Recipe of the Week | Navigating Holiday Stress
Natural Sleep Remedy: Warm Milk, Raw Honey, Nutmeg | Remedies to Combat Holiday Stress
Having a healthy sleep cycle is important for being able to manage stress levels, support a healthy immune system, make healthier food choices, have healthier energy levels, and more. Sleep can be impacted by many factors, but most can be in our control.
Here is a simple warm beverage recipe that I recommend adding in as a night time ritual, especially during more stressful times of the year to help you fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.
1 cup of warm milk (milk of choice)
1 tsp of raw honey (or more to taste)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Warm milk heats our internal body temperature which helps us feel relaxed and sleepy. It can also create a psychological effect that makes us calm and drowsy.
Honey sends tryptophan (sleep inducing amino acid) across our blood brain barrier. This is then converted into serotonin, which then converts into melatonin when we are exposed to darkness, therefore triggering signals to go to sleep.
Nutmeg acts as a sedative, which when overdosed, can create dangerous effects, but small amounts are safe as a natural sleep aid.
Heat milk on the stove, stir in the honey and nutmeg, then put your feet up and relax and enjoy!
Reduce the Holiday Stressors with these Tips!
The holiday season is supposed to be a joyful time of the year, but it is often the most stressful time of the year for some. Maybe it’s the stress of trying to get the whole family together and coordinating schedules, maybe there’s end of the year projects at your work that loom over you. Perhaps you’ve experienced loss and the holiday’s can make that much more challenging. Even gift giving can create unwanted stress!
First and foremost, things are only stressful if you let it be that way! I wanted to provide some examples of what I currently do on a regular basis to support healthy stress levels. Take the initiative to reduce stress levels by consistently practicing some or all of these tips. Or even create some of your own!
Regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes of movement, 3-5x/week)
At least 5-10 minutes of guided meditations a day
Spend time in nature
Prioritize rest
Stick to a relatively healthy diet while still allowing those holiday desserts without the guilt
Develop a healthy morning and nighttime routine
Drink warm tea with ashwaganda (preferably 2-3 hours before bed) [or try this week’s recipe!]
Focus on gratitude
During the holiday season, here are some activities that I do additionally (as time allows) that bring me joy, Perhaps you could incorporate some variation of these into your week for yourself or with family.
Listen to holiday music, play the piano, and perform live holiday concerts
Watch holiday movies and do puzzles
Continue holiday traditions that I did growing up (building gingerbread houses!)
Holiday baking!
Incorporating 30 minutes of movement into your day can be such a game changer for how you handle your whole day! Whether you are doing yoga, going for walks, running, or strength training, all of these things help relieve stress. If you can prioritize a little movement at the start of your day, you might notice that you handle normal day stressors a little better than if you didn’t do anything at all.
Perhaps meditation or breathing exercises are something you want to try. If you were to reserve 5 minutes every day for slowing down your breathing, 4 counts in, hold for 4, and breathe out for 4 or more, you will notice how your mind starts to quiet down. Meditation is not about clearing the mind, it’s about observing the thoughts with no judgement that come into the mind, and letting them float away. The box breathing method is my favorite to start with because you focus on the 4-4-4 breathing pattern while counting the tempo in your head. Focusing on the 4 count as you inhale, hold, and exhale helps the mind and body connection, keeping your mind focused on the task at hand so you stay present and the mind doesn’t wander to other things. If it does wander, simply bring your mind back to your breath and the count.
Eating healthy foods/meals supports healthy stress levels. I still have my fair share of holiday treats, so I focus on the 80/20. 80% of my food is the normal healthy eating style; proteins, fats, veggies, and water, while the other 20% will be the indulgent foods; eating out, consuming seasonal treats and beverages, etc. If you focus on that proportion, you will have more success at creating and maintaining a healthy mindset around food and experience less food guilt.
Finally, spending time in nature, focusing on gratitude, and developing a healthy nighttime and morning routine will help you feel more grounded and centered. The holiday season is only stressful if you make it that way. Try adding some of these ideas into your routine and create some of your own. Practice them consistently through the holiday season, even try extending it through the new year and the months following. Don’t punish yourself if you fall off the routine. Simply start it again the next day.
What kinds of things do you like to do during the holiday season that bring you joy?
Leave a comment below!
