Though Halloween and fall bring countless fun activities, the mid-semester projects begin to pile up as well. We all want to be present and enjoy festivities and parties this Halloween, but all the work you have can make that feel impossible. Guilt for missing too many days at the gym, not eating right because of all the activities we try to cram into the week start to creep in, making you feel worse. In all the daily hassle, we sometimes forget that our first priority should always be ourselves — taking care of our bodies. A year from now, you won’t be glad to have sacrificed your health for completing an assignment for class, so here are five weekly habits you can integrate into your routine to reduce stress this holiday season:
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Take a coffee break
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Take a break to drink your coffee. It doesn’t even need to be coffee — you can just as well get some chai tea or hot chocolate instead. Just give yourself time to savor a hot seasonal drink to distress and experience the holiday spirit.
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Detox from your phone
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Take 30 minutes in the middle of your day to refrain from checking your notifications on your phone, and focus on something else that’s actually important to you, such as journaling or chatting with a friend. Studies show that people who have access to a phone have reduced mental performance on tests when compared to their phone-less counterparts. Excessive phone usage (which is a problem for most people who own a smartphone) has been also implicated in a reduction in the brain’s short-term memory.
Consider apps that you can install to help break your phone-checking habit such as Space and f.lux. If you need another reason to put down your phone, studies have linked the Radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by your personal phone to have adverse effects on brain regions exposed by impacting short term memory. Consider temporarily disabling distracting apps such as Facebook, email or Snapchat so that the constant stream of notifications coming in won’t be there to tempt you.
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Try meditation or yoga
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Meditation can be great for focus and stress reduction, and it helps you live fully in the moment! Yoga is a gentle form of exercise that can help you increase your flexibility and calm your stress with rhythmic breathing.
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Go Gift Shopping
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Shopping can be a fun break from the daily drudgery and can remind you of the spirit of the season, as many shopping areas decorate in preparation for the holidays. Generally, buying other people gifts can be much more satisfying than getting yourself something — but don’t ever feel like you can’t treat yourself to a face mask or bath bomb. Try out your downtown area as this can turn it into an adventure. I find that shopping can often put me in a more positive mood.
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Eat Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
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Chinese medicine recommends seasonal fruits and vegetables to enhance “yin,” the feminine side of a person’s “yin-yang.” Give some festive produce a try and move toward pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, and other seasonally-available produce options as much as you can. Leave behind cold foods like salad, opting for warm soups and cooked foods as your digestive system will digest these types of foods more easily during the cooler months.
There is no reason to miss out on the excitement that accompanies Halloween season just because you are stressed. By exercising balance between school commitments and life, this fall can turn out to be an amazing time of year full of exploration of new traditions and enjoyment of simple pleasures! Happy Halloween everyone!
Sources:
MINDFOOD. (2018). Top 5 Autumn Health Tips. [online] Available at: https://www.mindfood.com/article/health-wellbeing-top-5-autumn-health-tips/ [Accessed 25 Oct. 2018].
Suttie, E. (2018). Living with the Seasons – Fall / Autumn in Chinese Medicine. [online] Chinesemedicineliving.com. Available at: https://www.chinesemedicineliving.com/nutrition/seasons/fall/ [Accessed 25 Oct. 2018].