#Merrystressmas 11th Gift: 10+ Things to do when stressed

HO HO HO or HUH HUH HUH?!

Christmas should be a time to enjoy. But if stress comes along with it, Christmas will be ruined entirely. It is a sad thing, right?

Unlike other infectious diseases, stress problem are sometimes not obvious and easily be ignored. But it has the same serious consequences as other diseases actually. Today it is hoped that the sharing of symptoms of stress can let people be alert to the problem. It is followed by some suggestions on things-to-do at Christmas.

Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed, tensed and worried. It sometimes can be motivation but can also be harmful to metal health if in serious. It can affect normal lives and be hard to move on.

Symptoms are:

It is important to understand the situation before seeking help. Take the test down here to see the stress level:

Stress can contribute to serious chain effect such as health and relationship problems if the stress is undiscovered and ignored. Thankfully, simple techniques are enough to help manage and reduce stress.

All the stress relievers here can be taken at any time and during Christmas month.

Self engagement:

• Do your favorite hobbies, e.g. play instruments, dance
• Have a massage
• Have a bath
• DIY crafts and Christmas gifts
• Punch pillow and squeeze stress ball
• Do volunteering
• Take a nap
• Go to beach/lawn and sit in the sun (best choice to do at hot Christmas in Australia)
• Exercise and stretch, e.g. Yoga

 

Eyes engagement:

• Read a good or unfinished book
• Painting
• Photographing
• Look out to window and see the green
• Cry (never feel ashamed, it really works)
• Go out and see Christmas Lights (anyone knows it’s free?)

Ears engagement:

• Sit outside to enjoy the sounds in surrounding
• Listen favourite piece of music
• Listen to relaxation music

Mouth engagement:

• Sing
• Laugh it off (to reduce fatigue)
• Self-talk/calming
• DIY and enjoy stress-free treats:#Merrystressmas 10th Gift: 6 Foods and 1 Recipe to boost your mood
• Chew gum
• Count to 10 or 1000

Nose engagement:

• Burn aromatherapy oils
• Burn scented candles
• Enjoy aroma of baking
• Enjoy fresh air and outdoor smells, e.g. hiking

 Social engagement:

• Watch a film with people at home
• Give a big hug to loves
• Take a leisure stroll
• Have a chat with someone who listen
• Tell someone ‘I Love You’

Hope Everyone could have a stress-free lifestyles and of course, stress-free Christmas. Welcome to like and comment the post if you find it helpful and have ideas of stress-reducing to share.

T.Y.

Source: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/health/a10458/stress-relieving-tips/

http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/458275/177366/yoga-relaxation-infographic

#Merrystressmas 10th Gift: 6 Foods and 1 Recipe to boost your mood

I have always explained the seriousness of Christmas stress and how to avoid it in the previous blogs. Today is time to recommend something you must like and find interested in order to reduce your stress and boost your mood. It’s Food Time!

I am a foodie always craving for food. I guess no one will disagree that eating is one of the happiest thing in the world. Keep reading and you can get some suggestion of food to relief your stress.

1. Fish and seafood

• Vitamin B12
• Magnesium
• Selenium
• Antioxidants
• Omega 3 fatty acid

The tops choices are salmon, tuna and crab. They reduce heart disease and heal damaged cells.  Most importantly, they are especially helpful in reducing the risk of depression.

2. Nuts

• Selenium
• Amino acids
• Omega 3 fatty acids
• Antioxidants

Suggested choices are flaxseed and pistachio. They are proved to help improve mild depression. Besides the benefits of boosting moods, they are also good in controlling cholesterol and protecting brain cells.

3. Vegetables

• Folic acid
• Vitamins
• Magnesium
• Iron

Spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and kale are the common and cheap choices. Green leafy vegetables are not only important for its rich in fibre, they are also very good stress buster. They are beneficial in making you proactively fighting stress.

4. Avocado

• Omega 6 fatty acids

I have to bust the myth of avocado here! It contains high fat content but the truth is the good fat content are healthy for your heart and body. Avocado is valuable to stabilise blood sugar and regulate your mood consequently. SO please do not give up avocado. Both you and it will be sad 😦

5. Low-fat dairy foods

• Vitamin B12 and A
• Selenium
• Calcium
• Potassium
• Magnesium

Dairy can lower the risk of depression. They keep you from tense because they provide nutrients that adults need. Cheese also has significant effect to induce happy hormones.

6. Citric fruits

• Vitamins C and B
• Flavonoids

They are good to boost energy and prevent stress related diseases. Drinking lemon juice can also bring you fresh mood.

#MerryStressmas 7th Gift: ‘I couldn’t help crying on a Christmas street’

An interview story of a young girl suffering from Christmas depression

Christmas is, for most of the young people, a holiday for partying, for celebrating, and for blessing. Last year, however, Christmas has hit Chris seriously with depression and stress.

Christmas was a holiday representing joy, warmth and celebration to Chris too before. She had never thought of this happy holiday could be a source of her depression and stress as well. She would like to share her story with us to raise the awareness of Christmas depression and its impact.

Chris is a 20-year-old girl from an extended family who must celebrate Christmas with the entire family every year. They usually have a Christmas party in auntie’s house and celebrate with a delicious Christmas dinner as well as Christmas gift exchanging. Things had been changed for their last Christmas because Chris’s father had been fired due to the company’s financial downturn. Chris was told most of her pocket money would be cut and some of her personal savings was taken to afford the necessities and bills. She had cut all the friends’ gathering, leisure activities and started finding jobs to secure her family’s financial balance. She and her parents were under much financial pressure and psychological stress.

Although they could still make a living, they were under much stress and depression because they felt ashamed to tell other family members and friends their difficulties. Chris could not tell how many times she had already been crying and woke up with tears in the mid of night. She mentioned that days were the worst day ever in her life and felt like that was the end of the world because she could not see the future. Especially because of the Christmas approaching, her family worried a lot for the struggle in affording the high expenses during Christmas month.

However, the inconsideration from other family members and friends hit them more seriously during Christmas period. Chris and her parents were blamed for the lack of effort contributing in their party such as purchasing Christmas decoration, foods and gifts. They were especially ashamed and hopeless and felt they were losers in front of their beloved. Chris was also stressed because of her friends’ blaming about her absence of gathering and rejection of party invitation.

‘I rushed into tears in front of all family members and ran to the street. I couldn’t help crying on a Christmas street full of happy faces and Christmas celebration.’ Chris burst out when she were challenged by family members for the worse performance in academic and the decision of doing part-time job. She thought she could get support from her loved family and friends but she did not. She said she had a second of the idea of suicide come up in mind because she believed her difficulties were not cared by everyone.

Luckily her parents and some of the family members came and found her and talked with her for long. Other family members promised to give their family support and help after understanding their difficulties. Chris was also encouraged to explain to and seek support from friends and consultant as well, which is a critical point for her to relieve from the psychological problem.

Christ mentioned that although Christmas could bring people joy, it could bring stress as well, especially for those who are having financial difficulties. She emphasizes support and love from the beloved is significantly important to relieve sufferer from stress. She suggests people who find themselves having difficulties must seek help from the professionals and talk to somebody in order to solve the problem both financially and psychologically before it getting more serious.

Chris’s story has told us the problem of Christmas stress could be serious and common. If you find you are having similar problem, you are not the only one and should not feel ashamed. Instead, you should seek help from professionals such as BeyondBlue Australia: www.beyondblue.org.au.

Never give up in finding help and fighting Christmas stress.

Welcome to share our own story with us.