Holiday stress is a real problem
Holiday stress (or any kind of stress) is the response of our minds and bodies to pressing responsibilities and the daily cycle. Stress is normal. When we find ourselves in the middle of holiday traffic, standing in an endless checkout line or witnessing a family argument over Christmas dinner, our brains are flooded with stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol).
The body thus defends itself and prepares for action, the heart rate soars, the skin turns red and the muscles tense up. It’s difficult to calm down at times like this, especially if you’ve been under pressure for a month before Christmas. Breathing exercises, relaxing natural essential oils can help, and some people benefit from a good shout into a pillow.
However, you can easily prevent this ‘crash’. By thinking about your mental balance much earlier. That way, you’ll learn to control yourself and nothing will throw you off balance. And this is true all year round, not just at Christmas.
How to stay mentally well in the long term?
As you have probably already understood, you can’t do it by snapping your fingers. Even more so if you’ve been under stress for a long time and haven’t found the right valve to quickly blow it out of you. Taking care of your mental health is more than important.
Set boundaries
Where there are no banks, expect a flood. Before the holidays, agree with your family how you will spend the holidays, which part of the family you will visit first, who you will invite home and also how much money you will spend this Christmas. It’s important to set boundaries. Before you make any promises to anyone, be aware of what your options are (for example, how many guests you can fit into your home and how long they will stay with you).
So that you are not then unpleasantly surprised that the five cousins have been with you for a week and you had some plans. Of course, if you didn’t tell anyone about them, they couldn’t have known. That’s why setting boundaries should be a given.
Sleep well and stay healthy
Utopia? For many, probably yes. A healthy sleep schedule should be everyone’s priority. Sleep deprivation and mental well-being don’t go together. Long-term fatigue and irregular sleep patterns lead to anxiety. You may have been experiencing it for some time. The most powerful tool to alleviate it is quality sleep.
Sleep goes hand in hand with movement. Exercise will flush out endorphins and relieve tension. Getting sick before or during Christmas feels like a punishment. But by sleeping and exercising you will also boost your immunity!
Put stress behind you, a traditional Thai massage will relax and energise you
Yes, you definitely don’t want to forget the presents, the ingredients to make Christmas cookies, the Advent wreath and the Christmas cleaning. But haven’t you forgotten yourself? What good will it all do to get an asterisk if you sit at the table tense and tired? Sometimes everything doesn’t have to be perfected, but does it matter that much?
Even so, we all wish each other a pleasant and peaceful time with family before Christmas. Take time for yourself too. Whether it’s a beauty treatment, a visit to the wellness centre or a Thai massage, Bratislava offers plenty of options.
At Lilawadi, we will take nice care of you so that you leave us relaxed and satisfied. Taking care of yourself is not to be underestimated. You can release the accumulated tension. And when you don’t know how, massage is always a great option. It’s also the perfect Christmas present. Our prices have stayed the same despite the price hikes, so don’t hesitate to take advantage of them!
