Having Fun and Good Health Through the Holidays - Sleep and Stress

Having Fun and Good Health Through the Holidays - Sleep and Stress
By Lynda Enright

Did you know that stress creates inflammation that will make it harder to maintain a healthy weight?

Did you know that sleep deprivation alters hormones that make you want to eat more?

You hopefully are continuing to pay attention to your eating and exercise habits during this holiday season. Remember exercise does not have to mean going to the gym and eating well does certainly not mean going on a "diet." Finding ways to incorporate movement each day and choosing to nourish yourself with real, delicious food can definitely be continued throughout the holiday season.

But also remember, that there are other choices that you can make that will support healthy eating and exercise choices as well as help to maintain a healthy weight throughout the holiday season.

Don't forget to get enough sleep and find ways to incorporate some stress management practices into your days.

We often minimize the impact stress has on our weight. But particularly, during the holiday season managing stress can have a big impact on ending the year feeling great!

Try these tips to manage your stress during the holiday season.

1. Get enough sleep. Most adults require about 8 hours of sleep each night for good health. Lack of sleep is a stressor on your body that you don't need when life is extra busy.


2. Make time for yourself. Take at least a few minutes each day to rest and rejuvenate. Time to de-stress will help you manage all that is on your calendar.


3. Have fun! The holidays should be fun. When you don't add fun, all you must do may feel overwhelming.


4. Nourish your body well. Feeding your body the nutrients it needs (lean protein, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and whole grains) helps to better cope physically and emotionally with the sources of stress in your life.


5. Move your body. Physical activity increases endorphins - the feel good neurotransmitters in your brain.


6. Breathe. By simply stopping and taking a few deep breaths you will feel a calm in your body and in your mind. Whenever things seem like too much - stop and just breathe

How can you get enough sleep each day?

Making sleep a priority is the first step. It often feels like there simply isn't enough time in the day and adding another hour for sleeping may not feel like an option. But remember that not getting enough sleep not only is bad for your health it means you are less productive and more stressed. Follow these steps to increase the quantity and quality of your sleep.

1. Calculate how many hours you want to sleep, what time you need to get up and then decide what time you must be asleep. Work back from the time you must be asleep and specify the time you will get ready for bed.


2. Make your bedroom dark and cool.


3. Don't watch TV or use technology in bed.


4. Read before going to bed if it helps you relax.


5. Take a warm bath.


6. Minimize caffeine intake all day and avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening.


7. Exercise every day and early in the day.


8. Don't take in a lot of fluids in the evening.


9. If your mind is busy, write down your thoughts and put them aside.


10. Practice meditation and relaxation breathing.

Taking one day at a time, getting adequate sleep and incorporating stress management practice you will have a healthier and happier holiday season.

Lynda Enright, MS, RD, CLT is certified as a Wellness Coach and LEAP Therapist who partners with women who want to look and feel amazing. Lynda helps individuals improve their health by addressing each person as the whole person finding the causes of weight gain, fatigue, bloating, acid reflux, congestion, brain fog or achy joints. For tips on eating well and balancing a healthy lifestyle, visit http://www.BeWellConsulting.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynda_Enright
http://EzineArticles.com/?Having-Fun-and-Good-Health-Through-the-Holidays---Sleep-and-Stress&id=8853161

Holiday Tips to Keep Your Home Safe

Holiday Tips to Keep Your Home Safe
By Michael Zuren PhD.

The holiday season is one of the busiest traveling seasons of the year. Most of us visit our friends and family for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Unfortunately, this also opens the opportunity for your house to get broken into. If you have a dog and put it in a kennel, you have just eliminated the best security system you can have to protect your belongings. So before you leave, it's important to take precautions to keep your house safe. The last thing you want to do is come home from visiting family and friends to find out that your home has been broken into and your possessions have been stolen. The following is a list of basic security tips to help you protect your home for the holidays.

• Completely lock up your house - This may seem like a simple rule, but eliminating easy entry points for a burglar is more entailed than you think. You must consider all ways your house could be broken into, which includes the front door, backdoor, man door to garage, and all first floor windows.

• Close your curtains and blinds- Don't make it easy for thieves to scope out your house. Leaving the blinds and curtains open will only allow thieves to see what of value is in your house. If they don't know what's in your house, it may not be worth their while to break in.

• Avoid announcing you will be on vacation on social media - Thieves are savvy, they use social media to their advantage. If a thief knows your home will be vacant, you just opened the door to be robbed.

