer, slipping in a few more extra chomping and munching feats than usual.

This does two things. First, it allows you to savor more of the flavor, elevating your experience of the dish. Eat fast and you miss a lot. And this is instinctively addressed by taking more spoonfuls into the mouth—which increases consumption and the guilt felt later.

Second, eating slowly allows the brain to catch up with the stomach and realize that it’s already full. Did you know that the message from the stomach takes 20 minutes before reaching the brain? And while the lag happens, the individual continues to scarf more and more food. Slow eating accommodates this lag, allowing for the “I’m full!” message to reach the brain.

So not only do you experience the food more, but you also consume less of it.          

It’s that simple!

Armed with these 5 tips, you should be able to keep stress in check this holiday season. Remember to “Plan and prioritize,” “Manage your expectations,” “Don’t forget yourself,” “Plot those social interactions,” and “Eat smart.”    

Bloodworks, your family’s partner in health and well-being, greets you with a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We will always be at your service, providing your loved ones with safe and accurate medical screenings, blood tests, and check-up packages.

We are proud to be the first in the country to offer the Anti Acetylcholine Receptor (lgG) Antibody Test and the Anti N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor (Anti NMDA Receptor) Antibody Test.

Book your appointment today.

Our branches are in Alabang, Katipunan, and Cebu.