Follow These Heart-Healthy Tips for A Less Stressful Holiday Season

By Poulina Uddin, M.D.

The holiday season is almost here, bringing with it the usual traditions of family gatherings, shopping, cooking, baking and parties. Sometimes, however, these normally festive activities can lead to not-so-festive feelings of stress and anxiety. Many people feel pressured to fit all of the holiday extras into an already-packed schedule, or spend an unrealistic amount of money on gifts. The holidays also can trigger an increase in depression, particularly for people who don’t have family or friends nearby, or who have recently lost loved ones.

Any of these negative emotions can be harmful to your health. Add in the tendency to eat or drink too much, and the holidays can take a toll – especially on your heart. The heart-healthy tips below can help you make the most of the holidays and maintain your well-being.

1. Set realistic expectations.
The holidays are only perfect in advertisements. In real life, we need to decide what is most important and adjust our expectations and priorities accordingly. What do you absolutely need to get done? What would you really like to do, as opposed to what you feel you “should” do? Learn to say no to an invitation if you would rather spend a quiet night at home. Use a caterer or buy cookies if you don’t have time to do it yourself.

2. Make a plan.
Use a calendar to plan your activities so you can easily see where you need to be and when, and minimize the stress of being rushed or overbooked. Remember to schedule in travel time, as well as extra time in case of traffic or unforeseen delays. Schedule time for exercise (more on this below). Finally, include downtime for yourself. Block off an hour or two with no commitments, so you can do whatever you’d like, or nothing at all.

3. Take advantage of technology.
Avoid the stress of crowds and traffic by going digital. Skip the mall and shop online. Send personalized electronic greeting cards. Visit with long-distance friends and family via social media such as Skype or FaceTime.

4. Celebrate in moderation.
Between special events, dinner parties and treats at work, the holidays can serve up a tempting array of foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt—none of which are good for your heart. Obesity, too, is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. It’s fine to treat yourself, as long as you don’t overdo it. Have a healthy snack before a dinner party to take the edge off of your hunger, and start with small servings (you can always go back for more). If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to one or two drinks.

5. Stay active.
When your schedule is packed, exercising often is one of the first things to go. Don’t skip your workouts and tell yourself that you will make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight. Staying active during the holidays is more important than making a plan to become active afterward. Getting just 30 minutes of exercise a day, such as a walk, jog or bicycle ride, has important cardiovascular benefit and can help reduce your stress level as well. Break it up into 10-minute chunks if that makes it easier. If possible, take advantage of the calming benefits of nature and exercise outdoors.

6. Take a time out.
If you do find yourself feeling overwhelmed, anxious or irritable, give yourself a break. If you can, get away from whatever is causing your stress, even for just a few minutes. Have a cup of tea at the mall or step outside at a crowded party. When you can’t physically remove yourself, do so mentally by taking a few minutes to focus on your breathing. Simply taking five deep, slow breaths can interrupt your body’s stress response, lower blood pressure and slow your heart rate. You’ll feel calmer, and your heart will thank you.

Poulina Uddin, M.D., is a cardiologist with Scripps. “To Your Health” is brought to you by the physicians and staff at Scripps. For more information or to make an appointment, please visit www.scripps.org/Patch or call (858) 914-4275.