Managing holiday stress by harnessing massage and wellness

This blog is about managing holiday stress by harnessing massage and wellness. The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. However, it can also bring its fair share of stress, with hectic schedules, social obligations, and the pressure to create perfect moments. Amidst the holiday hustle, one effective and rejuvenating way to manage stress is through massage therapy. In this blog post, we’ll explore how using massage therapy can be a valuable tool in alleviating stress during the holiday season.

Understanding Holiday Stress: The holiday season often comes with increased demands and expectations, leading to heightened stress levels. There is often extra financial stress, even if your not buying gifts, many people are expected to travel, and travel is very expensive. Family can bring on extra stress, especially family not frequently seen. Time additionally brings an extra element of stress by disrupting our schedules with holiday activities, one can really find that they have too little time. The list of responsibilities can seem endless. This stress can take a toll on both physical and mental well-being, impacting our ability to enjoy the festive season fully.

The Role of Massage Therapy: Massage therapy offers a holistic approach to stress management. By targeting muscle tension and promoting relaxation, massages can help release built-up stress, leaving you feeling rejuvenated and more able to handle the holiday demands. The power of touch not only eases physical tension but also has profound effects on mental and emotional well-being.

Ideas for using massage and wellness to beat the holiday stress:

Make sure you are still getting exercise.

While it might be hard to schedule a class or fitness activity, staying active is important. Exercise releases natural endorphins so you ‘feel good’, it also helps mitigate the results of stress. You do not have to do a 2 hr yoga class, but try walking instead of jumping in the car or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Getting a few extra steps in can help!

Schedule a massage to help manage your holiday stress

Obviously, this one we like:) is an excellent stress management tool. Having regular massages can help you manage your stress and the effects are cumulative in that you are teaching yourself how to relax when you tell it to. It is important to practice relaxing.

Create some personal space to manage stress

If you can’t get away, send your guests away. In reality, we got this idea from our clinic. We have plenty of clients and patients who send their inlaws in while they visit. Getting people out from underfoot and out of your home can be a huge help if you are feeling a little crowded. And if massage is not their thing send them somewhere else.

Get outside to manage stress

Connecting with nature is a great way to manage stress. Studies show that being outside and connecting to nature can help you manage stress. It lowers your cortisol levels. Go do some tree gazing and listen to the wind…it can help.

Prioritize sleep

Sleet is essential to stress management; while it may not seem directly connected, sleep is the time that you process and repair. Ensuring you get the appropriate rest during the holiday season can help you beat the winter/holiday blues. Do some reading on sleep hygiene and become a sleep champion.  Wondering what the right amount of sleep is? Well, it is different for everyone. Some people are fine with 6 hours and some need 9. You should wake feeling rested without an alarm clock. If you are finding it hard to wake up, you probably need a little more sleep.