The holidays are a busy time for everyone. There is a lot of pressure to make everything perfect. That pressure can weigh on you heavily, and the stress it causes can take a toll on your mind and body. While you may not avoid stress completely, you can manage it.
The thing about stress is that it isn’t always bad. Small doses of stress can motivate you to get things done so you can have a delightful holiday. The problem is when you don’t manage your stress effectively, it can become overwhelming and affect other aspects of your life. Lowering your stress can make your holiday—and your life—so much better.
The Benefits of Managing Stress
- Helps to control your weight
- Improves immune function
- Releases muscle tension
- Helps you recover faster
- Improves your mood
- Fewer headaches
- Helps strengthen relationships
If you don’t know what you can do to manage your stress, you’re not alone. Relaxing might sound straightforward, but many of us don’t know where to start. Don’t get stressed out trying to think of ways to relax. Read on for some ideas on how to alleviate stress so that you can enjoy your holidays to the fullest.
Get Enough Sleep
The recommended amount of sleep for Canadian adults is 7 to 9 hours per night, but according to Statistics Canada, 1 in 3 people are getting less than that. Among those who get the minimum number of hours of sleep per night, 1 in 2 adults either can’t fall asleep easily or wake up during the night, 1 in 5 adults don’t feel refreshed when they wake up, and 1 in 3 adults have trouble staying awake during the day.
When you get enough quality sleep, it’s easier to stay awake, make plans, and maintain mental health and mental clarity. It also gives you the energy you need to fulfil obligations and complete necessary tasks. You need sleep to feel good about yourself and your efforts. A good night’s sleep isn’t something you should sacrifice.
Make Time for Activities You Enjoy
When you’re doing the many things you have to do, don’t forget to do the things you want to do. Doing things you enjoy improves your mood and keeps you motivated, even when you’re not presently doing it. Staying motivated leads to being more productive, in general.
If you don’t enjoy the activities that occupy your time, you’re likely to develop a more negative outlook on life. It’s important to remind yourself of the things that bring you joy and make life sweeter.
Soak in Your Hot Tub
Hot tub hydrotherapy may have an incredible effect on reducing your stress. It has both physical and mental applications. A hot tub can give you an experience similar to a Swedish massage to help relax your muscles.
In times of stress, many people carry tension in their back and shoulders, which can cause pain and tension headaches. A daily soak can help soothe your muscles and release the tension that can build up throughout the day. It can also lower your heart rate and blood pressure by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, triggering various functions in your body that put you in a relaxed state.
Make Lists
Making lists can make a big difference when trying to tackle tasks. Being able to visualize your plans instead of holding onto everything in your mind can help you let go of some of the mental chatter that many people experience when they’re stressed.
As you’re writing your lists, there’s no need to rush. Take it as an opportunity to visualize yourself completing your tasks. Being able to imagine the end product can motivate you. Make your lists look nice. Since you’re probably going to revisit it several times during the day, it can help if it’s pleasing to look at.
Try Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy can change what your body perceives as stressful, and it may decrease your level of cortisol, which is known as the stress hormone. The effects you may experience from aromatherapy continue throughout the rest of your day.
You can practice aromatherapy in your hot tub with special air-only jets. If you want to use aromatherapy before you go to sleep, you can do it in your bedroom using candles or essential oils.
The best scents for reducing stress:
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Bergamot
- Chamomile
- Jasmine
- Sandalwood
Prioritize Self-Care
Some people get caught up in making everything perfect for others, and they put their needs aside. Self-care isn’t a luxury. It’s necessary for your health. Self-care refers to everything that helps you achieve and maintain optimal health, including nutrition, medical care, hygiene, and stress reduction.
If you think of self-care as selfish, consider this: you aren’t the only person who benefits from it. By practicing regular self-care, you’re also increasing your ability to care for others in the most positive way. It helps you prevent burnout, maintain a more positive attitude, and strengthen your connections with others.
Schedule Hot Tub Service
While it might seem like getting your hot tub serviced is just moving a task up on your list, it serves a greater purpose. Scheduling an appointment to maintain your hot tub is something you can do quickly and then mark it as complete. Just the act of crossing a task off your list can give you a motivational boost and a sense of relief.
After the maintenance is complete, your hot tub will be ready to use and in better condition than before. Sometimes even a small amount of effort can have a much greater payoff.
Talk to a Friend
Don’t underestimate the power of a good chat. When people talk to a close friend or family member about personal challenges, it reduces stress, strengthens the immune system, and lowers physical and emotional distress.
When you talk about how you feel about things that are bothering you, you’re practicing mindfulness. The act of identifying your feelings can help you get a different perspective on the issue and release some of the stress. It also shifts activity from the part of your brain that reacts to external stress to the part of your brain that analyzes and searches for meaning.
Bottling up your feelings can make the stress you’re feeling even worse. Instead of keeping everything inside, talk to someone you trust so you can start to heal.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Having all kinds of holiday cakes and cookies around can make it hard to eat well, but maintaining a healthy diet is important for your physical and mental wellbeing.
Neurotransmitters send messages to your brain and body to regulate functions, including mood, heart rate, sleep, concentration, and stress. Your body uses amino acids that you get from food to make the neurotransmitters that make you happy, slow your heart rate, regulate your sleep cycle, improve mental clarity, and counteract stress.
For example, eating foods that are high in saturated fat can reduce dopamine, which is the main neurotransmitter that affects pleasure and feelings of achievement. Carbohydrates trigger the brain to make more serotonin, which improves mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. To keep a consistent balance, complex carbohydrates are best.
Get Some Fresh Air
The cold outdoors may not seem very inviting, but a breath of fresh air can still have a positive effect on your well-being. Being outside decreases the stress hormone, cortisol. It may also improve your mood if you’re able to catch some sunlight. When you’re exposed to sunlight, it allows you to produce vitamin d and triggers the release of serotonin.
One way to enjoy the outdoors is to do it while soaking in your hot tub. You get to experience the benefits of being outdoors while staying warm and extremely comfortable. There are very few activities that can combine as many stress-relieving activities as being in an outdoor hot tub with massage and aromatherapy features.
Contact Sundance Spas Kitchener-Waterloo
If you find these tips helpful and want more information about improving your health and wellness, visit our Resource Centre and check out the Health Benefits section. You can also discover useful information in our Blog and find answers to your questions in our FAQ centre. To find out which hot tub is right for you, contact Sundance Spas Kitchener-Waterloo and our experts will help you select the hot tub for your lifestyle, install it where you’ll benefit from it the most, and cooperate with your budget.
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