Auld Lang Syne

Did you survive the Christmas season?  I hope so.   We are marching toward 2015 and many of us will find ourselves singing Auld Lang Syne, a traditional New Years eve song.  I am sharing a beautiful arrangement by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to1xT93IlUI

As we enter 2015, I wish for you and your family a healthy, happy, and prosperous year. 

 

Merry Christmas to you and yours

I love the Christmas holidays for many reasons:  the gift-giving, the special dinners and food treats, and so many traditions (including the great Christmas movies on TV).  But especially the Christmas holiday celebrates God’s gift to mankind: “For unto us a Child is given.”  I hope you pause to celebrate the reason for Christmas.  The London Symphony Orchestra performs a portion of Handel’s Messiah at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS3vpAWW2Zc

May God’s blessings shine on you and yours this holiday season.  Merry Christmas. 

9 Tips for Surviving Holiday Stress

We’re in the count-down to Christmas now.  Only 11 days left.  I hope your holiday preparations are going well and you haven’t pulled your hair out.  If you are still feeling stressed, I want to share 9 tips for Surviving Holiday Stress from the American Psychological Association at http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/23/9-tips-for-surviving-holiday-stress/

 

Coping with the Holidays

Hubby and I brain-stormed and came up with some suggestions on how we have changed our behaviors to protect our mental and physical health this holiday season.

1.      Don’t set our expectations at unreachable levels.  I recognize I cannot do it all.  I cannot decorate the house beautifully, buy and wrap all the presents, make fudge and homemade cookies while working full time.  And it’s ok.   Do you put too many chores into your schedule?  Which leads us to #2.

2.      Prioritize what gives the most satisfaction for the time and money you have.  What is most important to you?  What traditions/activities/chores do you really not care about?  Keep the important ones and leave off the ones that don’t give you pleasure.

3.      If possible, don’t wait till the last minute (unless you enjoy that.  Some people do enjoy it.  I would find last minute chores and shopping stressful—but that’s just me.)  If possible, do your shopping in less busy times.  I know some gals who have bought their children’s gifts at Walmart at 4am before they came to work.  I applaud anyone who gets up that early to buy Christmas presents. 

4.      Hubby suggested this one:  eat before you go shopping so you aren’t tempted to grab unhealthy fast food.

5.  Don't forget to care for your physical body.  That includes:  good food, exercise, a good night's sleep and other healthy behaviors. 

Shopping Online and Protecting your Online Identity

Thanksgiving was Thursday and now we enter the Christmas season.  Were you a “Black Friday” warrior, clipping coupons and driving around parking lots searching for a parking spot so you can bargain shop? 

Another way to be a Black Friday warrior was to check your emails and shop on-line.  The nice part about being an on-line shopper is you can shop from home, wearing pajamas if you want.  A savvy shopper can often get the great prices (and free shipping).  In years past I didn’t do much on-line but am finding myself doing more and more.  It’s just too easy to ignore. 

The serious part about shopping online is protecting your online identity.  I want to share information from the University of Texas Health letter about protecting yourself from hackers and the stress they can cause at http://www.uthealthleader.org/story/holiday-hackers-2014

Patriotism

Patriotism

As our cruise ship pulled away from the New York City terminal, I enjoyed seeing both the Statue of Liberty and World Trade Center buildings.  My heart swelled with feelings of patriotism, a love and support for our great country.  While no one can deny we have problems, the USA is still the greatest country on earth. 

An article I recently read called The Psychology of American patriotism talked about the health implications of patriotism.  Dr Keith Ablow said this:  “feeling part of something greater than oneself-especially one’s country-can be sustaining, both spiritually and psychologically.”  Feelings of patriotism contribute to our mental and physical health.  Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/07/04psychology-americ... 

As we approach Thanksgiving time, we can be thankful for our great nation and the people who work hard every day to make it better.  I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. 

Sleep

Do you sleep well?   Approximately 30% of adults complain of problems with sleeping.  The two most common problems, according to the National Sleep Foundation, is waking up unrefreshed and waking up a lot during the night.  The term “insomnia” has been defined as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. 

Women experience more sleep difficulty than men.  57% of women vs. 51% of men have insomnia issues.  Experts believe that hormonal issues contribute to the higher number for women. 

When a person cannot “turn off” the life stresses, this contributes to insomnia.  How many of us go to bed thinking about our children, or work problems? As you might expect, parents have more insomnia symptoms than non-parents.  Younger people (with many job and life stresses) experience insomnia at higher rates (68% of adults 18 to 29) when compared to 44% of people over the age of 65 (who may be retired and experience less job stresses).  I don't have a solution to life stresses; we all deal with them.  However, the National Sleep Foundation has a comprehensive website at http://sleepfoundation.org  They offer valuable, reputable information we can use in our quest for a good night’s sleep.