Minimizing stress and maximizing health can make the holiday season more jolly

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在经济斗争之间, 政治分歧和日常生活压力, 对很多人来说，这一年的压力已经够大了.

And now, 节日来临了:食物和饮料的诱惑, 拥挤的机场和交通堵塞, 还有家庭聚会, 这可能很好，但可能并不总是如此.

假期可以是快乐和奇迹的源泉. 艾伦Koenigsberg, a psychiatrist in private practice and a volunteer clinical professor of psychiatry at the UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. “但它们也可能是痛苦和压力的来源."

在假期之前，Dr. 克里斯托弗Bauchman, 棕榈滩花园的临床心理学家, Florida, “我喜欢给人们布置家庭作业, 他们可以练习的东西. So if something does pop up, you feel like you're more prepared."

压力的影响不仅仅是心理上的. Researchers have documented the links between chronic stress and increased incidence of high blood pressure, diabetes, 肥胖和其他心血管疾病的危险因素. A 2021年高血压研究 found people with high levels of the stress hormone cortisol had an increased risk of having a heart attack, 中风或其他心血管沙巴体育平台点击进入.

即使是短期的压力也会对健康造成影响. Watching a stressful World Cup soccer match more than doubled the risk of a cardiac emergency, 发表在《沙巴体育平台点击进入》杂志上的一项德国研究表明 2008年新英格兰医学杂志.

“很难避免压力，”Koenigsberg说. "But minimizing stress is important for overall health as well as cardiovascular health."

That can be harder during the holidays for several reasons, he said.

Koenigsberg说:“光是旅行就很有压力. “然后是准备，所有的烹饪和清洁. 然后是家庭动态. Some families get along wonderfully, and it's a tremendous source of pleasure. 对于其他家庭, it can be tremendously stressful to get together with people you don't see that often and everybody's supposed to be happy."

除了外部因素, he said, "There are people who have lost loved ones or people who have been through abusive situations, 假期本身也很难熬."

Bauchman recommends the same mindfulness techniques he advocates throughout the year, from deep breathing and exercise to gratitude journals and challenging internal negative thoughts.

"The three most important things we can control in our everyday life are sleep, 饮食和锻炼," he said. "So, continue to incorporate those healthy factors, whether hosting family or traveling. Try to maintain as normal a routine as you can while we're going through the holidays."

Bauchman and Koenigsberg offered other tips to manage stress over the holidays:

明智的盛宴. "During the holidays, we'll eat a little more and that's OK,Koenigsberg说. "This is not the time to stress yourself and try to lose weight. 健康饮食，合理饮食，享受生活."

管理你的送礼行为. Coming from a large family, Bauchman said, the gift lists would be long and expensive. “所以，我们做了一个神秘圣诞老人，”他说. “我们设定了开支上限."

Socialize. "If you don't have family and friends to be with, you've got to be social,Koenigsberg说. "One of the concerns during the holidays is people who are isolated. 请出去和人们在一起. 也许可以做一些有意义的事情，比如做志愿者."

出去. “花点沙巴足球体育平台在大自然中，”鲍赫曼建议. “你在一个安静的地方呆的沙巴足球体育平台越长, 你的抑郁程度越低, 你的压力就越小, 你的生活质量就越好. 让健康的氧气进入你的身体."

Koenigsberg同意. “我们的身体有超过600块肌肉，”他说. “它们注定要移动，越多越好."

有合理的期望. “如果你假设一切都会完美无缺, 你这是在自取其辱,Koenigsberg说. "Sometimes the holidays may not work out perfectly or be a completely pleasant time. 你要熬过去，然后继续前进."

直接说不. "You have to ask yourself, 'What's my limit to what I can manage?’”鲍赫曼说. "You have to be honest with yourself and not try to do everything."

你知道这个会来的. It's become a standard recommendation for families with divergent political opinions sitting down to dinner together: Keep stress-inducing controversy off the holiday table.

"You have the entire rest of the year to get into arguments,Koenigsberg说.