Neurologist told how to cope with New Year’s stress

According to surveys, increased workload and lack of free time at the end of the year lead to about half of Russians (43%) experiencing stress at this time. MK learned how to preserve the nervous system and take care of yourself in the pre-New Year period without losing the festive mood.

Race with super goals

The main task in the last days of the outgoing year is not to forget everything that needs to be done, and at the same time not to ignore routine tasks. From all this, many people’s heads are spinning, and their nerves are beginning to go awry. At the same time, it often happens that the number of things planned for the remaining tasks until “hour X” significantly exceeds our real capabilities. As a result, irritability and anxiety increase. A simple but well-known example: a person takes on a large number of tasks (organizing a holiday, purchasing food, gifts, putting things in order, making lists, etc.), and then gets angry that he has to deal with all these things in alone.

Psychologists identify several reasons for this condition. It is typical for people with both a high level of responsibility and, conversely, a high level of mistrust, which manifests itself in the belief that no one but you can do what is planned better. However, experts still advise you to relax, armed with the principle “I could have, but I didn’t.” For example, “I could cook dinner myself, but I’d rather share this task with my family”; “I could do everything in two days, but I’d rather calmly complete everything in a week”; “I could perfectly clean the entire apartment myself, but I’ll invite my loved ones to help me.”

In such a situation, you need to take into account that the main initiator of the race to accomplish super-tasks is you yourself and it is within your power to slow down and exhale. There is no need to be afraid to ask loved ones for help. And there is nothing wrong with delegating some of the tasks to others, while you just relax.

“Constant stress has a negative impact on human health: sleep deteriorates, appetite may disappear or, on the contrary, increase, fatigue, apathy and irritability appear. In addition, stress affects not only the psyche, but also the body as a whole: you may experience headaches, digestive problems, increased blood pressure, and malfunctions of the immune system may occur. Therefore, it is especially important to think not only about business, but also about yourself – to be able to support your body,” says Elena Akarachkova, Doctor of Medical Sciences, head of the international society “Stress under Control”.

Experts offer several life hacks to help you cope with New Year’s stress.

Don’t put it off until tomorrow

Almost every third Russian has the habit of postponing things until later. Subsequently, things accumulate, and one “fine” day there are so many of them that it is neither physically nor morally possible to clear them away. Such “accumulations” can cause pre-holiday deadlines: what could have been decided in advance has to be done at the last moment.

How to avoid such an unpleasant outcome? Experts recommend a clear division of plans and tasks into lists: work, personal, holiday. Then set your priorities in descending order (no need to tackle several things at once in an attempt to complete them all at once). Mark tasks that are not burning – they can be postponed until a later time – and those that require immediate completion. This way you can plan your days and distribute the workload evenly, and also learn the art of delegation. And a growing list of completed tasks will become additional motivation and help you enjoy the feeling of the approaching holiday.

Time to rest is a must have

Sacrificing rest is an unhealthy habit that you often have to resort to these days. What else to sacrifice if there is no longer enough time? Therefore, many take this time away from sleep, food and various types of relaxation. However, experts warn against such behavior: when fatigue accumulates, concentration decreases, cognitive abilities suffer, and performance reserves dwindle. Ultimately, all this can lead to health problems.

Therefore, you must definitely choose a time to rest. Schedule breaks in your schedule to recharge your batteries. And for the recovery process to be effective, spend more time in the fresh air, pay attention to sports and favorite activities – this way you will reduce the load on the nervous system.

Take care of your nerves

For the nervous system to function properly, the body must receive a sufficient amount of essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements that will help it survive even under conditions of increased stress. “If you suddenly feel that your nerves are on edge, do not neglect the comprehensive support of the body – at this time it is especially important to take care of healthy and adequate sleep, a balanced diet, and maintaining the level of vitamins and microelements. For example, vitamins D, C and magnesium directly affect stress resistance, and vitamin B stimulates mental activity. Therefore, in the pre-New Year bustle, it will be useful to include foods rich in these elements in your diet. You can also take a vitamin complex. In addition, you can take homeopathic remedies for stress, which simultaneously eliminate both the psycho-emotional and physical manifestations of stress. Such tools will help improve sleep and reduce anxiety, maintaining concentration to perform multiple tasks,” notes Dr. Akarachkova.

Breathing exercises and yoga

To relieve stress quickly, use breathing exercises. The simplest breathing exercises will help you keep your nervous system in balance.

So, how to quickly calm down if panic sets in? Try to concentrate and start breathing deeply into your belly. Keep score at the same time. There is a technique called “6-3-9”: inhale slowly for a count of six, then hold your breath for three counts, and then exhale slowly for a count of nine. Yoga and fly yoga (yoga in hammocks), which are aimed at relaxing the whole body, also have a positive effect on the nervous system.

Diary of experiences

Everyone has heard about a food diary, but a diary of experiences is not such a popular thing. Meanwhile, psychologists call it a useful habit to give all your experiences to paper. It seems like others are not aware of them, and you spoke out and did not keep your experiences to yourself. In addition, committing to paper will help you rationally assess the scale of the “tragedy.” Sometimes this is enough to analyze the situation and understand it.

But still, the most important thing these days is to remember that nothing is worth your mental and physical health. Moreover, you can easily cope with all the tasks if you plan everything correctly and create a “safety cushion” for your body and nervous system. New Year is just a date on the calendar. This is not some kind of milestone, but a holiday, so it is important to spend it with pleasure and in no case reproach yourself for not having time to do something or for not putting everything in perfect order. In the new year you can return to this with renewed vigor.