Media Gallery
Relieving Stress During the Holidays
Intro: This podcast is being brought to you by Tempur-Pedic, the worldwide leader in specialty sleep products that help improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world.
Mary Eitel: Hello, my name is Mary Eitel, and our guest today is Tempur-Pedic Wellness Advisory Board member Dr. Howard Fidler, a chiropractor at Davis Chiropractic in Minneapolis. Dr. Fidler specializes in pediatrics, sports medicine and rehabilitation.
Welcome Dr. Fidler.
Dr. Howard Fidler: Thank you for having me, Mary.
MF: Today we’re talking about something we all experience during the holidays: stress.
HF: Indeed. The holidays are a special time of year for a lot of us, and we want to be able to enjoy this time with our friends and families without feeling uptight and stressed out.
ME: What’s the most common source of stress this time of year?
HF: It’s different for everyone. Some of us get stressed out about spending time with family members we haven’t seen in a long time. Others feel stress about not being able to buy the perfect gifts for their kids or other loved ones. And some of us simply take on too much this time of year, baking and shopping and wrapping gifts and partying. We have so much to get done in such a short amount of time that we end up staying up late and not getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep is the number one cause of stress and irritability, especially over time.
ME: So what are the best ways to relieve stress during the holidays?
HF: The top three things are getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and eating properly—three things that tend to become low priorities between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Stress tends to break down the nervous system, especially if you are unable to regenerate with a full 8 hours of sleep. And the affect is cumulative; if you normally get 8 hours of sleep, but during the holidays you get just 6 or 7, your body begins to break down. By the end of the week, you have lost as much as 10 hours of sleep or more, and it’s difficult to catch back up from this sleep deficit.
ME: How can you tell if your body is feeling the effects of stress?
HF: There are seven major signs that stress is breaking down your nervous system: Headaches, problems falling or staying asleep, fatigue, sinus or allergy issues,irritability, neck or back pain, and digestive problems. More than half of these signs can be handled by a good night’s sleep over a period of five to seven days.
ME: But sometimes if I am feeling stressed out, the last thing I can do is get a good night’s sleep—even though I know it’s the best thing for me. I toss and turn and think about all the things I need to get done!
HF: This is where the proper sleep environment which includes the proper mattress and pillow can make such a difference. If your bed is uncomfortable, it’s just not as easy to fall asleep; the same is true of your pillow.
MF: Your pillow?
HF: Yes. In fact, a bad pillow with little support can sometimes be even more detrimental to your body than a poor mattress, especially if you suffer from stress. So many of my patients complain to me of neck problems or headaches, and when I ask to see their pillow, I am never surprised: It’s usually overly soft with no support. Many sleep issues can be solved by using the right pillow—and that is something everyone out there listening can do for themselves tonight.
ME: That’s great information. Thanks again for speaking with us today about relieving stress during the holidays.
Outro: This is Mary Eitel for Tempur-Pedic. For more information on the important relationship between restful sleep and reducing stress, visit Tempur-Pedic online at www.tempurpedic.com.
