8 Tips to Handle Holiday Stress

Don't let the festive season derail your fitness gains. Here's how to maintain a sound mind and body.

The holidays can be a blast. There are the nightly, non-stop parties where you catch up with old friends or see colleagues in a different environment. You’ll also have excuses to entertain others by hosting dinner or cocktail parties. Shopping and visiting family is also usually on the docket.

But, eventually, the holidays — and their stress — can take their toll. That’s because the low-grade, chronic stress that people experience around the holidays can lead to behavioral and biochemical changes that can affect the body, according to Shawn M. Talbott, a nutritional biochemist. Don’t believe us?

Behavioral changes include exercising less, eating more “comfort foods”, and drinking or smoking more regularly. Biochemical changes increase stress hormones, suppressing the immune system, increasing blood pressure and cholesterol, and boosting appetite. Stress hormones can also reduce sex drive and cause depression, fatigue, and mental confusion. 
It sounds overwhelming, but don’t let stress get the best of you. Instead, here are our experts top 8 tips to keep you sane .

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