Archives for November 2018

You already know that daily exercise goes a long way to combat stubborn physical issues like obesity, heart disease, and osteoporosis. What is less known is the effect of regular exercise on mental health. Vigorous activity kicks up the production of endorphins and certain pentapeptides involved in regulating and improving mood. Outdoor activity brings the added benefits of clean air and a natural dose of vitamin D.

But how can you stay fit when winter is coming?

Cold Weather Sports
When the mercury drops below thirty degrees, you may not be able to go for a jog on icy sidewalks. Consider winter friendly workout alternatives.

• Bundle up for a winter hike.
• Spend an hour at the local skating rink, or on an outdoor frozen pond.
• Go cross-country skiing at a local park.
• Go sledding with your kids; the hike up the hill can be a heck of a workout.
• Ski at a local resort.

If you’re healthy enough, consider keeping the snow blower in the garage and opt to shovel the driveway instead.

Indoor Activity
Winter is a great time to take advantage of a gym membership. But don’t get into a rut of sticking with the treadmills or bikes. Try some new classes to keep your exercise regime interesting. The upbeat rhythms of a Zumba class are sure to lift your spirits. Hot yoga may get your mind off the cold for a solid hour. Weight lifting can get your body ready for the warmer weather. The key is to mix things up so that you don’t get bored.

If a gym membership is too much of a commitment, consider joining a walking club at the local mall, learning Taekwondo at a nearby dojo, or spending an hour at a local indoor climbing facility.

Stay On Track
If most of your exercise regime is spent outdoors, it’s very easy to get bumped off track when the cold descends. Avoid the I’ll-do-it-when-the-weather-is-better temptation with these three tips.

• Write It Down. Keep to a consistent schedule. Blocking off time on your busy calendar is a great way to make sure your workout gets done.
• Keep To A Goal. Everyone exercises for a different reason. Some people do it to feel good. Others to keep in tip-top shape. Still others find exercise a great stress reliever. Whatever your fitness goal, don’t let bad weather thwart your good intentions.
• Pair Up. When you exercise with a friend, you’ve got an extra incentive not to let them down. Consider pairing up with a buddy to keep your exercise goals on track during the long, cold winter.

The best way to integrate exercise into your day is to make it a joyous part of your life. Don’t let winter get in the way!

Every online ad, radio announcement, and TV commercial insists that the holidays are a wonderful time of year, full of friends and family, good feeling and great gatherings, fine food, and merry spirits. But for many people, and for many reasons, the holidays are a time of stress and anxiety.

So how can you best deal with holiday anxiety?

Pinpoint The Pressures
For those with generalized anxiety, the high expectations of the season can naturally heighten levels of anxiety. The prospect of party after party can be daunting for someone for whom socialization is a strain. The additional worries of the season, such as finding the right gift, getting the shopping done on time, cooking for a large group, and budgetary issues can pile onto the usual worries and make you feel overwhelmed.

Even for those who aren’t usually afflicted with anxiety, the prospect of the busy days to come can bring some of the same troubling symptoms. These include excessive worry, irritability, insomnia, bellyaches, nausea, restlessness, fatigue, and fear, among others, which can leach the joy from the season.

If you can pinpoint the pressures that cause particular worry, you may be able to make a few adjustments to ease the stress. For example:

• Plan Ahead. If you feel time pressure when shopping, consider doing your holiday shopping throughout the year instead, to spread out both the expense and the stress.
• Be Crafty. If you cook, knit, sew, or cast pots in clay, consider saving your budget by baking or making handcrafted gifts for friends and family.
• Share The Load. Delegate some holiday tasks to your spouse or children, such as buying mums or decorating your home. Turn Thanksgiving into a pot luck so you only have to make the turkey.
• Pace Yourself. You don’t have to say ‘yes’ to every invitation, it’s a busy time for everyone.
• Shop Online. If venturing into a crowded mall is just too much, do your shopping in your pajamas and let the packages be delivered to your doorstep.
• Go Electronic. More and more people have opted to send personalized holiday eCards to friends and family. This will save you time, postage, and the cost of cards.

Pamper Yourself
It’s impossible to avoid stress and anxiety entirely, but you can anticipate and minimize it. Check out these tips:

• Stick with your usual daily routine as much as possible.
• Avoid excess in food and drink.
• Avoid excess spending.
• Maintain your exercise and sleep regiments.
• Accept that things will occasionally go wrong.
• Accept that this will be a stressful time but it won’t last forever.
• Spend time with someone who makes you laugh.
• Spend a little time in the sun, or under a sun lamp, especially if you suffer from SAD.
• Take time to de-stress yourself, through meditation, a massage, or just some time relaxing with a cup of tea.

Stress and anxiety are inevitable in life, but you can manage your response to it. With a little planning and self-care, your holidays might just turn out to be as joyous as can be.