10 ways to stay calm this festive season

I (General and Medical blog writer) was recently at a flower club demonstration in my hometown Stamford. I must admit that my head was one of the few that wasn’t grey, but I had a fabulous time watching Christmas themed flower arrangements come to life. Nevertheless, at the end of the evening, I realised I felt panicked, slightly anxious and like I had forgotten something.

I realised it was because I’d been surrounded by frankly, outrageously organised ladies who have already done their Christmas shopping; wrapping, cards, the whole works. Not only were they extremely smug to be so prepared, but they made me feel infantile for being so far behind, hence the feelings of desolate panic at the end of the evening.

I’m one to avoid Christmas until I’m at least in December, and I think that’s a healthy way to deal with it. But the honest truth is, everyone is different and when it comes down to it, we should all just do what makes us happy. If you want to buy next year’s Christmas gifts in January, you go for it! So, with this in mind I have compiled (perhaps slightly too early in the year) a list of 10 ways to keep your health and head this festive season.

Ignorance is bliss

It goes without saying that you can’t ignore Christmas altogether but you can put it off for quite some time. If people ask you if you’ve done your Christmas shopping, simply tell them that it’s all under control, smile, and move on before they can turn you into a worried mess. As for Christmas cakes, that’s what Marks and Spencer are for.

Don’t give in

Christmas is a beautiful time of year, we give and receive and everyone suddenly transforms into a generous and merry human being for a couple of days. This is great, but don’t be sucked into going completely mad with your money. No last-minute shopping, acknowledge that everyone is mad, its chaos and it will soon be over for another year.

Do stay fit

Keeping to a routine is one of the best ways to stay level headed. If you’re a regular gym-goer, don’t give it up after the first drinks party. Keep moving, sweating, and grinding. Then, you can happily recline into bliss as you eat your Christmas dinner guilt-free.

Get your Zzz’s

A lack of sleep can lead to serious health conditions, but first, it will make you tired and grumpy. Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep by going to bed earlier, trying pillow mists, reading a book before bed or simply investing in some new luxury bedding.

Remember fruit & veg

Your poor old body, you’ve been going to lots of parties, eating lots of mince pies, but what about fruit and veg? Try and keep a well-stocked fruit bowl at work to remind yourself to get those essential vitamins and minerals each day. Apples, in particular, are a really good hunger suppressant leaving less room for another Christmas snack.

Keep hydrated

It’s typical that in the winter we drink less water because we’re miserable and cold, therefore not so thirsty. Interestingly, because of heating and synthetic clothing, we sweat in the winter too. Make sure you’re still having the recommended daily allowance of around 8 glasses of water each day, more if you’re exercising of course.

Take some time out

If you’re starting to feel worn out, it could be down to not having spent enough time in the company of you! Run yourself a bath, go for a walk, or even just take yourself out into the country in the car with your favourite music on. Whatever it takes to get you back to you.

Take a breath

When we’re stressed, we don’t breathe with our full capacity, we just do silly little worried breathing. Get your body into a more relaxed state by breathing from the bottom of your belly to the very top of your chest, in and out 5 times, then relax and repeat. If you struggle to do this exercise by yourself, do it with a friend!

Stop and think

We can get caught up in our emotions at Christmas and forget to be thankful for everything we do have and can give, at Christmas. Take in every moment, nature is beautiful at the time of year and if you’re running around like a headless chicken you will miss out.

Volunteer

Finally, although this may sound fickle, one of the best distractions for a cluttered mind is volunteering. Find out whether and of your local homeless charities need help and get involved. Christmas is an extremely difficult time of year for people without a home or family, even just stopping to talk to a homeless person in your town can be a huge help.