Summer holidays may first come across as a time to look forward with excitement, to break free, get away, and not have a care in life.
But here comes the irony! While the holidays are expected to draw the curtains on stress, they inadvertently open doors to different kinds of stress.
And considering that certain stress is required for body and mind function, there’s no eliminating it. This blog offers tips on how stress can be better controlled.
- Disciplined Sleep
During the summer holidays, we tend to go to bed at different times each night, sending sleep schedules for a toss. Studies have shown that a lack of sleep and erratic sleep schedules can influence stress.
Although most of you would raise eyebrows to the mention of waking to an alarm during holidays, going to bed and getting up at the same time every day is a de-stressing sleep hygiene.
- Limited Screen-Time
Isn’t it concerning that most of us wouldn’t allow our child to have a cup of coffee before bed yet allow multiple screens in the bedroom?
The blue light emitted by television, computer, smartphone, and tablet displays has been shown to mess up with melatonin, your “sleep hormone”, with many lost hours of sleep for children and adults, resulting in stress.
For kids to relax and wind down to sleep peacefully, it is recommended that families put away electronics 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
- Laugh out Loud in Good Humour
Your body’s “stress hormone” cortisol is lowered by a good laugh; it doesn’t just lighten a mood.
While your feel-good brain chemicals called endorphins are boosted by a giggle, your muscles get relaxed, and your stress hormone levels are lowered by a deep chuckle.
Watching comedies, reading comics, or simply finding the fun things in life—a big unrestrained burst of laughter works as a massage for your insides.
People who seek out and embrace the humor in life are those you must surround yourself with.
- Play, for Quality Family Time
Stress during the summer holidays can be better managed by building strong connections between the adults and children in the family.
And play is the best way to improve that connection! You have a super-charged stress buster in bringing together physical activity, play, and family.
In reducing and preventing the effects of stress, play, as a form of physical activity, has a key role to play. And to play as a family, many opportunities are presented by staying indoors, away from the heat.
Bottom Line…
These tips may not erase stress, as earlier mentioned, but are essential for managing and reducing stress.
Managing stress is not only for the present, but for a lifetime, and to model healthy ways for their children to manage stress, parents can use these simple methods!
