Something Appropriate

STRESS – Or How To Make An Eight Second Ride.

Ok, twist my arm! I will do something appropriate but it is going to be boring. I would rather talk about relationships, choices, decisions, or sex but it is the Holiday Season.   Christmas and New Years are just around the corner and we have all heard of the “STRESS” this time of year can bring. Or at least the “STRESS” we are supposed to have… It’s like an eight-second ride during Frontier Days at the Cheyenne Rodeo. Intense, filled with passion, expectation and sometimes the best we can do is to hang on.

This time of year brings out the “best” in us, as people. We assess where we have gone wrong throughout the year and pledge to do better next year. We take an inventory of where we have been “good” or “bad” and hope that the person reviewing the list will believe the old adage that “when we are good we are very good but when we are bad, we are marvelous”. Ok, so just a little “bad”… I’ll be good... I promise…. Really! Well, maybe not… Just a few more seconds left until that whistle blows…. Hang on…

Everyone knows this time of year triggers the chaos of last-minute gift buying, binge eating, hangovers, and general gatherings of friends and family. It is the “season” to be Jolly, if not just a little hung over. The problem lies in the manner in which many people handle their stress. Their coping often leads to more stress. I.e. eating, drinking, smoking, drug use and extra relationship sex, Ok, enough of the positive aspects of “Christmas Office Parties”… That again, is yet another story for yet another time...

What many don’t know is chronic stress can lead to severe health problems and the development of illnesses ranging from migraines to heart disease. People who suffer from chronic stress become easily agitated, irritable and develop a variety of “body” problems which include but are not limited to difficulty sleeping, weight gain, stomach problems, general muscle aches , depression and anxiety… The list continues. Many people find they have difficulty sleeping, concentrating and they exhibit a decrease in memory skills… Stress can do all these things and this time of year adds multiple layers to these stressors.

So, if what I am saying is even slightly true, how can we manage this stress? How can we keep the Stress Wolf from our door and keep him from feeding upon our good nature? How can we manage stress more effectively? Or do we just need to hang on and get through the “eight minute ride”? Like riding that bull during Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming, it is most effective if we become an active participant. We can’t predict all the twists and turns of life but we can influence the ride, reducing the chances of negative results and increasing the chances of coming through it healthy and in one piece.

The most productive way, is to reduce its effects. And the most effective manner to manage Holiday Stress is through diet. Yes, I am talking about a healthy eating plan plus a few extras… Ok, not rocket science but effective…

• Eating a balanced diet, it is essential. This means a high protein, low carbohydrate, low fat, low sugar, and high fiber diet. Proper nutrition is essential to minimize cravings and help you “not” over indulge. Difficult this time of year but it is also essential. Take control of what goes in your mouth.

• Exercise is next… yes, that’s right. You have to stay active and keep your arms and legs moving. Sitting in your favorite chair, eating that turkey sandwich, or draining your 5th bourbon or scotch does not count. Your brain needs to release chemicals that enhance your mood and relieve stress. Twenty minutes of aerobic exercise will accomplish this, over indulging in alcohol or food will not. Make the time to exercise, and then do it. You will be glad you did.

• Sleep… Yes, you heard me right... Sleep. Most of us do not get enough of it and the sleep we get is often not rested. The body and brain cope better when they are rested and renewed. Research says that the average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of down time to feel adequately rested. This rest also needs to be consistent… You can’t make up for lost sleep. So, party all night and sleep all day does not work…. Really…!

• Focus on relaxation and meditation for both your brain and body. Stretching and breathing exercises are vital… Remember to concentrate on this during a time when you have no distractions of interruptions…. Again, make the time. The result will be a more relaxed you, coupled with an overall sense of well being.

• Manage your priorities and “honey-do” lists, even the lists that “Your Honey Doesn’t Do”. You can’t be everything to everybody, especially during the Holiday Season… Everyone is going to want a piece of you and you are going to want to give a slice to everyone. Determine what is important to you. You are going to have to say “NO” to some things, some people, and some engagements.

• The most important but often the most over looked is “YOU”. Make time for you. You make time for everyone else. At some point during the day take a few minutes to get away from demands and distractions. Take a warm bath. Read a good book. Listen to some favorite tunes… The important thing is to feed a small part of you that has been neglected… It doesn’t take long but it needs to be done. And YES, you do have the time if you exercise one thing… Say “NO”… Remember there is only 24 hours in the day and stress takes its toll, even good stress.

Ok, enough is enough. This Reservation Recluse is going to take a little “me” time. Selfish I know but also important. Remember that this Season is a time for giving, sharing, and counting the good things in life… We all have them and if we really open our eyes and allow ourselves to focus, we will see them. Even in times of STRESS. Therefore, as you reach out to others, in these next few weeks, don’t forget you… Without you, there would be no others.

