From frantic schedules to financial worries to obligations with family and friends, the holidays offer up myriad opportunities for frustration and anxiety. But here’s a celebratory shot in the arm (or the back, or the neck… maybe even the little toe): acupuncture helps with holiday stress.
Here are four of the biggest ways:
- It helps you deck the halls – and the hormones – with bursts of serotonin: As mentioned in a previous blog, acupuncture is a great way to boost your body’s serotonin levels. This neurotransmitter, a.k.a. “the happy hormone”, reduces levels of cortisol, which is associated with stress. By regulating the autonomic nervous system, acupuncture helps to relax your nerves and promote a sense of calm.
- It provides relief when you’re ho ho… hurting: Tension and muscle pain are among the top reasons individuals seek acupuncture treatment, and from hauling out the holly to trimming the tree and lighting the lights, the holiday season can certainly contribute to sore joints, back and neck tension, and other stiffness throughout the body. Acupuncture alleviates these ailments by releasing endorphins, which help to boost blood flow and reduce inflammation.
- It aids jumbled bowels (so you can focus on jingle bells): Your belly probably shouldn’t be shaking like a bowl full of jelly (and you shouldn’t have midnight runs, for that matter) unless you’re a certain jolly old elf. Digestive upset is common during the holiday rush as regular meals take a backseat to the hustle and bustle and hectic schedules contribute to diarrhea, bloating, and acid reflux. Luckily, by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, acupuncture can offer relief.
- It helps you settle your brain for a long winter’s nap: Between multiple get-togethers, office parties, late-night shopping sprees, travel, and staying up around the clock to wrap gifts while simultaneously assembling a bike or a doll house, the holidays can wreak havoc on our sleep schedules, and even our ability to fall asleep in the first place. Acupuncture naturally increases your body’s melatonin production, which fosters better and longer Zzzzs, and an easier time achieving them.
This season, give yourself the gift of all-natural stress relief. By promoting a targeted healing response in your body, acupuncture helps with holiday stress and equips your mind and body for happy, healthy celebrations and get-togethers. The board-certified practitioners at Resilient Health Acupuncture can help you get started. Schedule your appointment today.