Stressed in the lead up to Christmas?

"Prefer to replace a sports course with time at home" - a psychologist gives tips 

Created: 12/18/2022, 10:00 am

By: Juliane Gutmann

Does the time leading up to Christmas push you to your limits?

A high stress level is not uncommon in December.

A simple rule will get you down.

Stress is not in itself a negative thing.

In exam situations, he ensures increased concentration and in dangerous situations he mobilizes all possible physical strength.

However, it becomes dangerous when stress lasts for weeks and months.

Then doctors speak of chronic stress.

"The effects of stress on the body are enormous and occur much more frequently than we think," quotes the University Hospital Zurich (USZ) Samuel Gehrke, resident at the Clinic for Consultant Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine.

The release of stress hormones in the immune system causes immune cells to lose the ability to multiply.

As a result, the risk of pathogens spreading unhindered in the body increases.

The amount of antibodies in our saliva is also reduced by stress, according to the USZ.

But not only the susceptibility to infections increases due to persistent stress.

Burnout is also triggered in this way.

And even problems with the cardiovascular system or the metabolism can be caused by chronic stress, according to psychologist Dr.

Marlen Cosmar from the Institute for Work and Health in Dresden.

Before Christmas, many people are not very peaceful.

Gifts often have to be bought at the last minute – for example in downtown Munich.

© Wolfgang Maria Weber/Imago

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Helps against stress: "Basically, however, there should always be time in the day that is not planned"

In an interview with the health insurance company IKK Classic, however, Cosmar points out that some people need more rest than others.

“Basically, however, there should always be time in the day that is not planned.

If you have family, you might say that it doesn't work for me.

But here, too, you can check whether one or the other trip or sports or music course could not be replaced by time at home or a spontaneous walk,” says the psychologist.

Don't put yourself under pressure with supposedly important activities: Probably the most important advice for anyone who wants to de-stress.

Because too many leisure activities can degenerate into negative stress.

Namely when you can no longer rest, but only rush from A to B.

Sustainably reduce stress – with proven relaxation techniques

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Mindfulness training for restlessness

Psychologist Marlen Cosmar also sees great benefits in relaxation exercises.

However, progressive muscle relaxation or meditation would first have to be learned.

The effect usually does not set in immediately, only with practice does it have a relaxing effect.

Mindfulness training "is actually very effective because you learn to let your thoughts be in the here and now - and not constantly thinking about the next appointments and tasks.

Ultimately, sport, entertainment or social contact are always good ways to stay mentally in the here and now and to relax,” the expert advises.

Breathing calmly can also reduce your own stress level enormously.

"When we consciously breathe deeply - as we do instinctively on excursions into nature and when bathing in the forest - we feel particularly good," quotes Techniker Krankenkasse Thomas Loew, Professor of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy at the University of Regensburg: "By we slowing down our otherwise often hectic, shallow breathing, we lower our blood pressure and have a beneficial effect on heart activity.” You can read about the recommended breathing technique here.