I know, it’s all a choice and sometimes choice is difficult. Choice makes us accountable and responsible… Sometimes we just have to LIVE and living means being active... Now is a good time to be active, now is a good to live.… As this past year ends and a new one begins, look at how far you have come. Take a good look at the accomplishments you have made. Some were not easy. Others came without too much pain or effort. They all are important. We all make this journey, sometimes we do not take the time to notice. Now is the time to take that time, the time to count ones blessings and take control of you. Remember the eight-second ride. We all take it. Let’s do it with style, focus, and intent.

Maybe it’s a good day after all… Until later... As a little ole man in a Red Suit once said, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good … a good….” Well, you get the picture…. Tomorrow is a new dawn and with the light comes vision… Sometimes all it takes to see is to open one’s eyes…

You right... It’s all a choice. I’ve made mine… Are you going to make yours? It could be you already have and right now, well, you are watching the paint dry… And that my deep eyed, energetic friend, is a good day after all!

Bah Humbug

Or there is nothing like a Blue, Blue Christmas…

Do you find that your mood is taking a dip? Do you find yourself off course and then feel like you are in a tail spin with a nosedive straight to hell? Do you find that you do not want to get out of bed until noon and that’s if you are in a good mood? That right around Thanksgiving do you find you are not your best friend and others are questioning if they should give your spot on the bowling league to someone else?

Do you find yourself lacking in the self-discipline needed to get things done you really need accomplished? Do you describe what is happening to you as a “blue funk”, “cabin fever” or heaven forbid the terrible “holiday depression” and you question if you really did shoot Santa last night and bury his Elves in the back yard?

Do you find yourself complaining about the commercialization of the Holidays and yet you don’t have the energy “not” to eat the cookies someone left at work, even if they were Snowmen and Christmas Trees and God forbid you find yourself trying to find your car in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Do you find yourself with a headache and body aches that don’t go away, even after consuming three fingers of good bourbon while hanging out at your local Sports Bar?

Do you find that the pull for a good toddy takes frontal stage or that you just want to pull the covers over your head and wait it out until March? No, you’re not the spawn of Scrooge McDuck and you are not “losing it”. It just may have to do with less hours of day light. Did you know that December is the month with the least amount of daylight hours?

So what does this have to do with everything? Well, it just may add up to what some call Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

Not that sad really explains it. It is more like grouchy, irritable, and tired mixed with an awesome craving for simple carbohydrates. Yes, the attack of Christmas Brownies, Sugar Cookies and even the dreaded Fruitcake and for many, increased trips to the Chiropractor and local masseuse. To top things off, your friends and family are asking you for your Christmas Wish List and all you wish is to be left alone….

If you were actually honest you would tell them that 1) you want to be LEFT ALONE, 2) you want to be like a bear and hibernate for three more months, and 3) you’re voting to move Christmas and New Years to somewhere in late July and early August. During your “up time” you make the public announcement that no one is getting gifts this year and you don’t even want any cards so DON’T send any..

You pronounce they are just a waste of time, money and energy; besides you have text messaging and e-mail… that should be enough. It’s time people get into the electronic age! Or not. Ouch! This time of year really hurts! Or at least it can. Not only do you have to face triggers of past events, last years losses and present conditions where you may not be with “family” or lost in finding the perfect Christmas, you may have SAD to face as well..

So what can be done when all one wants to do is pull the covers over ones head and wait until spring?

Well, first of all we have to define what is really going on. If you are actually experiencing SAD then you are experiencing what many consider a sub-category of major depression. It is characterized by a pattern of “onset” and “remission” which are linked to the seasonal changes. Whoa! What does this mean? Well, the most common explanation is a winter “funk” which occurs in the fall and continues until spring.

Is there any way we can help prevent this attack on our mood and behavior? What remedies, if any, have been found to be effective? This too needs more research but some have found that the following to take the edge off.

• Daily vitamin with magnesium, B complex, and minerals
• Elimination of caffeine
• Reduction of alcohol consumption
• Stress management program
• Elimination of refined sugars and flours
• Walking or aerobic exercise
• Saint John's Wort
• Mustard Flower Essences
• Herbal remedies – ask you local health food store for information
• Spending 30 minutes each day in the fresh air (in the sunlight if the weather permits),
• Light therapy – full spectrum (Light, whether it is natural or artificial, is essential in your well being)
• Low fat diet, with minimal protein

The Holidays are meant to be enjoyed. It is a time of year to focus on giving to others and letting those who are important to us know their value. It is the time to let others close and embrace the essence of who we and they really are. It is a time to take of care ourselves and be open to the goodness of others. It is time to count our blessings instead of our troubles and a time to do something about whatever steals the joy from us this time of year.

So if you identified yourself in any of the above you don’t have to wait until Spring. The first step is knowledge. You have that. Second, try some of the above remedies. They won’t hurt… they may even help…

Remember, you are not alone. Now go out and …… No, I am not going to quote Dr. Laura……… So, go make a Snow Angel. Get some light. As the Duke would often say, “We’re burning daylight pilgrim”.

And to all….. Have a Happy Holiday Season and a Very Merry Christmas…