How Holiday Stress Can Affect Your Health 

The holidays are meant to be a happy time full of celebrating, but they can also be stressful for many people. In this article, we’re discussing what holiday stress could be doing to your body, and how Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center is here to help you feel less stress in your body this season. 

Holiday Stress and Your Body

It’s no secret that the holiday season can be a stressful time. Between buying gifts, preparing for holiday gatherings, and traveling, there’s a lot to do and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Unfortunately, all of that stress can take a toll on your body. Even though you may feel excited for the holidays, stress could be lingering and affecting your physical health, too.

Studies have shown that holiday stress can raise your blood pressure, increase your heart rate, cause insomnia, and even impact thyroid function. Additionally, stress can also take a toll on your posture.

Stress and Posture

UT Southwestern Medical Center explains that, when you’re stressed, your breathing patterns change. This can cause strain and tension in the mid-back. This results in your shoulders hunching up and causing you pain throughout the upper and middle back. In addition to mid-back pain, holiday stress can also result in low back pain, too. They explain that when people are going through periods of stress, such as during the holiday season, they are more sedentary, meaning they stretch and exercise less.

Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

While holiday stress is common every year, there are tips you can use to stay on holiday stress-free this holiday season. If you find yourself already becoming overwhelmed with your December to-do list, follow these tips from Johns Hopkins Medicine:

• Accept imperfection. We all want the holidays to be perfect and often set the bar too high for ourselves. Then, when things don’t go as planned, we find ourselves upset. Before you finalize all of your plans for the holidays, remember that it’s okay if things don’t go as planned. In fact, imperfection is healthy and normal! 
• Don’t lose focus on what really matters. This season you may find yourself stuck in holiday traffic and long lines at stores, but try to not let that get to you. Ask yourself where these inconveniences really fall in the grand scheme of things and what you can do in that moment to make it a more pleasant experience.
• Be kind. You can only control yourself this holiday season. While you aren’t responsible for how others act, you are responsible for how you respond to stressful situations. You never know what someone is going through this season, so be kind!
• Rethink your resolutions. With New Year’s right around the corner, people begin to set unrealistic expectations for themselves for the year ahead. Instead of doing that this year, start small and gradual so you don’t stress yourself out.

Along with these tips, another great way to manage your stress this holiday season is to get active! Regular exercise helps boost your feel-good endorphins and can serve as a distraction from your daily worries. Further, it can reduce the negative side effects of stress that you might already be feeling. 

Exercises to Reduce Stress

When you think about exercising to reduce the amount of stress you’re feeling, you may think that you have to do high-intensity workouts. However, that’s not true. In fact, even getting outside on a walk for 30 minutes a day can do wonders for your mood. Other exercises you can try to take your mind off of things include:

• Dancing around to your favorite holiday music. 
• Yoga to help center the body and mind.
• Cycling.
• Jogging.

Whatever you decide, make sure it’s something you enjoy and is manageable for your holiday schedule. Don’t put more stress on yourself by trying to fit in an intense workout schedule in the midst of all of your holiday plans.

Reduce Your Stress with Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center

If you’re feeling holiday stress and are looking for a way to help manage it, come see us at Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center. Our team of physical therapists can help you reduce tension in your body, improve your posture, and boost your energy levels this holiday season. Make an appointment with us today: (512) 806-0015.