Juice Plus+ Holiday Survival Guide: Your Guide to Dealing with Stress

The holidays can be the best of times and the worst of times. While visions of family gatherings, warm fires and merriment immediately come to mind during the holiday season, the reality is that the holidays can be one of the most stressful and hectic times of the year. Frantic gift shopping, crowded holiday parties, and year-end obligations at work can put a huge damper on your holiday spirit. But it’s important to not let stress consume your life when you should be focusing on spending quality time with your family and friends. Minimize the stress this season, with our Holiday Survival Guide that provides quick and easy tips for dealing with stress during the holidays!

1) Prioritize. Take a page from Santa’s book and make a list. Planning out what you have to do, which gifts you still need to buy, and which parties you will attend will save you time and stress in the long run. Build out a schedule that designates which days are dedicated to which activities to avoid last minute panic. Don’t forget to incorporate your daily routine into these lists either—maintaining normalcy during the holidays will also help reduce anxiety.

2) Get ample sleep. Everyone can use a few extra hours each day to get through the holiday hustle and bustle, but don’t let your sleep suffer as a result. Adequate sleep is essential for healthy stress management and your productivity. Losing as little as 1.5 hours of sleep a night can decrease your daily productivity by up to 32 percent, meaning that cutting back on sleep could actually be holding you back from getting ahead.

3) Exercise. Workouts are often one of the first casualties when holiday crunch time picks up.  But did you know that exercise helps relieve stress and gives you an energy boost? So, despite hectic holiday schedules, be sure to maintain an active lifestyle—you’ll thank yourself in the long run. Not only will you feel invigorated and less tense, but you’ll also be beating the holiday bulge that comes with your favorite seasonal treats!

4) Eat right. Overindulgence is hard to prevent during the holidays, when a seemingly unlimited supply of freshly baked goods is always within reach. However, a healthy, nutritious diet rich in fruits and vegetables will take you a long way this season. According to the British Journal of Health Psychology, studies show that those who consumed seven to eight servings of fruits and veggies a day reported having an improved mood, feeling calmer, happier and more energetic. Conversely, reports show that eating foods high in sugar, such as sweets and processed foods, can impair the body’s ability to cope with stress and binging on big meals can leave you feeling lethargic. Do yourself a favor this holiday season and stick to a balanced nutritional diet to help your body perform its best. If you’re worried that you are not getting enough fruits and veggies, consider our line of Juice Plus+ products to bridge the gap between what you are eating and what you should be eating.

5) Don’t overextend yourself. During the holidays, time is sparse, but make sure you don’t strain yourself by committing too much. Overextending yourself by cooking elaborate meals, going on shopping marathons, and hopping from party to party can leave you and your immune system feeling exhausted. Make sure you do not forget to carve out time to recharge. Spend time taking in the season by walking through your neighborhood observing the lights and decorations, listening to your favorite holiday tunes, or treating yourself to a hot chocolate. These small breaks will help restore your mental health and leave you feeling ready to take on the holidays with a festive spirit.  

While the holidays may be about spending time with family and friends, don’t forget to take care of yourself this season. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during the holidays will help you avoid holiday-induced anxiety, allowing you to accomplish more.  What are your favorite holiday survival tips and tricks?


Sources:

http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/fruits-and-vegetables-improve-mood
http://www.thefabricator.com/article/safety/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-work-performance
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/where-science-meets-the-steps/201309/4-ways-sugar-could-be-harming-your-mental-health
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/thumbnails/0,,20306655,00.html
http://greatist.com/happiness/boost-energy-holiday-season