Feeling Stressed About the Holidays? Here’s How to Find Your Calm

We are in the period leading up to the Tishrei holidays, and despite the great joy, the holidays can bring about stress for various reasons – commitments, family or social pressures.

Kobi Cohen, a pharmacist at the Super-Pharm chain, explains how to identify stressful situations and how to relax in order to approach the holiday table with happiness.

Anxiety and stress responses are normal physiological reactions of the body, but when they affect our daily functioning, we need to try methods that can help the body relax.

First of all, to understand that we are experiencing anxiety, we need to pay attention to the following symptoms: fear of performing actions, negative thoughts, worries, inability to concentrate, headaches, inability to cope with the situation, nausea, dizziness, instability, irritability, inability to tolerate noise, crying, body tremors, palpitations, chest pain, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, increased thirst, abdominal pain, and more.

There are cases that require consulting a qualified medical professional, especially if the symptoms include rapid heart rate and chest pain, to rule out heart problems that might develop. However, there are other natural therapeutic methods if it is a temporary stress due to the season.

Calming herbs that can help us in mild anxiety situations include valerian, passionflower, hops, lemon balm, Bach flower remedies, and vitamins from the B group. All can be purchased at the pharmacy.

Additionally, physical activity can help with stress and anxiety in general.

To get through the holiday season with peace and calm, there are a few things that can help you prepare:

Don’t Take on Too Much

Don’t take on responsibilities that you know you won’t be able to manage.

Don’t Try to Manage Others

Everyone has their own wants and opinions. Don’t try to change or manage other people. Listen to them patiently and remember that they may have different holiday experiences than yours.

Prepare an Organized Plan

Keep a well-organized list of grocery shopping, gifts, and food products. Plan the meal preparation times or the time to leave the house if you are invited to a holiday.

Avoid Unnecessary Pain

Stress can lead to pain in the back, chest, and headaches. These pains won’t help you during the holiday season, and certainly not allow you to enjoy it.

No Emotional Eating

Don’t seek comfort in food. This is only a short-term solution.

Drink Tea

Drinking lemon balm tea or chamomile tea during the day will make a big difference in how you start the holiday.

Just Breathe

Take 5 minutes a day and just breathe. Fill your belly with air and exhale.

Get Good Sleep

Getting good, restful sleep each night will help you cope better with stressful and anxious situations. Things will run more calmly, and you will have more patience to deal with complex situations.