The holidays are upon us. After the uncertainty of the last few years, most of us are eager to have an enjoyable Christmas with our friends and family and to be able to do all of those things that we missed out on last year. But, while Christmas is a lovely time of the year filled with joy and happiness, for many, it’s also a period of great stress. More than any other time, Christmas is when we’re determined to have the best time, to make everyone happy and to fit everything in. While some festive stress is normal, too much can start to affect your mood, your enjoyment, and even your body. Here’s a look at some of the more unexpected ways that festive stress might be affecting you.
Hair Loss
Hair loss is often one of the first physical signs of stress, especially as we get older. In younger people, this loss can be temporary. But if you are a little older, you might find that your hair never recovers, and your only option is seeking hair loss treatment. Luckily, The Treatments Rooms offer a range of effective hair loss treatment programs, so you’ve got one less thing to worry about.
Brittle Nails
Stress can lead to hormonal changes which can result in soft, brittle nails that split and break easily. Of course, feeling stressed also means that you are more likely to bite and pick at your nails.
Fatigue
It’s perfectly normal to feel tired when there’s a lot on your to-do list. But if you are unbearably tired and finding that a good night’s sleep is hard to find, or that it doesn’t seem to rid you of fatigue, you might be stressed out and in need of a break.
Weight Changes
When we’re stressed out, our weight can move in either direction. You might find that you are stress eating for comfort, or that you can’t face food at all, and whatever you eat, hormonal changes might mean that your weight fluctuations are totally out of your control.
Teeth Grinding
When we’re stressed, we can find it hard to fall into a deep, restful sleep. Our minds often continue to turn, sometimes even once we’ve dozed off. This can cause us to grind our teeth, sometimes to the point of permanent damage.
Illness
Fighting stress can mean that your immune system starts to struggle. You might find that you get more frequent coughs, colds, stomach bugs and other illnesses and that you have a harder time getting over them. You might also notice that wounds take longer to heal and that you have trouble with digestion, heartburn, and acid reflux.
Increased Blood Pressure
A very common physical effect of stress is an increase in blood pressure. Untreated, this can increase the risk of heart attack and other conditions, so if you are struggling with stress, find ways to cope with it, cut your to-do list, ask for help, and speak to your doctor.
Some stress at this time of the year is normal. But if you are starting to see any of these effects, consider making some changes.
