Embracing Everyday Self-Care During the Holidays: Managing Christmas Stress, Winter Blues, and Seasonal Affective Disorder

Calm For Christmas, Well through Winter

As winter approaches, many of us face increased stress, overwhelm, and, for some, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a winter depression that comes with darker days and colder temperatures. It can also be an incredibly sad time of year for many of us, as childhood memories and absent people fill our minds

This season, take steps to nurture yourself. Here, we explore self-care approaches covering diet, exercise, yoga, feel-good practices, meditation, and journaling—tools that can support your mental and physical health during this busy time.

Support yourself through the busy-ness, overwhelm, sadness and strain of Christmas and the winter months ahead.

Clean Up Your Body - a Diet for Balance and Energy

1. Focus on Vitamin D-Rich Foods: The lack of sunlight in winter can lead to Vitamin D deficiencies. Pack yourself with vitamins and minerals from fruit and vegetables, make sure your diet is varied and low in animal fats and sugar. Yes, we crave these more - oh, potatoes and cake! - but actually, if you look at what’s in these foods, you’ll soon realise why they could better be weekend treats, not your everyday. Your everyday should be foods that don’t just fill your belly, but feed the cells of your body, especially your brain.

2. Prioritize Omega-3s: Omega-3 fatty acids are known to support brain health and reduce symptoms of depression. Add foods like walnuts, chia seeds, and fish. Plant fats, like avocado are the best. Did you know that avocados are one of earths only few whole foods - vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fat. Its a complete food. Nuts and seeds in the evening are great, vegetable-rich smoothies are best for the morning.

3. Limit Sugar and Refined Carbs: These foods cause quick energy spikes and crashes, which can worsen fatigue and low mood. Choose whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to keep energy steady. We know sugar feeds disease, causes inflammation and is addictive. Resist the urge to eat 3 doughnuts - maybe have one (whilst remembering it is full of dirty ingredients!) only at weekends or when you feel in need of the comfort. This is a good first step to cleaning up your diet.

Exercise to Boost Mood

1. Take a Brisk Daily Walk: Yes, it’s sooo hard to get up and get dressed some days, but motivation happens AFTER the action, not before. Walking outside, even in winter, can help you get some fresh air and natural light, boosting your mood and energy levels. Look at the beauty around you, remember you’re part of it.

2. Try Strength Training: Feel weak and lethargic? Move your body. Swimming is great - because its gentle AND effective. Lifting weights or using body resistance also helps with stress management by releasing endorphins and building strength.

3. Dance for Joy: Dancing to your favorite music is an enjoyable way to release stress and improve your mood through movement. In the kitchen, on your walk, wherever it is. Even a sway to and fro is better than nothing. Emotion is Energy in Motion: get that energy moving, release a bit, feel yourself loosening up, tha’’s how you remember you’re alive.

Yoga for Stress Relief

1. Practice Sun Salutations: Again, moving gently is a start. a few stretches, a few bends is all it takes. This sequence warms the body, improves circulation, and can help energize you, perfect for those darker mornings. Google it.

2. Incorporate Restorative Yoga: Use gentle poses, like Child’s Pose or Legs-Up-the-Wall, to relax and release tension. Again, just google it and find an image. Child’s pose is one of my favourite poses - it feels soooo restful and the stretch is nice. Recommended.

3. Try Breathwork: Simply being aware of your breath, and concentrating all your attention on it, is enough. It helps you re-connect to yourself, as a living, breathing being. It connects you to life. So when you feel disconnected from yourself, the world, and your own life, watch, feel and listen to yourself breathing. When you’re ready, breathing exercises, like Alternate Nostril Breathing, calm the nervous system and provide mental clarity, helping you unwind.

Self-Care ‘Pampering’

1. Enjoy a Warm Bath with Epsom Salts: Magnesium-rich Epsom salts ease muscle tension, and a warm bath can be comforting in the cold winter. Read, watch a movie, red a book, listen to beautiful music. Humans need water - it takes us back to the womb and is a comfort. Or have an extra-long shower.

2. Use Beautiful Skin Oils: Scents like lavender, eucalyptus, and chamomile can help you relax. Try them in a diffuser or as part of a massage oil. There are some stunning aromas that can take us away from ourselves. I love this frangipani body oil and the vanilla body butter . They whisk me off to another place - sublime!

3. Wrap Up in Cozy Layers: Treat yourself to soft, warm blankets and comfortable clothes—small comforts can enhance feelings of warmth and relaxation. I heartily recommed an electric blanket, especially the ones with separate foot settings - I don’t need to tell you how lovely it is to get into a warm bed on a cold night!

Meditation and Journaling for Reflection

1. Begin with Guided Meditation: Find one on You Tube. Start with just a few minutes each day to ground yourself. Jut listen to the birds with your hot drink warming your hands. No birds? Watch the light filtering between leaves, bare branches.

2. Gratitude Journaling: Each day, write down three things you’re grateful for to shift focus away from stress and onto positive aspects of your life. But make them real. Don’t repeat them or write what you think you should be grateful for - that’s not real and won’t help. The smallest thing could be wonderful if only you recognise it. I’m always, always, grateful for running water and washing machines - life without is hard. I love my washing machine!

3. Reflective Writing: Take time to write about your emotions, especially if holiday stress feels overwhelming. Processing feelings on paper can help relieve tension. It can feel scary at first - why would you want to remember or commit how you’re feeling to paper?! So don’t do it like that - pick a word that pops into your head about something you’re feeling, light a candle or take some breaths and write a story, or a poem. Just 3 lines today…

The Importance of Investing in Yourself

This season, prioritizing your well-being can help you feel more in control, grounded, and resilient. By incorporating these small acts of self-care, you’re investing in your long-term health and happiness. Remember, taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury—it’s essential for your mental and emotional well-being. So, as you embrace these practices, know you’re setting the foundation for a healthier, happier life.