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This is a time of year where people are gearing up for the holiday season ahead, which usually involves days off work, late-night shopping, reconnecting with friends and family and attending holiday parties. Although the coming season is supposed to be filled with celebrations, love and laughter, many people experience frustration, anxiety, mood swings and very high stress levels.
An inability to cope with stress seems to be more common these days and one thing is certain – your body feels it! In fact, 80% of serious health conditions can be linked to stress. From a weakened immune system to insomnia to adrenal exhaustion, stress is clearly affecting more and more lives. Learning how to manage it is now one of the most important factors in leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
Whether stress manifests itself physically, emotionally or mentally, it usually has a negative effect on your wellbeing. And prolonged stress is the worst of all – possibly leading to lethal cardiovascular diseases, nervous system disorders and mental and emotional imbalances. The good news is there are many natural, effective ways to treat and manage stress to ensure you enjoy a healthy, stress-free holiday season.
Neurotransmitters are influenced by lifestyle, hormones, drugs, alcohol and caffeine, and they play a key role in managing stress. Prolonged periods of stress can deplete these, causing a person to feel nervous, anxious and unbalanced. The neurotransmitters – serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine – affect your brain, your nervous system and the balanced functioning of your whole body. They work as messengers, constantly communicating with your brain to generate feelings, activate memories and inspire thoughts.
When these important neurotransmitter levels are not adequate, managing stress becomes increasingly difficult and psychological disorders may arise such as anxiety, depression, frustration or an inability to concentrate. Balancing these neurotransmitters makes coping with stressful situations much easier, so let’s discuss each chemical messenger and the natural ways to balance them this stressful time of year.
is known as the hormone that greatly influences mood and overall wellbeing. It’s the chemical messenger in your body that’s responsible for restful sleep, relaxation, calmness, inner balance, and appetite satiety. When serotonin levels are balanced, you experience an inner sense of calmness, good concentration and optimal sleep patterns. You cannot overdose on serotonin, and more is better than less.
Certain foods affect neurotransmitters, so to increase serotonin levels during the busy holiday season, increase your consumption of fresh vegetables such as squash, complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, brown rice, millet and buckwheat and natural treats such as 70% dark chocolate. These are some of my favourite foods that help boost serotonin levels, resulting in better mood, improved wellbeing and an improved ability to handle stress.
If you still need some help managing stress, consider an all-natural mood boosting supplement called 5-hydroxitryptophan (5-HTP), a high quality B complex supplement and essential fatty acids. Regular exercise will also assist with maintaining appropriatelevels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters.
is responsible for what is commonly described as a “natural high.” It plays an important role in regulating mood. Stress, caffeine, sugar and alcoholic beverages decrease dopamine activity in the brain, and in the long run may hinder its natural production. This holiday season, enjoy protein-rich foods such as fish and turkey, drink plenty of herbal teas and limit your consumption of alcohol.
As a general guideline, women can have up to four alcoholic beverages per week and men can have up to seven. No more than one organic coffee per day is recommended, because although caffeine increases dopamine immediately after consumption, once the effects wear off, you usually feel low. Also, since dopamine activates pleasure centers in the brain, drinking caffeinated beverages regularly and in great quantities can lead to caffeine addiction. Avoiding caffeine completely or treating yourself to it on weekends is the best option.
provides your body with energy during times of stress. It’s responsible for feelings of wakefulness, faster reaction times and an increased ability to concentrate. Perhaps you work better under stress – norepinephrine is the neurotransmitter responsible for making you more alert, more productive and more focused when things need to get done at work, at school or around the house. Although some people love the feeling of working under pressure to meet deadlines, this chemical messenger has a negative effect on your health if it falls out of balance. Too much norepinephrine causes insomnia, anxiety and aggression. If chronically elevated, there’s an increased risk of developing psychological disorders such as psychosis and paranoia.
Take a moment and list some behaviors that you engage in that help you manage everyday stress. If you feel an inner sense of peace and calmness, you likely have good sleep patterns, eat nutritious whole foods or practice meditation. If you feel unbalanced, frustrated, worried or exhausted, now is the time to take a moment and reflect on how you manage stress.
Your body is constantly working to maintain homeostatic balance and keep your organs and systems functioning optimally. Excessive stress over long periods can move your body out of this internal balance, damaging organ functioning and various systems. Your wellbeing depends on your body’s ability to continuously re-establish balance when stress comes into play.
How quickly do you re-balance after a stressful situation? If you feel overwhelmed by stress and have difficulty managing it, this holiday season is your chance to approach stress from a different angle. Relax, breath and take the necessary steps to re-balance your body. Studies show that people who exercise regularly and practice yoga experience better coping mechanisms when it comes to dealing with stress – and your solutions don’t have to complicated or expensive, either.
Taking care of your body is like taking care of your car. Just as your car needs routine check-ups, gas and oil changes, your body needs nourishing foods, exercise, rest, relaxation and balancing therapies such as acupuncture and massage. You’ll manage stress better if you take care of your body in a loving, gentle way. So what are you waiting for?
