The 12 Days of Christmas Survival

How to look after your health and wellbeing in the run up to the festive season

Relax

There’s an enormous pressure at this time of year to attend every social event, shop for the perfect present and to look your best. But it’s really worth taking a few minutes each day to sit down, relax and put everything into perspective.

Feelings of stress can affect our judgement, make us more susceptible to illness and ultimately has a negative impact on everyone around us. Investing 5 or 10 minutes to relax will not only make you feel better, but it will help everyone close to us enjoy the festive season too.
Just taking a few deep breathes can help you relax. Take 3 long deep breathes in through the nose and slowly exhale through the mouth. As you exhale notice how your body softens and let go of any tension.
If you can, make time for some mindfulness practice. Mindfulness has been found to reduce both the psychological and physiological symptoms of stress. Headspace is a great app that guides you through 10 minutes of mindfulness each day – and the first 10 days are free!