With December fast approaching, the season of love, hope, peace, and joy is almost here. While we often look forward to the holiday season, the truth is that those of us who have endured holiday stress before may also dread this time of year. There’s so much to manage – more people, planning, hosting, cooking, cleaning, shopping, and traveling – and it’s all on top of the normal heavy load that we’re already carrying.
What Holiday Stress Does To Our Brains
Holiday stress – or any type of stress – causes our brains to release more cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. In the short-term, cortisol gives us the energy we need to deal with a situation that needs immediate attention. However, high levels of cortisol for a prolonged period of time, like beyond a few hours, can have a negative impact.
High cortisol for weeks or more at a time affects our mood, metabolism, sleep, and immunity. It may make us cranky, anxious, and cause us to lose our patience. It may make us crave too many carbs or other things that aren’t good for us, like alcohol. Too much cortisol may make it harder to fall and stay asleep, leaving us feeling even crankier and fatigued. By weakening our immune systems, it may also make us sick. All of this is to say that holiday stress often amounts to a biological event in our brains that wreaks havoc on our lives and relationships.
What Can We Do About Holiday Stress?
If experience and intuition suggest that you’re prone to holiday stress, there are a few things you can do to mitigate this unwanted biological event. First, understand your triggers and plan accordingly. Never mind perceived expectations – consider hosting a potluck instead of doing all the cooking. Also, give yourself permission to skip the parties that you’ve never really enjoyed, and let go of perfectionist standards.
Second, make time for movement. Physical activity such as walking makes a lot of people feel better right away, especially when they also get fresh air. Regular exercise reduces cortisol in the long-run.
Third, stay hydrated. It’s easy to forget to drink water when you’ve been consuming delicious food and beverage all day or evening. Not only does dehydration contribute to you feeling unwell in the moment, it can also raise cortisol levels. Drinking a tall glass of water at designated times of day can decrease your likelihood of becoming dehydrated.
Fourth, make thoughtful consumption choices. It’s a good idea to limit your intake of caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and processed food over the holiday season because these things can increase cortisol. Try to keep whole foods in your home over the holidays, and don’t forget fermented foods that support a healthy microbiome – a healthy microbiome has a direct relationship with brain health. If it’s not realistic to stay stocked up with whole foods, it helps to know where you can go to get a healthy meal.
Fifth, protect and prioritize your sleep. It may be easier said than done, but the following few tips will help to keep you feeling rested and sane this holiday season. Refrain from looking at your phone while in bed. Even better, cut yourself off from screen time at least one hour before going to bed. Go to bed at roughly the same time every night and get up around the same time every morning so that you’re body and brain have a routine for rest. It’s worth it to skip the tail-end of a holiday party if it means maintaining your wellness.
Consider Exomind TMS Therapy
Last but not least, consider doing Exomind TMS therapy before the holiday stress sets in. Exomind TMS is an optimized version of traditional Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Comfortable and drug-free, this therapy sends magnetic pulses into the brain, helping to restore emotional balance and mental clarity. It also works to release us from negative thought cycles and restore resilience. In other words, Exomind TMS makes us better able to cope with life’s challenges.
Exomind TMS is gaining popularity as a tool for mental health and wellness. On the mental health side, we use it to treat serious and even severe conditions including depression, anxiety, and OCD. On the mental wellness side, we use it for stress, burnout, sleep troubles, and cognitive optimization. At Body Works Med Spa & Wellness, Exomind TMS therapy is administered under the care and responsibility of a medical doctor.
The Next Step
If you’re interested in Exomind TMS, a free consultation may be the next step to ensuring a less stressful holiday season. Call 902-405-0858, email info@bodyworksmedspa.ca, or click here to book a consultation online. We look forward to discussing whether Exomind TMS is right for you.
