We all know how important it is to keep yourself as stress free as possible during the holiday season.  The stress of holiday candies, dinners, celebrations and travel can take a toll.   Make sure to eat right, drink plenty of water, stretch, exercise and take a few minutes to slow down take some deep breaths and relax. 

The ACA and Precise Moves Chiropractic have some tips to keeping you healthy and limit stress during the holiday season:  Treat Holiday Shopping As An Athletic Event

• Stay hydrated! Drink eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water a day. (Coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcohol are dehydrators. Don't substitute them for water.) On shopping days, you may need to drink even more water.
• Be sure to stretch before and after a long day of shopping or taking those returns back. When you are stressed-out, your muscles are less flexible than usual.
• Wear shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact of walking on those hard shopping mall floors.
• Make sure your clothing is as comfortable as possible. It's a good idea to wear layers, because you may be going from a cold environment (outdoors) to a warm environment (indoors).
• Leave your purse at home. Wear a light fanny pack, or if necessary, a light backpack instead. Pack only those items that are absolutely essential (driver's license, credit card, etc.).
• If you start to feel some pain, nip it in the bud. Apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.

Plan Frequent Breaks Into Your Shopping Day 

• During a day of heavy shopping, most people should take a break every 45 minutes. Those with less stamina may even need to take breaks more frequently.
• If possible, obtain a locker. Lockers can help cut down dramatically on how much you have to carry around. You can take a load off by scheduling trips to your locker into your breaks.
• If your mall or shopping center doesn't offer lockers, try to plan trips to your car. Don't carry around more than is absolutely necessary at one time.
• When taking breaks, try to eat light foods. A salad and some fruit is a much better option than a burger and fries.
• Skip the coffee break! Coffee and sodas contain caffeine and sugar, which add even more stress to your body. Pass on the designer coffee at the java stand and keep drinking water.

Shopping With Children

• If at all possible, DO NOT bring children along on a holiday shopping trip. Most children simply do not have the stamina for such an event, and you and your child will only become frustrated with one another. Don't add this type of stress to an already stressful situation.
• Try to split "child duty" up with a spouse or another parent. They'll watch your kids while you shop, and vice-versa.

Wrapping Your Gifts

• Since there is no "ideal" position for wrapping gifts, the most important thing to remember is to vary your positions. For example, try standing at a table or countertop for one package, sitting on a bed for another, sitting in a comfortable chair for another, etc.
• Do not wrap packages while sitting on the floor. Wrapping packages while sitting on a hard floor can wreak havoc on your posture, and should be avoided.
• Always stretch before and after you wrap gifts.

"When wrapping presents, it's a good idea to 'stretch the opposites,'" says Dr. Bautch. "In other words, if you are leaning forward when wrapping your gifts, stretch backward when you are done." 

Chiropractic Care Can Help If you experience pain or discomfort as a result of holiday shopping, consider calling us for a visit. We can help alleviate your pain naturally, so you can enjoy the holiday season as it was meant to be. Hope your holidays were wonderful and have a prosperous New Year! 

Dr. Amie Gregory, DC, CCEP, ANF is a San Francisco, CA and San Carlos, CA chiropractor that understands full body health. She works with athletes, expectant moms, office workers and everyone else in between. Contact our San Francisco, CA chiropractic office or San Carlos, CA chiropractic office today!

References: https://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=74