'Tis the Season for Reducing Stress

Martin's Point provides stress-busting tips for the holidays

If you're like most people, the holidays are a time for family, friends - and stress. And in these uncertain times, the hustle-bustle from now through New Year's may be even more anxiety-provoking than usual.

The holidays, however, don't have to leave you frazzled, frustrated or overwhelmed. Leigh Kirchner, a Certified Health Education Specialist at Martin's Point, the state's largest not-for-profit primary care practice, has compiled the following suggestions to help keep stress levels in check as the holiday season approaches. The Martin's Point Health Education Center at 331 Veranda St. in Portland also offers an array of books, videos and audiocassettes about reducing stress that are available for check out to the general public.

[NOTE TO MEDIA: Please call Amy Weinschenk at Martin's Point at 774-580 ext. 3852 for a physician or expert if you're doing any health or medical stories. Please do not call the doctors directly. Thanks!]

"Finding healthy ways to ease tension is a gift to yourself - and your loved ones," said Kirchner, who highlighted her tips below.

- Eat Right. A healthy diet is important any time of year, but perhaps even more so during the holidays, when an array of sweets, treats and high-fat foods are within easy reach. Instead, focus on healthy alternatives such as fruits, vegetables and lean meats, and make sure you drink plenty of water, which helps curb appetite. In addition, avoid alcohol - it's a depressant loaded with calories.

- Exercise. Regular exercise is always a priority, even during hectic times like the holiday season. Studies, in fact, have shown that exercise reduces stress. At a minimum, allow yourself 20 minutes of brisk activity three days a week, whether it's walking, running, swimming, cross-country skiing, weight training or aerobics.

- Get Enough Sleep. As we all know too well, getting enough rest seems to be even harder during the holidays. Lack of sleep, however, feeds stress, and can leave you feeling grumpy, unfocused or overwhelmed. The amount of sleep a person needs varies, but a good target is seven to eight hours. If going to bed a little earlier or sleeping a bit later a few times a week isn't an option, try finding time during the day for a quick nap.

- Get Real. Stress often is caused by the chasm between the way we think the holiday season ought to be and the way life really is. Letting go of Norman Rockwell-like images of families and relationships during the holidays can help ease feelings of disappointment, anxiety or anger. Equally important, accept that you can't control the behavior and attitudes of the people around you - even if they're your relatives.

- Make a List. If it feels sometimes like there isn't enough time to do everything, accept that there probably isn't enough time. Decide what tasks are most important and focus on them. If possible, delegate some of the cleaning, cooking, shopping and decorating to other members of your household.

- Easy Does It. One of the sources of stress during the holidays is shopping for presents in a crowded mall or having to wait in a long line. Whenever possible, avoid the crowd by shopping for presents via mail-order catalogs or the Internet - and then use the hours you save to do something else.

- Bank on a Budget. Decide in advance on your budget, and stick to it. Avoiding a backlog of bills and maxed-out credit cards can do wonders to curb stress.

- Remember the Reason for the Season. Despite the barrage of commercialism in the media throughout the holidays, remind yourself that the holiday season isn't about armfuls of presents and keeping up with the Joneses. It's about family and faith.

Established in 1981, Martin's Point is a not-for-profit health care provider with facilities in Portland, Brunswick and Windham, Maine, and in Portsmouth, N.H. Martin's Point has a staff of more than 300 health care professionals and serves 54,000 patients - including military retirees and dependents of active military personnel - under all major health plans. Martin's Point serves patients in the areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, radiology, cardiology, mammography, and other fields.

The Martin's Point Health Education Center offers a variety of resource materials, such as publications and videos, and classes that focus on a host of topics, ranging from weight management and smoking cessation to disease management.

In addition, Martin's Point is known for its innovative approach to health care. Unique to Martin's Point is its online communication program called Patient's Personal Points (TM), which allows patients to communicate via a secure server with their doctors to schedule appointments, ask medical questions and obtain prescription renewals. The program won a national technology award from the Healthcare Innovations in Technology Systems (HITS) Partnership in Technology national awards program. For additional information on Martin's Point Health Care, visit online at http://www.martinspoint.org.
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RESOURCES: REDUCING STRESS

An array of information about reducing stress is available on the Internet and from books, magazines and local seminars. Here's a sampling:

On the Internet
- StopStress.com (http://www.stopstress.com)
- "Preventing Holiday Blues," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(http://www.cdc.gov/safeusa/blues.htm)
- Mental Health: The Cornerstone of Health (http://www.mentalhealth.org/cornerstone/)

The Martin's Point Health Education Center at 331 Veranda St. in Portland has a resource library featuring an array of books, videos and audiocassettes available for check out to the general public. Information about reducing stress includes:

Books
- "Stress, Diet, and Your Heart"
- "Stress for Success"
- "The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook"

Videos
- "Stress and Anxiety"
- "The Joy and Stress"
- "Saving for Stress"
- "A Day Away from Stress"

Audios
- "Just Relax"
- "Refreshing Journeys - Mini Meditations"

Seminars
Martin's Point Health Care offers a seminar called "Developing Stress Hardiness" that will help participants to understand stress and to practice techniques that promote stress reduction. The two-part seminar, which costs $35, will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 20 and Feb. 27 at the Martin's Point Health Education Center at 331 Veranda St. in Portland. To register or for more information, call 828-2497 or 1-800-260-6681. You may also register online at http://www.martinspoint.org.
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