The holidays may be known for their go-go-go
stressful energy, but we also tend to spend a lot of time in December being
sedentary. Historically, people are least physically active during the winter,
thanks to falling temperatures, limited hours of sunlight, calendars jam-packed
with travel and social commitments, and of course, the tug of the couch after
too much eggnog.
اضافة اعلان
While these higher stress levels are not only caused
by a lack of physical activity, the lethargy certainly does not help, said Dr
Rebecca Brendel, president of the
American Psychiatric Association and an
associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard University Medical School.
Exercise can be a key way to combat the stress of
the season. And it can take whatever shape and form you prefer.
If you already have an established fitness routine,
keep it up. Research shows that, over time, regular exercise can help to
prevent stress in the first place by improving our body’s ability to neutralize
stress-causing hormones and by increasing dopamine receptors in the brain,
allowing us to feel more joy.
And if you have not been consistently working out?
You can turn to exercise “as needed”, in the same way you might take an Advil
for a headache, said Sepideh Saremi, a licensed clinical social worker and
founder of Run Walk Talk, a Los Angeles-based therapy program in which she
treats her clients while engaging in physical activity. Research suggests that
a single session of intense exercise (whatever that means for you) can boost
your mood for up to 24 hours.
While just about any movement can offset overwhelm,
we asked mental health experts who focus on the mind-body connection for their
best advice for this particular time of year.
Do the opposite of
what is keeping you down.
The holidays can feel
constricting, both
physically and psychologically. Travel requires squeezing
yourself into small spaces in airplanes or trains and crowded parties intrude
on your personal space. A relative’s backhanded compliments about your life
choices can make you feel emotionally small, too.
When you are feeling squeezed, do a workout (or
single exercise) that encourages the body to take up space, said Erica
Hornthal, a dance therapist in Chicago.
Hornthal suggested carving out time for full body,
reach-for-the-sky style stretching sessions. Even two to three minutes of this
can help to offset feeling cramped. She also recommended shaking off the
feeling of constriction. “Shake your hands, shake your head — kind of like an
animal after it gets wet,” she said. “You can make a game out of it if you have
kids.”
If you are feeling claustrophobic at your in-laws’
house, find an open space and try an 8 1/2-minute “joy workout” that leads you
through six body-expanding moves designed to boost happiness, including
reaching, swaying, bouncing, and jumping.
You can use this
counterbalancing strategy to ease the relentless pace of the holidays, too. If
you feel like you are constantly racing from one commitment to the next, seek
out a workout that slows the body down.
Yoga, with its focus on breathing and mindful
movement, can be an especially effective tool for alleviating this feeling of
nonstop doing. Making time for a 15-minute session in the morning or evening
can help the mind and body reset to a more comfortable pace.
Jog or walk with
friends — or foes
When you feel your family
stress meter rising, make time to step out and take an “empathy run” or walk —
a concept coined by William Pullen, a therapist in London.
To do it, Pullen said, enlist a friend or loved one
to accompany you for a jaunt outside — even for just 20 minutes. While moving
together, take turns expressing whatever is stressing you out and listening
without judgment.
Alternatively, Saremi said you could suggest going
for a jog or walk with a family member who is causing you stress. “It can help
you both be more in the present moment, so you’re not continually playing up
old dynamics.” Another advantage to talking while moving? You do not have to
look at each other. “Without the pressure to make eye contact,” we often feel
freer to open up, she said.
Take a group dance class
If you want to feel more happiness and connection with the people around
you, sign up for a dance fitness class.
Research has shown
that, when humans move in tandem, we are primed to feel as if the boundaries
between us are dissolving, creating a sense of shared humanity, said Emiliya
Zhivotovskaya, founder of The Flourishing Center, which coaches individuals and
organizations in positive psychology.
Go on a
“microadventure”
Scientists have found that people who experience awe report lower levels
of daily stress. Try planning a creative “microadventure” to calm your mind:
Take a familiar bike ride in the dark to see your surroundings with fresh eyes,
or do a day hike on a local mountain, pausing along the way to revel in the
views.
Or you can simply
step outside. A growing body of research suggests that spending time in nature,
even just in a city park, can have a soothing effect on our minds and bodies,
including lowering stress hormones and reducing physical measures of stress
such as blood pressure.
“Benefits can range from increased feelings of happiness and
emotional well-being to positive social interaction to decreased stress and
anxiety,” said Gregory Bratman, director of the Environment and Well-Being Lab
at the University of Washington.
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