Total Therapy Blog

Taking Care this Holiday Season December 8, 2010 (0) Comments in Healthy Tips by Total Therapy

The holidays are fast approaching, so while you’re running around taking care of your love ones,don’t forget to take care of yourself. Too little sleep and too much stress can do a number on your body. Taking a few moments for yourself can help you avoid the holiday blues.

1. Breathe deep. When we get stressed, we tend to take shallow breaths. This in turn promotes a hormonal stress reaction that can intensify a sense of panic. Taking deep breaths helps counteract this cycle, enabling your body to relax and move out of the fight-or-flight mode.
2. Drop your shoulders. Ever noticed how your shoulders creep up by your ears as stress levels rise? Chronic tension in your upper shoulders can create problems for both your neck and shoulders. Letting your shoulders drop down prevents tension from building up, and can also help you relax by making you mindful of how you’re managing your stress levels.
3. Get in some physical activity. Even sneaking in 10 minutes of exercise a day can do wonders for your body. Physical activity has been shown to reduce stress levels, promote sleep, and reduce your risk for a variety of injuries, including back injuries.
4. Sleep. When we’re busy, it seems that sleep is one of the first things to go. However, being sleep deprived means you’re more forgetful, have more difficulty dealing with stress, are more likely to get sick, and are more likely to get injured. Most adults need about 7 hours of sleep per day, but everybody is different. If you still feel exhausted when your alarm clock goes off in the morning, you may not be getting enough.

So this holiday season, remember to take care of yourself so you can continue taking care of others. Happy holidays!

Do you have any tips on how you can relax and take care of yourself during the holiday season? Join us on Facebook and share your tips with us!


This article was contributed by our Practicing Kinesiologist, Jennifer Lyle, BSc (Kin)

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