More stress and anxiety during Christmas.

Madrid, January of 2013. Stress is accentuated in the Christmas season. This is the main conclusion that shows the second study conducted by the Centre Nascía on Christmas and stress, made to users of social networks, subscribers and clients of the Centre.

Tiredness, the accumulation of activities, spending too much time with the family, the bustle generalized, purchases, unfulfilled expectations, discussions, lack of exercise, excess in food and drink and, of course, the current situation of crisis are the main generating stress and anxiety causes.

In 2012 the trend increased and 52% of participants expressed a general increase of stress and anxiety in the days leading up to Christmas (or on holidays), versus 44% in 2011.

By activities, developments related to the Christmas period that generated more stress and anxiety are: the general economic situation (78 per cent), excess expenditures (69%), shopping (61%), social commitments (52%), general fatigue and saturation ” (51%).

In the case of women workers, the feeling of spill-over ” or overflow is much greater, since the problems arising from the working responsibility of the House or children joins, in many cases,.

Among professionals in general, men and women, these days increase episodes of burn-out ” or occupational stress, due to the need to stop all resolved before the end of year (budgets closures, signatures of operations, calculation of results and achievement of objectives).

Last year, the perception of crisis has been much greater and therefore the burdens for economic reasons became a more prominent level. What most worried the study participants isn’t so much the fact of having to make preparations and shopping, but the feeling of uneasiness and of not being able to expense. This has led to one greater consumer spending cut in all chapters as food, gifts, entertainment and celebrations. Less spending on social commitments is also remarkable.

The main causes of stress during Christmas are rooted in three fundamental reasons: economic, physical, and those derived from our social relations.

The first among the concern by unable to meet debts, as well as a growing sense of discouragement from times past, when celebrations were much more relief. According to the study, patterns are maintained as the excessive use of the credit card, the need for refinancing, the feeling of need to spend more (shopping addiction as a way of escape) and the excessive costs associated with social commitments, although the latter to a lesser extent than 2011.

However, that has most concerned respondents during 2012 has been the feeling of continuous cropping and especially in these days.

The reasons related to the physical form that accentuate the stress during the Christmas focus on a general fatigue by accumulation of activities, the possibility of suffering from insomnia by changing habits, lack of exercise and excess in food and drink.

However there are no significant changes in the reasons arising from social relationships. Similar to in 2011 stress became more acute due to the greater amount of social commitments as company dinners, with friends or with the family. Within this section, family gatherings tend to be those that produce greater stress due to the incompatibility of characters with family members, family disputes, complex, or the need to save appearances. It is also a time with tendency to the sadness and nostalgia for the memory of beings dear as missing.

In addition to own Christmas events, school holidays of children aggravate the symptoms of stress, by the need for parents to organize activities for children, the longest of these at home and above all, the radical change in the daily patterns of activity.

In terms of the relationship, it happens at other times of the year, where the largest timeshare can result in situation of nerves. Also the responsibility to organize leisure activities during these days, or making decisions about where to celebrate family gatherings are reasons that couples face and produce alterations of stress and anxiety.

Tips for avoiding stress on Christmas

Here are a series of tips aimed to control the possible alterations and avoid States of stress and anxiety, as indicated Nascia professionals.

– From the economic point of view:

1.-calculate a realistic budget of revenue and expenditure.

2 Avoid excessive spending on gifts. Use formulas such as invisible friend ”, calculating a cost limited per person.

3 Purchase of gifts preferably children.

4 Optimize purchases: is advisable to always prepare a list, buy online and early in the morning, avoiding peak hours.

5. In the Organization of events and meals is convenient to involve children, relatives and friends in the tasks of organization and execution. simplify menus. Through the supermarket buying on-line help reduce spending on unnecessary things and time.

– From the emotional point of view:

1.-adjust the expectations and without waiting milagros ”.

2 Relativize, is just one day, an event.

3 Prioritize, distinguish between what depends on you and what not, and accept it without forgetting that everything passes.

4. In family gatherings, avoid committed themes or generating discussion.

5 learn how to say NO. There is no why go to all the events, nor to all family gatherings.

6 Escape from perfectionism.

7 Schedule activities of distraction.

8 take time to rest and reserve own spaces

-from the physical point of view and general health:

1.-find moderation and balance.

2 Enough sleep.

3 Exercise – even just a walk.

4 Take care of your back – this is one of the seasons of the year with more injury due to incorrect postures, to pick up heavy objects.

5.-Balancing diet with salads, vegetables and fruit between meals. Prevent processes from food without end ”.

6 Search for different activities in the days of celebration.

7. Practice relaxation. devote time to perform breathing exercises.

It nascía is a company specialized in the sector of health and well-being, with personalised treatments against stress and anxiety problems. Offers a specific treatment for disorders of attention on children, speech therapy, Transcutaneous nerve and cognitive rehabilitation, with the most advanced techniques of applied psychophysiology and Neurotechnology.

Implements programmes of personal and professional optimization, training and consulting. also Nascia is the exclusive distributor in Spain of advanced systems of Neurotechnology include PlayAttention and psychophysiology Nexus of MindMedia systems.

With our own methodology and a multidisciplinary professional team he has the latest tools (technology and innovation) in the field measurement and evaluation Psychophysiological. The method Nascía, uses non-invasive techniques of biofeedback and clinical application for the design of their treatments, always in a personalized way.