If you’ve grown to associate the holidays with a whirlwind of stress, you’re not alone.
This time of year is so full of social engagements and things to be done — baking, cooking, shopping — that it’s no wonder it can leave you feeling like you’re always catching your breath.
And you’ll likely feel the effects of this cycle of stress on your body for long after the holidays are over. In the past, you’ve probably felt sluggish and irritable, like you were running on overdrive.
Stress is the leading cause of inflammation in the body. Long periods of stress can negatively affect blood pressure, digestion, and sleep.
Plus, stress isn’t always easy to detect. You might not always feel stress in your body in the same way — sometimes it can manifest as a headache, others it might show up as high levels of anxiety.
But it doesn’t have to be this way!
You can learn to do things differently and help your body adapt better to stress. Today we’re sharing some tips to beat holiday stress with you, in the hopes that they’ll help you as much as they’ve helped us over the years.
We’re by no means perfect, but practice makes progress and we’ll be joining in with you as you practice integrating these tips into your routine this holiday season.
Take a look at the list below, and start small. Start with the things you think will be easiest to fit into your day, and go from there. Trying even just one of these tips will make a huge difference in your overall stress levels over the holidays.
With love and relaxation,
Jo & Jules
Tips to Beat Stress this Holiday Season
- Focus on quality over quantity when it comes to gifts. Suggest to your family that you keep it small and simple this year so no one gets overwhelmed. Remember that less is more. Your loved ones will appreciate one small, thoughtful gift more than several impersonal gifts.
- Say yes to the activities that light you up! Over the past two years, we’ve all learned by necessity to do less. Now that most of us are getting back into full swing, remind yourself of the wisdom of saying no. Be picky about how you spend your time. Stick to the activities that really excite you.
- Take a 30 min walk first thing in the morning. Early morning walks help regulate your circadian rhythm, increase your energy, and boost your mood. Starting your day with some movement and vitamin D from the sun will help keep your stress levels lower.
- Pencil in your self-care and make it a priority. Book that massage, take that yoga class, write in your journal. Make your self-care activities just as important as any other activities this holiday season.
- Try taking Ashwagandha, a stress-fighting adaptogenic herb. This is one of Jo’s go-to supplements. It naturally balances cortisol levels and helps to manage stress, insomnia, and anxiety. Jo loves Organic India’s Ashwagandha. If you do take adaptogens, make sure you rotate which type you’re taking and stop them altogether when you feel like you no longer need them.
- Try taking a cordyceps mushroom supplement. Cordyceps are another great adaptogen that helps your body better handle stress by balancing your cortisol. They’re also a great source of antioxidants, so they also help reduce the effects of oxidative (external) stress. We love taking Four Sigmatic’s Cordyceps Elixir in the morning to give us a relaxed and sustained energy boost.
- Take magnesium at night to help keep sleep and elimination regular. We love MegaFood’s Relax + Calm Magnesium powder. This powder contains a blend of magnesium that will support your nervous system function, regulate your sleep, and keep your gut regular.
- Give yourself a technology curfew. Our favorite devices emit blue light, which inhibits melatonin production in our bodies. Melatonin is naturally released in the evenings to help us wind down and get ready to sleep. Endless scrolling or watching before bed will keep your brain wired and prevent you from getting proper rest.
Looking for healthy holiday-friendly recipes? We’ve got you covered! Fill in your info below to join our online community. As a welcome gift, we’ll send you our Healthy Holidays eCookbook, a collection of more of our favorite easy and nutritious holiday recipes!
