Your Holiday Energy and Stress Level

December is a particularly stressful time for most people. End-of-semester crunch, exams, flu season, and holidays combine to sap our energy and boost our stress level.

There are a few things you can do to protect yourself and optimize your energy level, especially during this hectic season:

• Make sure that you are not suffering from a vitamin deficiency by taking a standard multivitamin supplement to fill in any nutritional gaps. Vitamin deficiencies can cut your energy level. Keep your eating moderate and avoid any drastic diets.
• Get some exercise every day. It’s best to choose some exercise activity that you enjoy, rather than one you find a chore. Start slow, if you have not been exercising; walking is a good start.
• Moderate your intake of sugars, caffeine (coffee, cola, tea), and alcohol. All of these cause your system to crash. Even though some provide a temporary simulating effect, ultimately your energy level suffers.
• Get enough sleep. Seven or eight hours is the norm. Keep your sleep schedule regular. More than an hour or so of difference in bedtime or waking can disrupt your body’s daily chemistry cycle. Your energy level may take several days or more to recover.
• Be sure to have an emotional outlet. This time of year is emotionally demanding, and in the press of activity we tend to put our emotional needs on hold. Holiday expectations for an upbeat mood can be difficult when we have sad or angry feelings. Set aside time for yourself. Take special care to express your “non-holiday” feelings.

If, after trying these suggestions, you still feel very over-stressed or run down, you might want to seek some professional advice. Have a healthy holiday season.