The Good Life – November-December 2020

MEN'S HEALTH
"Fatigue is a
big sign of stress.
Don't wait until
the holidays
to take care of
your mental and
emotional health."
_ Dr. Sauer
WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON
5 Tips to Fight Holiday Stress
For most of us, this is going to be a Holiday season unlike
any other. We're heading into winter already swimming
in a sea of uncertainty that is driving up anxiety ahead
of would-be family gatherings around the Thanksgiving
dinner table (never mind Christmas… let's agree to take
things one step at a time!).
And speaking of taking things one step at a time, Dr.
Forrest Sauer, founder of Twin Oaks Health Solutions
in Fargo, says that's the guiding principle we should be
following right now in order to maintain our mental and
emotional well-being. He shared five tips that you can
use to help fight holiday stress and arm yourself against
potential anxiety-inducing encounters with family, friends,
in-laws and even the nightly news, as we continue to battle
through the pandemic.
You can use these tricks to keep your mental edge yearround,
and Dr. Sauer says they're especially helpful when
the familiar warning signs of stress start to appear.
"Fatigue is a big sign of stress," he explains. "If you find
yourself drinking too much coffee or not getting enough
sleep, that's a sign your body is stressed. Same thing with
motivation … if you notice you feel burned out all of the
time or are starting to lack empathy, find time to put these
tips into action. Don't wait until the holidays to take care
of your mental and emotional health."
1 Maintain Your Routine
Dr. Sauer says the most important thing we can do
during times when knowing stress levels will be high is
to maintain a routine. "If you don't have a routine, set
one up before the turkey, before the Christmas cookies,
before the pumpkin pie …" explains Dr. Sauer. "Your daily
routine will provide some built-in comfort, even if it's just
psychological. Your brain will be more at ease if it knows
what's coming next."
2 Avoid the Perfection Trap
6 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com