The holiday season is such a fun time of year, especially because there are many family traditions for you to enjoy. But, there are some situations where people dread the holiday season, because they know that the traditions, food, presents, and activities increase stress levels. If you aren’t careful, these holiday celebrations can turn into high-stress situations that can impact your hormones.
How Does Stress Affect Hormones?
When you are in a stressful situation, there are three “stress hormones” that kick in to keep you in fight-or-flight mode: cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine. These hormones are important when you are in danger and need to escape, but these hormones also kick in with daily stress because the body can’t discern the difference. Most people living in our modern world have high levels of stress, and these stress hormones are causing a domino effect on overall hormone levels within the body. If you are experiencing ongoing stress, then your body is constantly in survival mode, which increases the stress hormones that are released. As a result, the other body functions respond by decreasing hormone functions, changing blood sugar levels, and even causing you to gain weight. Hormone balancing issues impact so many aspects of your overall health. So, it is very important to make sure that you are reducing your stress in order to balance your hormones.Decreasing Stress during the Holidays
As the holiday season draws near, look for ways that you can decrease the stress that you experience during this time of year. These are some of the options that people use to save time and reduce their stress:- Shop online instead of spending the time driving to the mall. It can be stressful to stand in long lines and fight the crowds, and many people find it much easier to shop from the comfort of their own home instead.
- Keep the focus of the season on God. Instead of getting caught up in the unimportant traditions, make sure to stay focused on the reason for the season. Turn to God in prayer and ask for the power and strength that is needed to overcome the stress in your life.
- Get enough sleep at night. Your sleep habits impact your daily stress levels, so make it a priority to ensure that you are getting plenty of sleep each night.
- Turn on relaxing music. The holiday season is a great time to enjoy some of your musical favorites, and soft music can soothe your mind and release the stress that you are experiencing.
