You can defeat holiday stress!
Burning the candle at both ends? “While VA Puget Sound Health Care System offers screenings and counseling for stress management, there are so many self-directed tools, classes and wellness programs designed to empower and equip our Veteran patients to effectively manage their own health year-round,” said VA Puget Sound Health Behavior Coordinator Tiffanie Fennell. “Think about the kind of situations that are stressful for you - situations that put you at high risk for eating unhealthfully or skipping activity. Planning ahead for how to handle these situations, or work around them, is the key to maintaining mental, physical and emotional health through the holidays.”
SEATTLE, Wash. – Dec. 14, 2018 – Holiday stress can be successfully overcome. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the best way to avoid the effects of stress is to prevent it, as much as possible. The CDC recommends anticipating expected stresses and developing a plan to manage situations likely to occur in order to be able to look back on a well-managed holiday season with satisfaction and feel better than ever in January.
“While VA Puget Sound Health Care System offers screenings and counseling for stress management, there are so many self-directed tools, classes and wellness programs designed to empower and equip our Veteran patients to effectively manage their own health year-round,” said VA Puget Sound Health Behavior Coordinator Tiffanie Fennell. “Think about the kind of situations that are stressful for you - situations that put you at high risk for eating unhealthfully or skipping activity. Planning ahead for how to handle these situations, or work around them, is the key to maintaining mental, physical and emotional health through the holidays.”
If you didn’t already do some planning, here are a few tips to help you get through the season right now:
Really enjoy your food and drink
Parties and events often revolve around consuming food and beverages. Enjoy every bite. It takes 20 minutes for the body to register fullness. You can still enjoy your favorite treats but they should be savored slowly, one small portion at a time and considered as part of one’s overall daily calorie intake. CDC recommends no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Ways to help moderate consumption include eating real food like olives, cheese and nuts before and during parties with drinking, choosing low alcohol options and drinking water between alcoholic beverages.
Take care of yourself
When activities of the holidays get going, exercise can often get crowded out. The CDC calls walking “a secret weapon” as both a great way to use up extra calories and an opportunity to make quiet time for oneself. Many people find that being active makes them feel more relaxed, and helps them manage stressful situations more smoothly. Take rest seriously. Going out more and staying out later can result in sleep deprivation. Aim for seven to eight hours per night for overall mood and to keep blood sugar levels under control. Be aware of how cold weather and shorter days can be an underlying cause of negative moods. Ways to counter the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, can include seeking clinical support here are VA Puget Sound, reaching out to the 24/7 Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-TALK (8255), by texting 838255 or with online chatting at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net, using a light box and even planning a trip to a warm destination. The act of looking forward, can be a positive counter to the current circumstances.
Remember what the holidays are really about
Take time to appreciate the abundance of life all around – family, friends and the beauty of living in the Pacific Northwest. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. The CDC notes that a recent study in which participants wrote three letters of gratitude over a three-week period resulted in increased happiness and life satisfaction, while decreasing depressive symptoms.
To find out more about self-directed education tools, groups and classes check out VA Puget Sound Patient Education Class Brochure for American Lake and Seattle Divisions, as well as at the seven Community Based Outpatient Clinics located all around the Sound. Look for “Events and Classes” on the VA Puget Sound main webpage at https://www.pugetsound.va.gov/calendar.asp. And for a comprehensive guide to websites, links and phone apps, check out the VA Puget Sound Healthy Living Resource Guide.
VA Puget Sound provides comprehensive care to more than 110,000 Veterans across its nine facilities in the Pacific Northwest. It has the 5th largest research program within the national VA system and seven Centers of Excellence (in areas from limb-loss prevention and prosthetic engineering to primary care education and substance abuse treatment). More than 2,000 individuals participate in its undergraduate and graduate training programs each year. For more information visit www.pugetsound.va.gov.
