How to manage Christmas stress?

Christmas, a time for catching up with family and friends, present buying, and holiday preparations. For what is known as ‘the most wonderful time of the year, often isn’t the case for everyone. Social and work calendars fill up and the to-do lists can get bigger and bigger often leading to an overwhelming feeling

At Aery HQ we’re sharing a few of our teams’ tips for keeping ourselves well rested this festive season and prevent any grinches this Christmas!

Learn to say no

It is easy to feel overwhelmed with the pressure to see people over the festive period. But it’s also important to carve out a little time for yourself to decompress. This is where saying no and knowing your limits can really go a long way. We all know the phrase – ‘You can’t pour from a class half full’. No pun intended. Set aside a little time for yourself throughout your day so you can reset and recharge. Why not collect your thoughts in a journal. This can help realise something that has maybe been troubling you recently. Leaving you with more feeling of clarity and focus. If you’re really struggling to cram in the social engagements, why not re-arrange for new year and give yourself something to look forward to after Christmas.

Keep your routine

It’s easy for routine to slip at Christmas but doing what you can to keep routine where it’s needed most can do the world of good! Keeping on top of the small things feels much more manageable and can help us feeling happy and healthy. Maybe it’s your daily walk, eating fresh fruit and veg or sticking to your favourite wind down routine before bed.

Maybe you can incorporate a new routine into your week. Meal prepping can be a saviour this time of year. Freeing up a little extra time in the evenings or on your lunch breaks and ensuring you’re getting lovely, tasty meals when life’s getting a bit chaotic. Another bonus is it can be a good money saver which is always helpful this time of year. Try something new this Christmas that will be beneficial for you. You may not need a New Year's resolution after all!

Prioritise sleep

Sleep really is your bread and butter. It is a vital part of your emotional, physical and mental wellbeing and a lack of sleep can actually increase the amount of stress hormones that are present in your body. So, during this busy period, it is more important than ever to be putting in an active effort to get enough sleep. However, we all know it’s not that simple and it seems that when we are feeling stressed, sleep is the first aspect of our lives to suffer. Giving yourself time to unwind and carve a night-time routine is one of our favourite tips. Creating evening habits that our brain can recognise helps us to connect with our natural circadian rhythm (our body's 24 hour clock) and signal that it is time to start winding down.
Team fave: A Lumie BodyLuxe clock paired with a Sleep Happy Room Mist and Candle

Plan in advance 

Last-minute rushes are one of the biggest causes of stress (not just at Christmas). So adding a little more structure to your festivities can help you feel more organised. List making and planners are one way we love to keep track of what’s going on. If you don’t have one yet, it is gifting season after-all so why not get some gorgeous stationary on the Christmas List. Separating your plans out into sections such as to-do lists, shopping lists and socials can make organising feel much more manageable.

To round things off, we have put together a self-care ritual to ensure you do the little things to help get through any day-to-day stresses. 

1. Start your day with a routine 

A morning routine is a great way to start your day on a positive note. Whether it is as simple as making your bed first, performing some morning stretches and then heading downstairs for a coffee; this sense of structure is always helpful before a busy day. If you are struggling to create a morning routine, check out our mindful mornings blog to find the rituals perfect for you. 

2. Go for a daily walk 

Being stuck inside can be a real contributor to stress. Sometimes all we need is a burst of cold air and a stretch of the legs. So, including a daily walk is a great way to clear the mind. Struggling to think of ideas either at work or for presents? Getting out for a wander can help with your thought processes too. Not only this, studies have proven 30-45 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each day can increase the number of immune system cells in your body needed to fight off those stress causing pesky colds.

3. Get in all those vitamins

With less exposure to daylight and colder weather in the festive period, colds can be a lot more common. So getting in all those healthy vitamins is more important than ever, not to mention all the yummy food and drink we are likely to be enjoying more of. Having a daily smoothie is a great way to do this, why not try our favourite Banana, Apple and Kale Smoothie? 

Christmas really is a beautiful time of the year and studies have proven that people are kinder during the Christmas season. So be kind to yourself this year, take time for yourself, get enough sleep and enjoy the magic of Christmas.