Saturday, December 28, 2019

Unwind and Reset from Holiday Stress




Christmas is a great thing, don't you think?

But who does not get the feeling during this contemplative season that you usually need superhuman strength to cope with the extra organization,  without ultimately losing your balance?

Buying gifts, getting supplies, visiting relatives, entertaining friends and being a perfect guest and/or host - understandably we'll end up nerve-wrecked at some point.

Even if we provide the body with enough sleep and good, healthy food, the energy reserves will become increasingly exhausted. Perhaps our pick-me-up and energizer tips will get your tired engine going again:

Let there be light!

The human body needs a lot of fresh air and sunlight, especially in winter, with darkness and dry heated interiors. Especially in the dark season, it is important that we come outside every day and, quite literally, look at the sky.

A cloudy winter day is definitely much better than a brightly lit room, because the illuminance outdoors is many times higher. During your lunch break, just take a walk around the block. If this is not possible, try a daylight lamp and sit in front of it half an hour every day. The morning is ideal for this.

Take a cold shower

Cold temperatures are a great pick-me-up because they boost the circulation. Do you have problems getting fit in the morning? Then persuade yourself to take a cold shower. It sounds hard at first, but it really does work once you have overcome yourself. If the cold shower in the morning is too much of a good thing, we recommend turning it to BLUE at least in the end. Remain steadfast, the rest is a matter of getting used to.

Me time

Do you always focus on the needs of others? Then in hectic periods like during the Holiday rush, you will have even more problems finding the necessary breaks to replenish your energy. To keep your inner balance, you should reserve time for yourself and do something that relaxes you. Be it the walk round the block, the coffee gossip with friends, a good book or a hot bath. Find what is right for you, whatever it may be.

Organization is everything

With good organization you're halfway there, especially in the overly hectic pre-Holiday season. Take the time to organize, because a well thought out to-do list and the fact that you had to put things in your head to do so, can give you more drive. Placing a "done" check mark on your to-do list automatically brings inner satisfaction and raises your mood. Try it out!

Chewing makes you lively

Chewing gum not only freshens your breath, it also makes you livelier. Sounds strange at first, but just give it a try. At least our own attempts were successful. There are even studies that have shown that chewing increases the heartbeat so that more blood flows into the brain.

Chewing gums with an intensified mint flavor performed the best, because peppermint stimulates the nerve fibers. Similar in effect to the cold shower mentioned earlier.

Good iron, all good

In women, iron deficiency can often cause lack of energy. For an extra portion of power, it doesn't hurt to increase the iron supply. With an appropriate composition of the menu, you can easily do without taking iron supplements. In addition to animal foods such as meat (deer meat has more iron than beef and is also low in fat and calories) and chicken egg yolk, beans such as lentils, white beans, peas or soybeans are also valuable iron suppliers. Grains, pumpkin seeds or mushrooms, particularly chanterelles,  are also important sources of iron. Several spices are also real iron bombs. Cardamom comes first with 100 mg iron per 100 g, followed by dried parsley and dried spearmint. Also, spinach, fennel and broccoli are definitely worth a look at.

Last but not least: If you don't get excited and stressed so quickly, you will experience a relaxing holiday. And just think about it now - the holiday rush will return again next year.