Even though the holiday season is traditionally a relaxing time spent with family and friends, with it comes a busy time of planning, shopping, and entertaining.  This can cause stress for a lot of people.

Here are a few easy ways to help reduce your stress level over the holidays.

• Take a deep breath.  Breath in through your nose until your lungs are full and exhale through your mouth. This may sound like a simple solution, but studies have shown that taking a single deep breath can reduce anxiety, improve your mood and even lower your blood pressure.

• Go for a walk.  You’d be surprised at the difference a 20 minute stroll can make to how you feel.  In this short time, the 20 minutes of exercise can release enough endorphins to calm the nervous system and reduce stress levels.

• Avoid comfort food.  Don’t give in to the temptation of comfort foods.  Those sugar cookies may give you a temporary boost of energy, but the effect doesn’t last and will leave you feeling worse later in the day.

• Write your worries down.  When you’re stressed, your imagination can take the smallest thing and turn it into a crisis.  By writing your thoughts down, you can put things back into perspective.

• Drink a glass of water.  Over the holidays it’s easy to forget to drink enough water, and if you’re dehydrated, your body is more prone to the effects of stress.  So don’t forget your 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.

I’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!