Well, it’s that time of year again. You’re probably already noticing displays in your favorite stores and hearing certain songs on the radio again after being kept in a vault for 10 months. That’s right…it’s Christmas time! Maybe you love everything about this time of year: family, food and presents! However, for many of us, the holiday season provides a fresh lineup of stressors that eventually has us ready to get it over with and start the new year.
Maybe you’re already worrying about not being able to find your children’s favorite presents. Perhaps you’re already stressing about having to step foot inside a crowded store or mall. Maybe you’re going to be hosting that Christmas brunch or dinner and have a million concerns bouncing around inside your head. Whatever the case may be, the stress can be enough to turn the most joyous of us into full-blown grinches. Discover these tips for dealing with all the “noise! Noise! NOISE!” of the holidays.
Enjoy Those Silent Nights
Make the most of bedtime and try to get at least seven hours of sleep. Getting less than seven hours of sleep per night can lead to an increased risk of several conditions that can negatively impact your health, including kidney disease, depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Unfortunately, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that roughly 35 percent of US adults are averaging less than seven hours of sleep per night.
We all know how stressful it can be to get through the day after not getting enough sleep, but that stress can then make it more difficult to both fall and stay asleep. When your body is forced to overproduce cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, your ability to fall and stay asleep is often one of the first processes in your body to suffer. Healthy sleep cycles, on the other hand, can go a long way towards reducing stress and making your spirits bright!
Eat Healthy Foods and Stay Active
Exercise has been recognized for its ability to both reduce stress and support healthy sleep cycles. Just make sure to not exercise too close to bedtime, because your brain still needs a little time to wind down before you try to go to sleep.
Sticking to a healthy diet and avoiding certain foods can also have a positive impact on your sleep health. Unfortunately, a few of those food items are also staples of the holidays: caffeine, refined sugars and alcohol.
Caffeine probably seems obvious. You drink those coffees for extra energy throughout the day, and a boost of energy can help you get through holiday shopping or preparing to host a big meal with your family. However, that energy boost can also make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Try to cut back on the coffee; stop after one cup instead of going for that extra cup or two.
The timing of when you drink that coffee can also be a factor in whether you get a good night’s sleep. Ingesting caffeine late in the day can make it difficult to fall asleep, so try to limit your coffee intake to the mornings. This timing can also extend to food and alcohol consumption. While it may seem like you get sleepy after eating that huge meal and drinking that nightcap, doing so can keep you awake when you are trying to fall asleep.
Meanwhile, fruits and vegetables are known to support healthy sleep cycles. Your inner Grinch is probably screaming at the thought of ignoring sweets and roast beasts during Christmas! Just remember that timing is everything; give your body a few hours to process your meals before you go to bed, especially when it is a large holiday meal.
The Holiday Spirit Needs a Break, too!
In addition to avoiding things like late meals, alcohol and caffeine, you will also want to make sure that the environment in your bedroom is conducive to healthy sleep. Sticking to these certain behaviors and habits that support healthy sleep cycles is also known as following good sleep hygiene.
Make sure to maintain a comfortable bedroom temperature and turn off the lights. That means no blinking Christmas displays in your bedroom. If the massive Christmas light display on your house or your neighbor’s house is making it look like daytime inside your bedroom, you may want to invest in some blinds or heavy curtains.
It is also recommended that you stop the use of electronic devices at least 30 minutes before you try to go to sleep, so don’t try to squeeze in that extra Christmas movie right before bedtime.
Quiet That Inner Grinch with Supplements
Fortunately, EVEXIAS Health Solutions offers a wide variety of nutraceutical products that have been designed to provide your body with specific nutrients that can support various aspects of whole body health without a prescription.
Stress Relief
Cognitive Ultra W/ Relora® is a professional grade nutraceutical that combines two powerful herbal extracts for the support of healthy cortisol levels and stress response. Both Relora® and Bacopa monnieri have been used for centuries in Eastern medicine to help men and women manage stress effectively.
NAD+ has been developed with a proprietary blend of nutrients that boost the production of a coenzyme known as NAD+. This coenzyme, which your body requires for cellular energy and mitochondrial function, has been known to promote healthy cortisol levels.
Sleep Health
EVEXIAS Sleep combines select amino acids and herbal compounds with melatonin to support consistently healthy sleep cycles. This powerful blend has been developed to promote feelings of calm while blocking feelings of fear and anxiety from reaching your brain.
Mood Regulation
L-Theanine Support provides you with L-theanine, an essential amino acid that the body cannot produce on its own. This essential amino acid has long been recognized for its ability to promote feelings of calm and relaxation while reducing irritability and the risk of anxiety. As an added bonus, L-theanine is also known to support healthy sleep cycles!
Immune Function
Nothing can ruin the holidays like a cold or flu! This season, give your immune system a boost with professional grade nutraceuticals that have been designed to support healthy immune function.
Immuno-T LPT utilizes liposomal platform technology to deliver immune-boosting phytonutrients to the body with enhanced bioavailability (absorbability) and durability.
Glutathione LPT utilizes this same technology to deliver a powerful tripeptide antioxidant throughout the body for maximum effectiveness. Glutathione, which is composed of three potent amino acids, has been recognized for its ability to support a wide range of processes and functions that influence your comprehensive wellness, including immune, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal (GI) and cognitive function.