The holiday season is often painted as a time of joy and wonder—but let’s face it, it can also be overwhelming. Between packed schedules, financial stress, and social obligations, it’s no wonder holiday self-care feels like the shiny present we hope to find under the tree but never quite unwrap. This year, let’s change that. […]
Category: Stress Management
How to Reduce Holiday Stress: A Complete Guide
“Tis the season to be jolly.” “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” “A beautiful sight, We’re happy tonight, Walking in a winter wonderland.” These lyrics from popular holiday songs make the season sound carefree, merry, and even downright joyful. And no matter which of the season’s holidays you partake in, the late fall […]
What’s In Your Stress Toolkit?
It’s not novel: the idea of a toolkit as more than a means of securing literal nuts and bolts, but as a set of resources tailored to troubleshoot, fix or simply provide some measure of relief for very specific problems. When it comes to problems requiring a set of bespoke tools and curated solutions, stress […]
Make the Vagus Nerve the Focus of National Stress Awareness Month
Disembodied Voice from the Sky: “Are you aware of stress?” Everyone: “Yes, very aware!” Disembodied Voice from the Sky: “Well, are you aware of the impact that the vagus can have on your body’s ability to manage stress? Everyone: “Uhm, no…?” We get it. Every cause, idea, ailment, and food has its own holiday or […]
How to Prevent Burnout by Setting Good Habits
If you are feeling drained and on the verge of utter exhaustion from life’s demands, you are not alone. Welcome to the world of burnout – a state where physical and mental fatigue collide. Burnout takes a toll on both body and mind, manifesting as overwhelming stress, persistent fatigue, and a diminished capacity to find […]
How Do You Realize Your Body Is Stuck In Fight or Flight?
Our fight or flight response is an evolutionary mechanism that protects us from danger. Your nervous system temporarily increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and concentration to power your reaction to threats. But sometimes our nervous system goes haywire and can’t switch off from high alert. When you’re nervous system is stuck in fight or […]
The Science Behind Survival Mode
You are not lazy, unmotivated, or stuck. You’ve likely been living in survival mode for too long, and you’re exhausted. Survival mode is a primitive response to a perceived threat that is hardwired into your DNA. While it can help you survive in the face of danger, it can sometimes be counterproductive. When in survival […]
How to Manage Stress
Stress is a natural response to a perceived threat or challenge. It can be both positive and negative and affects individuals differently. Understanding what stress is, why it can be a big problem, and what you can do about it is a great place to start in developing coping mechanisms that can help manage stress […]
The Hidden Effects of Stress on Your Health
Long before the late writer Michael Crichton wrote the blockbuster Jurassic Park, he was a medical student in Boston. His experiences as a resident at Massachusetts General Hospital may have served as the creative inspiration behind NBC’s hit show ER, but they also were the subject of one of his earliest books, Five Patients. In […]