Handle Holiday Stress through the Lens of Acupuncture
While the holidays stir excitement for some, it is a challenging time of year for others. For those already stuck in the cycle of stress, the holidays compound our overwhelmed feelings, leaving us depleted.
How do we even know we are in a state of stress? Stress occurs when we lack the resources to meet our demands.
From a Chinese Medicine perspective, emotional strain is a cause of disease, and each internal organ has a correlating emotion:
Anger affects the Liver
Overjoy/Shock affects the Heart
Worry/Pensiveness affects the Spleen
Grief/Sadness affects the Lungs
Fear/Anxiety affects the Kidneys.
Likewise, an imbalance of an internal organ may also cause an emotional balance.
The first sign of emotional stress on the body is the improper flow of energy (Qi) in the body. Your Acupuncturists can observe imbalances in the body by observing the tongue and palpating the pulse.
Anger over time makes energy/Qi rise which can lead to headaches, migraines, emotional outbursts, dizziness, tinnitus (ear ringing), or digestive upset such as acid reflux.
Overjoy (which can be interpreted as over-stimulation) may cause palpitations, insomnia, restlessness, or overexcitability.
Worrying/Overthinking "knots the Qi," causing digestive discomfort, poor appetite, and fatigue.
Grief/Sadness "dissolves the Qi" and includes symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue, depression, crying, and neck and shoulder tension.
Fear/Anxiety "descends the energy," causing loose stools, incontinence, and back pain.
Note: Chinese Medicine treats the individual. This post is for informational purposes and is not intended to diagnose a person. Always consult your Acupuncturist with concerns.
How to Manage Stress During the Holidays
It's Ok to take care of your needs and to set boundaries, so you do not deplete yourself this holiday season.
When you receive acupuncture, you also receive guidance on lifestyle and managing stress, as Chinese Medicine is a Holistic Approach to health.
Some tips I give my patients to manage stress:
Step back and take a pause. Practicing the pause enables a sense of grounding and clarity. I recommend a walk in nature, on the beach, or just sitting quietly outside and listening to the sounds of nature. Studies have concluded that time in nature reduces stress's impacts on the body
Check-in with your breath. Take some longer inhales and even longer exhales. I like to count in for 4, hold for, then exhale for 8. Pause and repeat.
Set healthy boundaries! While family traditions can be fun, they can also cause emotional stress and Anxiety. If an activity or event makes you uncomfortable, you can set a healthy boundary and respectfully pass.
Self-care - Acupuncture is a great reset for the mind, body, and spirit. Acupuncture supports the nervous system and releases neurotransmitters to fight stress on the body and feel good.
Ear Seeds! Come in for a mini-treatment and receive a stress protocol with ear seeds.
As we hustle and bustle our way through the Holiday Season, make sure to set aside time for a mind, body, and spirit reset. Please reach out if you are interested in a more individualized treatment plan to manage stress symptoms!
Happy Holidays and Cheers to YOUR Health and Wellness,
Dr. Jen