your complete guide to the easiest ever Christmas
Often feel frazzled during the festive season? Our clever, get-calm-quick tips can help!
We may love Christmas, but sometimes it can be far from merry. While it’s supposed to be a time of good cheer, the end-of-year work rush, high expectations of the day itself, and being crammed into a room full of relatives that you haven’t seen in months, can make you more stressed than the Christmas turkey. No wonder researchers from the University of California found that heart attacks peak around Christmas and New Year. Add a little calm to the chaos with our ultimate chill-out guide... Tempers Are STARTING To flare WITH family members Sort it take yourself away from any situation when you know you’re about to lose it, sit somewhere quietly and breathe deeply. try the four-seven-eight technique. Put one hand on your upper chest, the other below your belly button, to feel your breath going in and out. exhale through your mouth, then inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four, using your diaphragm and abdominal muscles. hold your breath for a count of seven. let it out slowly through your mouth for a count of eight. repeat at least twice or until you feel calmer.
YOU Worry CHRISTMAS WON’T live UP To Your EXPECTATIONS Sort it ‘expectations rarely match reality!’ says david James less, therapist, coach and meditation teacher (wuwei wisdom.com). ‘holding on to a belief that christmas should be a certain way is setting yourself up for frustration and failure. learn to savour the small stuff by becoming more realistic and flexible and embracing the unexpected. say to yourself, “my christmas won’t be perfect, but it will be unique to me.”’ festive food is Piling on THE POUNDS Sort it ‘Watch your portion size,’ says silentnight sleep expert dr Nerina ramlakhan. it will prevent the seasonal spread, and stop you falling asleep postchristmas pud. ‘slow down your rate of eating, by putting your cutlery down between each mouthful. this will allow time during your meal for your body’s natural hormones leptin (which reduces hunger) to rise, and ghrelin (normally only released when we initiate eating) to fall, thereby lowering appetite and inducing a feeling of satiety.’
YOU feel resentful Sort it ‘you may start feeling this if you think you’re being taken advantage of,’ says elizabeth kuhnke, author of Body Language: Learn How to Read Others and Communicate with Confidence. ‘before that happens, set out clear boundaries. Give people things to do. if your brother-in-law is a great bartender, ask him to take care of drinks. or perhaps your sister creates beautiful flower arrangements? if everyone is clear about what’s expected of them, you’ll have a happier day – and so will they.’
You’re Too STRESSED OUT To enjoy Yourself Sort it set aside some time just for you. magnesium helps to ease anxiety and relaxes your muscles, while lavender has a calming effect. dissolve Dr Teal’s lavender Soaking Solution (£7.99, drteals.co.uk) into a bowl of warm water and soak your feet for 20 minutes. or have a lavender scented shower with Tisserand lavender & White mint Body Wash (£9.95, tisserand.com).