• Have your neighbors or friends watch your house- Ask your friends and neighbors to drive by your house while you are out of town. Ask them to drive by your house before and after work to watch for anything suspicious. If your friends or neighbors see anything unusual they could call the police and action can be taken immediately. Also, ask them to pick up your mail and remove your newspaper. If a thief sees your newspapers pile up on your front steps or sees mail sticking out of your mailbox for days on end, you've just invited them to break into your house.

• Security system- There is great value in having signs or stickers on your doors and windows that indicate you have a security system. Security systems deter thieves. Most security systems have 24 hour monitoring, if a thief sees this they will most likely move to the next house.

• Lights on a timer- Whether you have put up holiday lights or not, it would be a good idea to put them on a timer where each night lights come on throughout various parts of your house. This will make it appear as if you are home.

The last thing you want to do on your holiday vacation is worry about your home. It's precious time to spend with your friends, family, and loved ones. Hopefully, these simple steps will help protect your home and allow you to have a more enjoyable vacation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Zuren_PhD.
http://EzineArticles.com/?Holiday-Tips-to-Keep-Your-Home-Safe&id=8852522

How to Tame the Holidays at Work and at Home

How to Tame the Holidays at Work and at Home
By Erin Kennedy

It would be a fantasy - but wouldn't it be nice if the holiday season went in an orderly fashion, one event to the next, with perfect orbs of celebration repeating themselves in different colors? What really happens is more like the whirlwind of leaves or snowflakes spiraling beyond control because there is very little you actually do control in this busy season. Still, there are things you can do to tame the chaos enough to enjoy the ride.

* Lower expectations. Advertising is selling "perfect" holidays because they want sales, not because it's right for you this year. Memories are edited by our emotions. Now is the time to talk to family about what is important to each member (cookie baking? game night? visit to an attraction?) and plan on getting each one's top item in the calendar. You might decide to scratch some things off your list of things to do. Fill in your calendar now with the things you value or they might be lost in the flurry of invitations and demands.

* Now is the time to decide how to handle gift giving in the corporate world. Your coworkers may celebrate different holidays than you do or have different customs for the same holiday. Corporate culture will vary on expected gifts and value but knowing those expectations now helps you figure out what you will do about it. Last minute gifts are not usually impressive, but they invariably are expensive.

* Most of us haven't hauled out the decorations yet. Now is the perfect time to start eliminating things you no longer use in the home or your workspace. Don't put the tinsel garland on top of the piles if you can get rid of those piles a little bit each day. Do the old "store it-give it-toss it" routine and clean the spot the pile was on. If you have to store it, put it where it belongs. If you don't have a place for it, why are you keeping it? In the workplace and in the home the piles do more than get in the way, they are a safety hazard and an image destroyer. If you need everything in that pile you should make a home for it so it doesn't get lost.

* Start a change jar if you haven't already and put extra cash into it. This is your "mad money" for indulgences. When it is gone, no indulgence until more is in the jar. Don't wreck your household budget for frappuccinos with friends. Speaking of budgets; know yours and its limit. Keep January bills in mind when you use that credit card. It's easier to make your financial plan now, including expected work expenses. Then you can use that plan as a guide to keep you out of impulse spending traps.

There's no way to avoid all holiday stress, but doing what you can to anticipate it and lessen it will make your holidays more enjoyable this year, both at work and at home.

Erin Kennedy, CPRW, CERW, BS/HR, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services http://exclusive-executive-resumes.com. She is a nationally published writer and contributor of 8 best-selling career books and has achieved international recognition following yearly nominations of the prestigious T.O.R.I. (Toast of the Resume Industry) Award.

Erin has written thousands of resumes for professionals in every industry and every career level. Read more at Erin's blog: http://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/blog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erin_Kennedy
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Tame-the-Holidays-at-Work-and-at-Home&id=8855375

Will You Have Hallmark Holidays, or Something Else?

Will You Have Hallmark Holidays, or Something Else?
By Fern Weis

As the song says, "It's the most wonderful time of the year." Or is it? Are the holidays like a Hallmark card in your home? Or do you anticipate some tense moments? Now is the time to think about how you can get some help with preparations and how to handle everyone being together. It's never too early to prepare and have the best holidays ever.

It's always wonderful when both my kids are home... well, maybe not always. No question that we all love each other to pieces, and yet, we can get on each others' nerves. We're family, after all, and it's the one place you can get away with being yourself, and still be loved. The rest of the world isn't always so understanding.

Any time family gets together can be stressful. Now add to that the aura of the holiday season, and the hopes that it will be picture-perfect. A little advance planning can make a big difference, and I'm not just talking about food and decorations.

I want you to sit quietly for a few minutes and visualize two holidays...

* What do your holidays usually look like -- the interactions, the preparation? No sugar-coating (that's only for cookies). If there is tension, what's it about and who's involved?

