Will you be sticking with your long-loved traditions?

Either way, I would like to offer you an Osteopathic perspective on this! And that is to trust your own feeling on this one. What does your body tell you feels good? When you really listen in to those messages, they are rarely wrong.

Sending your Christmas cards up in flames will feel upsetting and unsociable to those isolated, on their own or distant from their loved ones. In our culture many families and friends live far from each other and we have lost the easy connections that close communities and inter-generational living brings.

But maybe this year you might change things up a bit with more sustainable hand-made and hand-delivered cards, enjoying a stroll around your neighbourhood at the same time, or will it be e-cards, donations to charity or a phone call?

Either way the message in the media is clear; just because it has always been, does it have to continue? Does it still serve its purpose? Or does it feel the right time for a change?

My favourite quote is:

‘if you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got’

So I like the idea of continually considering and evaluating the purpose of our habits, our traditions, our routines.

When we become aware of our habits, and only then, can we then become aware of what is not serving us anymore, or has even become a burden or stressor.

Christmas can be a time of joy, togetherness, creativity, spirituality and peace, but for some it can highlight loneliness, isolation, overwhelm, family separation, grief and depression.

Whatever our experience or expectations of Christmas, I want to highlight the effect of stress on our body, especially when it is chronic low grade, constant background stress or worry:

1. Increases whole-body inflammation

2. Biggest hormone disruptor

• Infertility, irregular periods, early menopause, PMS

3. Wipes out gut microbiome, causes IBS, constipation and diarrhoea

4. Lowers immunity and increases risk of auto-immune conditions

5. Increases risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes

6. Increases insulin resistance leading to obesity

7. Insomnia

8. Mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression

And perhaps when we consider the stress burden we are currently coping with and then add the potential extra stress of Christmas, the next point becomes even more valid:

9. The more stress you experience, the more sensitive to new stressors you become

Worry, tiredness and lack of sleep also play a huge role in our food choices and our dependence on caffeine and alcohol. Stress, and the hormone cortisol even supresses all our other hormonal pathways.

In the run up to Christmas it is worth considering the extra loads you are taking on, whether you need help, connection with others, seek friendship, or need to simplify or prioritise your traditions?

If you are in pain, feel anxious or worried, need help with sleep, gentle contact with others or guidance with some restorative movement and exercise, we are here to support you through this time.

Please also visit the website for some activities and ideas that you can easily do within your own home to help support you in mind, body and in connections with others.

Happy Christmas to you all my friends, and whatever traditions you choose to keep this year, make it a considered conscious choice, trust your instincts and do what you love (but please don’t kill off your elf!).

Emma Wightman

the-sop.com