When talking about Christmas and health, the natural tendency is to focus on the physical aspect such as weight loss or maintenance and hangovers. That is what we have been talking about in the past few posts. Yet have you ever given some thought on the emotional stress that Christmas can bring about?
Think about it, all the hustle and bustle associated with this particular holiday can become very stressful if not dealt with properly. More so, there some emotional issues can arise due to the sense of duty associated with Christmas. What am I talking about?
Let me ask you this question: Have you given gifts (or are you planning on giving gifts) to your colleagues at work? If so, is everyone included in your list or just a select few? I read about how people can feel a sense of duty to give out gifts to people who they wouldn’t normally consider giving gifts to. It says that what happens is that the sense of duty overrides the real spirit of giving.
How does this affect our emotional health? Well, feeling pressured to give makes us want more in return as well. These feelings tend to accumulate and are translated into stress. We all know that stress is not at all that good for us. Too much stress during a time when we are supposed to be celebrating is even worse. This could also translate into other health problems, which can be manifested physically.
What to do? Try to forget about duty and give what you can to those you really care about. Do not worry about what others will think of you. Stay emotionally healthy by celebrating in the true spirit of Christmas!
Originally posted on December 24, 2007 @ 9:19 am