* What is your vision of a peaceful and meaningful holiday experience? It's not about the perfection of the Hallmark card. Maybe it's more of one thing and less of another.

The goal is 'better'. Perfect doesn't exist, and if you are not satisfied with anything less than perfect, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. How wonderful would it be to look back and think that this year was more loving and enjoyable than the last?

You've heard me say many times that communication is key in nourishing relationships. My suggestions for you revolve around talking about what works and what doesn't, and how to do it differently the next time.

1) Do you do most of the preparation yourself? Do you feel resentful about it? This is a conversation waiting to happen with your kids. Creating the setting that everyone enjoys should be shared by all. Sharing in the preparation will take the pressure off you, make you easier to be around, lead to beautiful moments and amazing memories, too. Just remember... what they do for you, with you, doesn't have to be perfect! It's the experience you're going for.

2) As for all that 'together time' and time off from school, there are bound to be skirmishes. Now would be a good time to take a look back with your kids about holidays past. Talk about what they loved and want more of, and then get their input about what was difficult. You want their input! If you do all the talking and venting, it becomes your laundry list of complaints, and they will not engage in problem-solving just for you.

3) Extended family. Do you get a stomachache thinking about a particular someone in your extended family? Do your kids or spouse get whiny about spending time with him or her? Time for a family huddle. Strategize now about how to be with, cope with, deal with that person. Create a secret code or gesture if you need to be rescued.

With all the anticipation and excitement, mental preparation for the holidays is crucial. However you celebrate during the dark winter days, I wish you and yours a loving and meaningful celebration.

Fern Weis is a Certified Life Coach who learned that caring and good intentions are not enough in parenting. They are often the problem.

Fern helps families of teens and young adults going through difficult situations, including addiction recovery, to let go of guilt, move past their fears, and create a plan for positive change within their family. They help their children become responsible, independent and successful in college and beyond.

When parents' words and behaviors change, everything changes, it's never too late to do this work, and you don't have to it alone.

Weekly ezine at http://www.yourfamilymatterscoach.com. Complimentary Parent Breakthrough Session at http://www.talktofern.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fern_Weis
http://EzineArticles.com/?Will-You-Have-Hallmark-Holidays,-or-Something-Else?&id=8856320

5 Ideas for Family Fun While The Kids Are on Holiday Break

5 Ideas for Family Fun While The Kids Are on Holiday Break
By Alexandra Kincaid

The holiday season is a special time for nearly all families, but it could be said that the pressure for family fun grows while the kids are home from school on holiday break. Often after a few days of rest from school, kids of all ages become restless and look for something to do. Attempting to convince them that cleaning bedrooms is a fun activity may be a lot of work without an incentive. Below are five ideas for family fun while the kids are on holiday break.

Game Night (or Day)

Game night is a long held family tradition and often is employed during the holidays, when everyone is together. It works with families of all sizes, ages, and generations. One way to put a spin on game night is to change it to game day, and to include more physically active games like flag football or horseshoes, depending on what the weather allows. One way to include activity and daytime fun is to explore an arcade or amusement center.

Host a Theme Day

Plan a theme for a day, especially if the family is going on an outing. Maybe all the gals will wear red tops and the guys green. IF going to the arcade for game day, perhaps the toys and prized won from the arcade will go to worthwhile cause. Take pictures and video to document the day and later frame the pictures for holiday gifts.

Holiday Light Viewing

Take a new way to view holiday lights by visiting normally daytime venues in the evening. Typically daytime friendly spots offer evening discounts, with even more fun. Think of how an amusement park can take on a new level of fun in the glow of holiday cheer and after dark ambience. With older siblings and younger siblings enjoying an evening of rides and games, there are sure to be many smiles for mom and dad.

Family Holiday Party

If there is a particularly large group or a celebration is in order, look to an outside venue and work with one of their event planners for a party that will entertain family members of all ages. It's easy to think that amusement centers are only for kids' birthdays. But in reality they provide a wonderful environment for team building, celebrations, recognition, and general family fun. Time in the park that is capped off with a private room and pizza banquet is a great holiday treat. Especially for the adults as it means little set up or clean up responsibilities. Less work means more fun!

Think Outside the Holiday Gift Box

Instead of traditional presents, consider a season-pass for a park that offers junior or kid friendly versions of popular attractions such as go-karts, rock wall climbing, games, and rides. Or plan a family fun outing as a gift for the entire family. It is always important to ensure that all family members are able to engage in the day and what may soon become a holiday tradition. A day of fun, relaxation, games, prizes and pizza is hard to beat.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexandra_Kincaid
http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Ideas-for-Family-Fun-While-The-Kids-Are-on-Holiday-Break&id=8856341