Have you ever noticed that people often get sick around the holidays? I was actually talking to a good friend of mine this week, who expressed that every year around this time, she always gets sick. After experiencing this for many years, she is now fully aware of the fact that it is the effect that stress and lack of sleep have on her body. She doesn’t necessary always feel that she is stressed during the Christmas season, but she has learned that since this is a yearly event for her, the busyness and emotion of the season (stress) takes its toll. Warning! Don’t Fall Prey to Sickness and Migraine this Holiday Season!
So, we know that being under lots of stress can cause illness at this time of year (our immune system can be compromised because of the busyness and stress), but being sick can also be the a result of your sleeping habits. At this time of year, there is a tendency for disruptions in sleep patterns. Stress and sleep not only hurt our immune system, but they interact with each other. Actually, research has shown that periods of high stress coupled with poor sleep increase your risk of having a migraine more than either one of these alone.
So how do you counteract this?
Keep a consistent bedtime and wake time every day, even on the weekends.
If you have trouble sleeping at night, avoid daytime naps if you can. If you have to nap, try not to nap for more than an hour at any time later than early afternoon.
If you nap because you are trying to relieve a migraine, still try to keep your normal sleep schedule if possible.
Don’t stay in bed if you are unable to fall asleep. I don’t know how you feel, but I think it is very frustrating when I toss and turn and cannot fall asleep. Tossing and turning only makes your sleep problems worse. If you can’t fall asleep within 20-30 minutes, get out of bed, go into another room, and do something to relax until you feel tired. Some people find it relaxing to get up and take a shower or soak in the bath tub. Try putting some lavender essential oil into your bath or sprinkling a little into the shower.
Maintaining consistent, good sleep habits can help you feel better rested and have better energy levels. It can also help you prevent a migraine.
Try to minimize your stress during the holidays.
At this time of year some sources of stress may include:
- Shopping – battling crowds, standing in long lines, last-minute shopping, searching for parking spots, and the frustration of not being able to find a gift you are looking for
- The social scene – partying, eating or drinking too much, parties where you come into contact with strong perfumes or things like scented candles, staying up too late (which results in inconsistent sleep patterns)
- Visiting family and loved ones – long distance travel, remembering deceased loved ones, tensions between family members, and the disruption of your normal daily pattern
- Foods – eating unhealthy foods or those that be a food trigger for you, eating too much, excessive caffeine intake, staying hydrated
- Changing work schedules, irregular sleep habits, neglecting exercise, trying to do too much, neglecting personal, self-care time
Looking at these stressors, you will notice they each of them can prevent you from taking some “me” time, which allows you to manage your stress and migraine. Our brain is very sensitive to even minor deviations in routine, so make managing migraine a priority.
- Make sure you set aside some time for rest, relaxation, and stress relief, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day
- Keep up with any exercise: yoga, meditation, or other positive health habits you normally maintain
- Don’t feel obligated to attend every event you’re invited to—saying “no” doesn’t make you a bad person
- Plan ahead – avoid last-minute shopping when lines are longest and stores are most crowded
- Be consistent in your sleep and eating habits
- Be smart about traveling – avoid last-minute travel or traveling during rush hour. If you’re crossing several time zones, anticipate jet lag. Start adjusting your sleep schedule several days before departing
Be aware: Recent research shows that some people experience migraine after “coming down” from a period of high stress (experiencing low stress after a period of high stress), the so-called “let-down headache.” Once the chaos of the holidays starts to wane, be sure to keep practicing good stress management so that you don’t find yourself a victim of “let-down migraines.”
This Christmas season, determine to make a deliberate effort to manage stress and take personal, self-care time. Whatever you do, don’t wait until stress reaches a point where it triggers a migraine…use some of these tips to get a handle on holiday stress!