When we are pushed or overloaded, we all experience stress. It is not just an emotion, but a physical response that travels throughout your entire body. In the short term, it can help create circumstances that increase the chances of getting a task done well.
When activated over an extended period of time, the primordial fight or flight stress response not only alters your brain but also destroys numerous other organs and cells throughout your body. These changes can increase your chances of a heart attack or stroke.
The festive period is usually a time for family and friends coming together and enjoying each other’s company, as well as exchanging presents and having an all-round good time. This time of year can be very stressful too. Especially when others are in good moods, but you may be aggravated at this which can cause you to acquire more stress.
Some activities which can cause stress can be tied to something such as preparing gifts for family and friends and visiting others which may bring bad memories of the past. There is almost always an endless list of tasks to take on including keeping kids entertained, decorating, cooking and cleaning up after the gatherings. Stress over Christmas is often something that affects women more than men.
This can be due to the general preparation of things such as dinner and tidying the home as well as looking after children. Some ways to improve this can be starting early and getting the required help you need from other family members and especially making it a fun activity for the children so they can get stuck in.
Stress can affect people in a variety of different ways including nausea, lack of sleep, weight loss and brain fog. At times, you don’t realize you’re stressed. Some people believe that the Christmas spirit can be sabotaged by:
- financial and time pressures
- isolation
- family tensions
- separation and divorce
- bereavement
- the challenges of becoming a step-family
- reflecting on another year gone by
Where to get help
- Your doctor
- Financial planner
- Psychologist
- Your local community health center
