W EL LN E S S
With our packed calendars, squeezed budgets and fraught family functions, holiday pressures can take a toll on our health. But don’t let them. Instead, try one of these strategies each day for a stress-free season.
GUTTER CREDITS...
BY JILL BUCHNER ILLUSTRATIONS BY NEIKO NG
When you’ve got five out of seven nights booked for holiday gatherings, chances are exercise isn’t on the schedule. Change plans with friends or family one night to go for a walk or a skate or even hit the toboggan hill together. “Being physically active helps lower cortisol [a.k.a. the stress hormone], helps maintain our blood pressure and releases endorphins,” says Dr. Bryn Hyndman, medical director at Vancouver’s Qi Integrated Health. “So it actually helps us manage stress and feel better.” Getting outside will give you a breather from all the togetherness; plus, as Dr. Hyndman points out, “being outdoors in nature is shown to be calming.” DECEMBER 2015 | CANADIANLIVING.COM
Does an email alert from work or a text from your mother-in-law send your anxiety soaring? It’s time to unplug. A 2011 Swedish study connected high-frequency cellphone use to an increased risk for reporting mental health issues, including symptoms of depression. Schedule time for checking emails, then power down for the rest of the day so you feel present at holiday gatherings, suggests Marc Woods, registered psychologist at Genest MacGillivray Psychologists in Halifax. “Treat it as a task to be accomplished, like brushing your teeth,” he says. “Once it’s done or scheduled for later, you don’t have to sit around worrying about it.” If separating from your phone is a struggle, start with small goals, like checking your emails and messages for just 15 minutes after every meal.
47
