COPD And Stress - More On A Less Stress Holiday Season
This week's issue of the COPD International Newsletter brings Featured Articles - Energy-Saving Holiday Tips
TIPS FOR ENJOYING HOLIDAYS WITHOUT GETTING BREATHLESS
The holidays are a special time of the year, however they can very stressful. There's so much to do - shop for gifts, put up decorations, put up and decorate a Christmas tree, attend Christmas parties and other events, wrap presents and visit family. The holidays are tough for even the healthiest people.
When you have a lung disease, the holidays can wear your down, damper your holiday spirit and aggravate your lung disease. Here are a few tips to help you enjoy the holidays. See Tips:
http://lungdiseases.about.com/od/generalinformation1/qt/holiday_tips.htm
TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND RELAX
Stress can be hiding around every corner this season. Learn tips to relax so you can gracefully deal with life's curveballs. See Tips:
http://www.aarp.org/health/staying_healthy/stress/a2003-03-11-taking
time.html
THE HOLIDAYS: 12 TIPS FOR COPING
Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression. See Tips:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/MH00030
COPING WITH THE HOLIDAY BLUES
Besides keeping busy and accepting loss, there are other things a person can do to keep away from the holiday blues. Hanging out with friends or family members which don't have sad or negative emotions attached to them may be helpful. If not in the real world, then you may also consider spending more time online in a support group or chat area, which is to your liking. Here are more tips on how to chase away the holiday blues. See Tips:
http://psychcentral.com/archives/holiday_coping.htm
TIPS TO EASE THE SHOPPING FRENZY
Here are a few suggestions on how to handle Christmas shopping without having to catch your breath or get stressed to the max.
-- Mail-order catalogues
-- Home shopping networks
-- Online stores
-- E-mail greeting cards
-- Shopping and delivery services
-- Gift certificates
GETTING OUT AND ABOUT
For many of us, there is no reason for us to stay housebound. The holidays provide the perfect reason to get out and about. Visiting friends, shopping, spending time with relatives will do wonders at helping us enjoy a better quality of life. For guidance on portable oxygen equipment, most of which can be provided by your local oxygen provider, go to: http://www.portableoxygen.org
And in the About.com Health Newsletter Elizabeth Scott, About.com's Guide to Stress, has put together a series of articles to help you simplify the holiday season. So, follow her advice, and in a few weeks, when it's all over, you won't feel the sudden urge to take a long, deep nap.
In the Spotlight
Holiday Shopping Made Easier
Well, my answer to this is two words: online shopping. I love it. But it's not for everyone, so Elizabeth has a few other handy tips as well.
- Stress Guide Elizabeth Scott
Holiday Cooking Made Easier
A good nugget of advice: Be willing to try something new. For example, it's perfectly OK to order your entire holiday dinner from a local restaurant. My family typically does this, with a little local South Texas flavor: We pre-order dozens of tamales.
Holiday Cards Made Easier
Written by two very funny people, my husband's parents' annual holiday newsletter is one of the best reads of the year. And every year they threaten that it's the "last one they'll ever write." Eventually, when they make good on that threat, I'll have to get over it, and keep in mind how stressful it is for them.
- Stress Guide Elizabeth Scott
