Bayou Health | Cultivating More Joy and Less Burnout through the Holiday Season

by SHANNON DAHLUM, FDNP

When the topic of the holiday season arises among my friends, it’s always accompanied by either excitement or dread.  There seems to be no in-between on this.  People look forward to the joyful atmosphere and time with loved ones, or they get overwhelmed with the added stresses of shopping, family gatherings, cooking, traveling, and any of the other expected burdens that accompany a successful holiday. For many, the holidays don’t bring joy; they bring burnout. This got me thinking about what steps we can take to make the holiday feel less like a burden and more of the joyful experience it was intended to be.  

In our day-to-day lives, it’s easy to get swept up in our to-do lists, prioritizing productivity and family over our own needs. This often leaves us feeling exhausted and unfulfilled.  If this is how we’re accustomed to living throughout the year, then of course the holiday season just amplifies the situation by adding to our burden.  It’s really important, especially at this time of year, to implement some non-negotiable self care practices. It doesn’t have to be time consuming, but it does need to be consistent. Whether it’s a 15 minute daily walk, a 10 minute meditation, or a short break to curl up with a favorite book, carving out time every day to go inward is vital. With all the giving we do, we have to stop and give back to ourselves by doing things that bring us peace so we don’t run out entirely of energy to give. I think starting our days with a peaceful self care practice is a powerful way to put ourselves first and set a positive tone to the day.  Before jumping straight into the daily hustle, taking just ten minutes to be intentional with ourselves can be a game changer, even if it means getting out of bed ten minutes earlier to create that space.  Ten wakeful minutes intentionally cultivating a connection with ourselves at the beginning of each day can be much more impactful for our stress resilience than an additional ten minutes of sleep. 

Setting boundaries to protect our time and energy (and let’s be honest, our sanity) requires that we learn to say “no” gracefully.  Before diving head first into the holiday commitments we always feel obligated to participate in, we need to get clear with ourselves on which events are actually important to us.  We don’t have to accept every invitation that’s handed to us or continue every tradition that’s expected, especially when those items are more draining than enjoyable.  A polite “no” is actually kinder to everyone than a resentful “yes.”  We need to think of boundaries as a way to protect our ability to show up lovingly, rather than resentfully. When approached this way, it can help us see that setting boundaries isn’t selfish, but is actually the most loving thing we can do for not only ourselves, but everyone around us.  If we can’t be present at an event or perform a service with love, then perhaps that’s an item we need to rethink our commitment to.  After all, isn’t the whole point of the season to be able to share more joy and love with one another? 

Regardless of the boundaries we learn to set, there will be more on our to-do lists during the holidays than at other times of the year. This likely means more stress and less energy.  In times of stress, our bodies rely on minerals like potassium, magnesium and zinc to meet the added demand.  It’s not only mental and emotional stress (like financial strain, shopping deadlines, added time with our less than favorite family members, etc) that can deplete these nutrient reserves, but the added consumption of sugar and alcohol do, too.  I’m not one to suggest that we take all the steps we can to avoid partaking in holiday treats and cocktails.  For many of us, gathering with loved ones and indulging in food and drinks together can be one of the most joyful parts of the holiday.  Instead of avoiding them, I say we enjoy our favorite indulgences while remaining conscious of replacing the nutrients these treats deplete from our bodies.  Consistently eating a wide variety of unprocessed foods that are rich in minerals can help us do this. Potatoes, mushrooms, beet greens, avocados, winter squash and dried fruit are dense potassium sources.  Spinach, pumpkin seeds, Swiss shard, avocados, hemp seeds, almonds, and dark chocolate replace magnesium.  A wide variety of animal products, like steak, pork chops, dark chicken meat, lamb, and oysters are packed with zinc.   

Including nutrient dense foods from nature builds our reserves and increases our stress tolerance.  The more nutrient deficient we are, the less we are able to manage stress and dietary indulgences without feeling mentally or physically overwhelmed and burned out. Prioritizing quality meat and colorful plants rather than highly processed convenience foods at most of our meals means we should be able to indulge in some holiday favorites without upsetting our healthy balance. 

Lastly, one of the most important ways we can relieve some of the stress burden on our systems is to prioritize sleep.  We hear it over and over again, and no matter how badly we try to avoid it, it’s not going away.  Adequate sleep is foundational for returning lost energy to the body.  The more stress we are under, the faster we are depleted of energy, and the more rest we need to replenish these stores.  There are no shortcuts for getting around this.  Adding energy drinks and more coffee do not make up for a lack of sleep; in fact, they add to the body’s stress burden and deplete energy and nutrients even more in the long run.  Even on nights when time is short and sleep quantity may not be sufficient, we can still prioritize the quality of that sleep. Avoiding food and beverages (except for water or herbal teas) in the last few hours of the day will ensure we go to bed on an empty stomach.  This is important for avoiding blood sugar dysregulation and inefficient digestion during sleep, both of which can wake us or prevent us from getting enough of the most restful deep stages of sleep. 

Flooding our vision with artificial lights and electronic screens within an hour before bed will delay melatonin release and interrupt our ability to fall and stay asleep easily.  Instead of keeping all the lights on in the house after dark, switching to red-hued lamps and candle light can signal to our brains that it’s time to begin increasing the production of sleep supporting hormones. Reading instead of watching bright screens can support easier sleep, as well, and soaking in a hot bath can calm the nervous system.  When artificial lights or screens can’t be avoided in the hours before bed, wearing blue blocking glasses can be a simple way to prevent these daylight signals from entering our eyes and confusing our brains. Inexpensive blue blocking glasses are fairly easy to find to many local boutiques and of course, online. 

Instead of approaching the holidays with dread this year, let’s enter the season with the intention of prioritizing our well-being.  Incorporating a little self care every morning, prioritizing sleep, and nourishing our bodies with nutrient dense foods that help us to endure stress can allow us to increase our window of tolerance.  With a little more peace, energy, and nutrition in our tanks, we’re less likely to get overwhelmed. Prioritizing ourselves means we’ll have a greater capacity to show up with love and to create a more joyful experience for ourselves and those we spend our holidays with.