We all like to celebrate Christmas but it can be a stressful time; from the to-do lists, to Christmas shopping after a long day at work, to traffic jams, to decorating your house, to organising family events, and everything else in between.

For some people, stress is almost inevitable during this season because there is so much to do and there are some things that you just can’t control. Some do online shopping but how long do you have to wait for the delivery to arrive? How many times do you have to call to follow up? So, is it still possible to have a Merry Christmas? Is it possible to combat stress?

Yes, of course it’s possible!

Six tips on how to fight stress this holiday season

Stretch – When you’re stressed, tension has a way of spreading throughout your body, making your muscles feel tight. Stretch when you have the opportunity; at home, in your office, in your car while waiting for the light to turn green. Stretching can relieve muscle tension.

Breath therapy – Proper breathing has many therapeutic benefits and one of them is to relieve stress. You can do some yoga or meditation in the morning before you start your day, or in the evening to relieve the stress that the long day has caused.

Don’t forget your posture – Avoid sitting on the floor when you’re wrapping your gifts as this is a pitfall for bad posture. This causes you to hunch over multiple times to reach for your gift wrapping supplies. Sit on a chair at a table to make it easier. Bad posture can cause back and shoulder discomfort.

Treat yourself – Yes, Christmas is all about giving but you have to give something to yourself too. Take some time to do something that relaxes you. It could be staying in bed while reading or watching TV, drinking tea, writing, a long warm bath, going for a massage, exercising or going for a walk or run. Anything! Every person has their own way of relaxation but what’s important is you do what relaxes you. Don’t hesitate to have a “me” time.

Reach for that herbal tea – Chamomile tea has a calming effect. It is said to relieve stress, anxiety, and even insomnia.

Get chiropractic care – This is one of the most effective ways to fight stress this holiday season!  So how can chiropractic care help? A few effects of stress are headaches, muscle tension and contraction, nerve irritation and fatigue. Chiropractors can help release the tension and pain caused by stress. They can also recommend more relaxation techniques and posture improvement exercises.

Stress has a great impact on health and it is strongly advised that you know how to fight it, especially these days so you can enjoy the Christmas season to the fullest!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

One of the most important parts of yoga therapy is proper breathing. The effectiveness of yoga therapy on back pain has been researched and published recently in Spine and according to the study, there has been a significant improvement in terms of the intensity of the symptom, depression, and amount of medication use in patients after therapy (Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2009 Sep 1;34(19):2066-76).

There has also been a study by Mehling et al.,  published in 2005 that emphasises the potential benefits of proper breathing exercises in relieving backache. In this study, they used a group of chronic low back pain patients. These patients were grouped in two; one group received a six- to eight-week breath therapy exercise lessons, and the other received traditional physical therapy (Altern Ther Health Med. 2005 Jul-Aug;(4):44-52). It was found that both groups have reported improvement in their condition.

. Andrew Weil, an integrative medicine expert, believes that breathing exercises can indeed benefit backaches. According to him:

“I’m impressed by the power of breath and its ability to correct specific health problems and promote our general wellness. Proper breathing is a master key to good health.”

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to do basic breathing exercises properly.

ABDOMINAL BREATHING TECHNIQUE:*

Breathing exercises such as this one should be done twice a day or whenever you find your mind dwelling on upsetting thoughts or when you are experiencing pain.

• Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. When you take a deep breath in, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on the chest. This helps to reinforce that goal of having the diaphragm is pulling air into the bases of the lungs.
• After exhaling through the mouth, take a slow deep breath in through your nose imagining that you are sucking in all the air in the room and hold it for a count of 7 (or as long as you are able, not exceeding 7)
• Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of 8. As all the air is released with relaxation, gently contract your abdominal muscles to completely evacuate the remaining air from the lungs.  It is important to remember that we deepen respiration not by inhaling more air but through completely exhaling it.

Repeat the cycle four more times for a total of 5 deep breaths and try to breathe at a rate of one breath every 10 seconds (or 6 breaths per minute). At this rate our heart rate variability increases which has a positive effect on cardiac health.

Improper breathing is one of the first things that chiropractors notice in patients with chronic back pain. At the Back Doctor Chiropractic Clinic in Chester, we teach patients the proper way to breathe, and make you understand the connection between poor breathing and chronic back pain. We guide the patients to use the diaphragm and not just the chest when breathing.