Stress Proofing Your Christmas

December 3, 2008

Stress Proofing Your Christmas, UK

With Christmas just around the corner, the festive fun can often be

overshadowed by stress. The pressures of Christmas shopping, time,

money, and social demands can often lead to anxiety, sleep

disturbances, headaches, loss of appetite and even poor

concentration, all of which are symptoms of stress. Over time, stress

can contribute towards heart disease, stroke and cancer so it's

important that you take steps to manage it.

Stress-bust your Christmas with these seasonal tips:

-- Set aside the time to get your Christmas shopping done in one day -

don't spread the stress, tackle it all at once.

-- Beat the frustrating queues by shopping on the internet, to save

time, and reduce your travelling expenses.

-- As money is a major concern over Christmas, why not set your

budget in advance and try to stick to it and help reduce anxiety over

nightmare credit card bills. Using the internet to shop and comparing

prices to get the cheapest deal is great if you're feeling the pinch

and can be done in the comfort of your own home.

-- Dealing with family and relatives during Christmas can be trying,

and too much alcohol can make things worse. Try to moderate the

alcohol consumption during the festivities and stick to the daily

recommended allowance as your waistline and heart benefit too.

-- Children can be quite demanding at this time of year, so keep them

occupied with an early present such as a game or DVD.

-- Taking regular exercise may also help relieve stress as it will

increase your energy levels, boost your confidence and self-image and

stimulate the release of endorphins, also known as 'happy hormones'.

-- Remember to take some time out to relax and find an activity you

enjoy like reading, meditation, exercising or even chatting to

friends or family.

Don't let stress beat you down this Christmas and enjoy the

festivities with a happy heart.

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