5 ways to relax in the face of holiday madness

Christmas is a Christmas tree sparkling with a bright and warm glow of lights, the smell of mushroom soup and fried fish that spreads throughout the house, and a unique Christmas atmosphere. Unfortunately, not only because Christmas is also a time of heightened effort, cleaning the apartment late at night, wandering through crowded malls looking for gifts for loved ones, and preparing the most delicious Christmas dinner in the world. We women love that this time will be special, and we make every effort for this, most often at the expense of our own health. Society puts a lot of pressure to organize holidays perfectly, and we often raise the bar ourselves without realizing the consequences. After all, the pre-Christmas period is a period of increased stress, which can ruin the holidays and affect not only our psyche.

What causes stress?

We are even more stressed today than before. Times are unfavorable for us, the volume of responsibilities, the fast pace of life and industrial civilization - all this contributes to the fact that we are constantly exposed to stress. And such a constant life in stress is bad for our body and our psyche.

What is stress?

Stress is an integral part of our life, it is a natural reaction of the body, which is aimed at making us take action. Stress occurs when some physical or mental factors disrupt the body's homeostasis, that is, its balance.

There are three types of stress response, distress, which is a threat response, that is, a negative type of stress. Eustress, which, in turn, positively mobilizes to action, and neistress, which is a neutral stimulus to action for a given person. Stress arises not only in negative situations, such as separation or illness, but also in joyful situations, such as a wedding.

As you can see, stress is not an invention of today, it has been with us since we live on Earth. Stress is a natural defense mechanism designed to indicate danger. Under the influence of stress, the body's functions are strengthened, and it begins to work at a higher speed, because it was once a decisive factor in a fight or a quick escape, and stress was used to overcome such threats. Thousands of years have passed, threats have changed, but the defense mechanism remains the same.

What exactly happens to our body when we are stressed?

When a stimulus arises, that is, a stress factor, the sympathetic system is stimulated - the part of the nervous system that sends a signal to the adrenal medulla and increases the secretion of adrenaline and norepinephrine. It is under the influence of these hormones that the functions of the body are enhanced, which can be useful during escape, i.e., muscle tension and blood pressure increase, and the heart beats faster. To make the body more energy efficient, at the same time, blood sugar levels rise and digestion is slowed down, senses are sharpened and concentration increased. When you run away or fight, this excess energy is released and the body returns to normal. However, when this does not happen, the balance is disturbed and our body does not function properly. The imbalance, although not harmful in the short term, has many negative consequences in the long run. In order for our body to restore balance after stress, we need to replenish its deficiency, that is, the minerals and vitamins that have been used up. If we don't do them, the next stress will be worse for us, because our protective barrier will be weaker. This is why regeneration and balanced nutrition are so important, especially when we are often faced with stress.

What are the consequences of prolonged stress?

Stress itself is not bad if it is short-lived and we deal with it effectively, but if it is chronic, it negatively affects our psyche and the functioning of the body. It causes a range of somatic symptoms such as emotional fluctuations, problems with concentration and sleep, as well as neuroses and depression. It also manifests itself physically, causing headaches, migraines and back pain. Prolonged stress disrupts the functioning of the circulatory and digestive systems, increases blood pressure and cholesterol, which contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. In general, stress is part of the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal diseases, heart and circulatory system diseases, osteoporosis, diabetes and obesity. This is because stress weakens the immune system and the body is much less able to defend itself. Why?

Diet for stress

Chronic stress increases the metabolic needs of the body, so it consumes more macro and micronutrients. When we are under stress, we are more likely to eat sugary and fatty foods, which the body interprets as the fastest way to get energy. Meanwhile, a stressed body needs more complex carbohydrates instead of simple sugars, because they are released gradually and help maintain an equal level of serotonin. In addition, zinc is needed to support the production of hormones that control the neurological system, and calcium, which is involved in the release of neurotransmitters. B vitamins strengthen the nervous system, and magnesium stabilizes its functioning and brain function, improves memory and thought processes. All these elements are important,

5 ways to relax in the face of holiday madness

When the excess of responsibilities becomes overwhelming, take a break and rest. The restored body will work better the next day.

1. magnesium bath

The bath itself is relaxing if we can lie in warm water for a few minutes and cut ourselves off from the world outside the door. A magnesium chloride or magnesium sulfate bath is a great way to replenish magnesium levels, which are highly absorbed through the skin. As I mentioned, magnesium stabilizes the nervous system, and it's important that the body has somewhere to get it when it comes to stress.

Relaxing Magnesium Sulfate Bath Recipe:

Before pouring water, thoroughly rinse the bathtub, then fill it with warm water. For the sulfate bath to work, you need to add a glass of sulfate to 100 liters of water. When bathing, we do not use soap or any kind of detergent. The bath should last 15 to 20 minutes. After its completion, we rinse the body, and then wash it. Lotion should be used after bathing because the salt dries out the skin. The magnesium sulfate bath provides the body with magnesium and sulfur, relaxes, relieves pain and relieves swelling.

2. aromatic oils

This is a great way to relax and calm your senses. It is enough to add a few or a dozen drops of essential oil to the air freshener, lie down in a convenient place and rest for half an hour. To enhance the effect, you can play relaxing music that you like. At Natur Planet you will find sensual and soothing oils of lemon, orange and tea tree.

3. A holiday for body and soul

To decorate it, you will need a book or newspaper, good tea like lemon balm, chamomile or ginkgo biloba, and a healthy and tasty snack. For a snack while reading, combine different types of nuts that support brain function. Choose, for example, Brazil nuts or cashews with sunflower seeds and dried fruits, you can buy them here.

4.Walk

Movement is a very important element necessary for the proper functioning of our body. Exercise increases the level of endorphins, which benefits the body and, above all, creates a sense of pleasure. Exercise in the fresh air is a great way to oxygenate the body, stimulate blood circulation and pressure, stimulate the digestive system and burn off excess sugar, which has a detrimental effect on the neurological system, endorphins begin to be released 30 minutes after you start sweating, so be patient.

5. Home SPA

Autumn and winter are the times when we like to relax at home. You can do a home spa there. All you need is clay mask and massage oil. If you are often stressed, it also affects your appearance, to improve your appearance, use yellow clay, rich in silicon, aluminum, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and calcium, which are so necessary when we are stressed. In addition to the mask, pamper yourself with an oil massage, such as black seed oil. It relaxes the muscles and also perfectly moisturizes the skin.