Dr Eddie Murphy
Tips to avoid festive stress
For many people, “the most wonderful time of the year” is marked by stress, pressure and conflict. Some people can feel overwhelmed by the excess, expectations and all too often, debt. Most of us are aware of the adverse effects that stress can have on our bodies. It can impact our thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and obesity if left unchecked. Research shows that the occurrence of heart attacks and cardiovascular-related deaths rises during the Christmas season, which may be due to stress and over-consumption. Therefore, it’s important that holiday stress is dealt with – by planning ahead.
Dr Eddie’s top 5 tips for a stress-free Christmas 1 Make a list
Santa has a list for a reason. Money issues are one of the biggest sources of stress during the holiday season. Avoid overspending by setting a budget. First of all, make sure that all your usual expenses are accounted for: rent, bills, fuel and so on. Once these items have been subtracted from your budget, you can then work out how much you can spend on gifts. Being organised and realistic will help you avoid overspending and the risk of panic buying. Avoid temptation and stick to your list. Keep in mind what is important.
2 Manage expectations
Everyone has an idea of the perfect Christmas, but despite our grand plans, no event ever runs seamlessly and this is true for holiday celebrations. Rather than accumulating stress from any mishaps that occur, view these miniature calamities as an opportunity to exercise your flexibility and resilience. Dinner running 30 minutes late? Christmas tree lobsided? It’s not going to ruin your day!
3 Be realistic
I am trying to get my boys Oisín (10) and Darragh (8) to distinguish between what we need and what we want. I’ve pointed out that few people get everything they want for Christmas and that the event is about being together, not about a list of presents to tick off. Planning fun activities that encourage everyone to get together and have fun can create excitement. For example, check out your local GOAL Mile, a wonderful event now in its 36th year. After all, Christmas is about family.
4 Time out please!
Trying to achieve everything during the Christmas holidays takes a toll on your mind and body. Enlist some help for the necessary tasks on your list and take some time out. De-stressing will benefit you and the people around you.
5 Have some fun
Too often, I meet people who have so much in life, but have little fun. Laughter goes a long way in the fight against stress and could be just what the doctor ordered. Laughter lightens your mood, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and also releases feel-good endorphins. Finding positive, healthful ways to manage stress could reduce many of the related adverse health effects.
My Christmas wish for you (and for myself ) is to have some fun!