Source: Psychology Today
Here’s a summary of the 5 tips for holiday self care provided by Charles Schaeffer, PhD, MA, in Psychology Today. You can read the full article here.
Between event planning, shopping, cooking, managing relatives, and trying to complete the 300 other tasks “necessary” for a good holiday, it’s no wonder many people lose sight of what keeps them physically healthy and mentally grounded throughout the rest of the year.
- Keep exercise essential. Physical activity reduces stress, improves mood and concentration, and combats depression.
- Get in touch with gratitude. Recent neuroscience research shows that simply pondering the question, “What am I grateful for?” increases dopamine and serotonin, even if you can’t actually think of an answer.
- Protect your sleep. Losing sleep over the perfect meal or present will not make you or your family happier or healthier over the holidays. But you know what will? Consistent quality sleep.
- Feel (don’t eat or drink) your feelings. Emotional eating and drinking doesn’t work in the long run, leaving you with the same anxiety about difficult emotions, a potential dependence on alcohol or food to self-soothe, and (all too often) 5 or 10 extra pounds that won’t be easy to lose.
- Give yourself the present. When you stop trying to make your holiday fit an ideal, you open up space to savor the holiday as it is.
What are your best tips for self care during the holidays? Leave a comment and share. You can also help new moms with self care by donating to our Box Project.
Great tips. We women always feel we have to do it all, when in retrospect it is just one day and the important part is being in the moment with family.