Let’s run through our top strategies for keeping stress low and spirits high this silly season.
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Plan ahead
Let Santa Claus be your inspiration to “make a list and check it twice”. Creating a to-do list and accomplishing tasks incrementally is a great way to navigate this busy time as it helps to reduce stress both in the short and long-run. Besides a manual list, keep yourself even more accountable with a scheduling phone app for extra assistance.
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Make time for self-care
Whether it’s 30 minutes or 1 hour, consistently investing in ‘you time’ daily can be beneficial for keeping stress at a minimum. Engage in activities that put your mind at ease. This could be reading a book, indulging in a coffee or tea at your local café or going for a walk in nature.
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Establish a manageable budget
Setting an appropriate budget as early as possible can help melt away the stress associated with last-minute or unexpected expenses. Additionally, although it’s a time of giving, it doesn’t have to break the bank. Consider budget-friendly ideas like Kris Kringle (instead of buying gifts for all family and friends) or a ‘do-it-yourself’ present (e.g. bake a cake etc.).
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Prioritise sleep
Sleep is a powerful stress reducer. A healthy sleep routine calms and restores the body, improves concentration and mood, and sharpens judgement. The Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep per night for good health[1]. Assist your ability to fall and stay asleep by reducing digital time or playing some relaxing music to put the body into a calm state before bed.
- Consider medicinal herbs – that have a long history of use for addressing stress. If you experience physical and mental fatigue, look to Rhodiola, traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to relieve symptoms of stress and weariness as well as promote physical stamina. Alternatively, Ashwagandha (also known as Withania) is traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to help the body adapt to stress, promote vitality and assist sleep. Advancements in science have led to the development of unique Withania extracts that show incredible clinical benefits for nervous system health. Curious to know more? Read until the end!
Wherever your symptoms sit on the stress spectrum, Herbs of Gold has a product to suit you! Look to Herbs of Gold Stress Ease to tap into the benefits of Rhodiola and other synergistic herbal and nutritional ingredients to support a healthy stress response in the body.
[1] Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., ... & Ware, J. C. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s updated sleep duration recommendations. Sleep Health, 1(4), 233-243.
