Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Moscow Government –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Congratulating everyone, finding something festive to wear, making Olivier salad, spring cleaning, filing a report, and taking the kids to the Christmas party: this is roughly the to-do list Moscow residents are currently making. But managing to do everything while remaining cheerful and happy can be challenging, and as a result, the country's main holiday, which we anticipate with the anticipation of a miracle, often delivers a surprise in the form of distress—prolonged stress. And instead of joy, it evokes anxiety, irritation, and fatigue.
A mos.ru correspondent spoke with a first-category psychologist Moscow Psychological Assistance Service of the Moscow Department of Labor and Social Protection Alexander Ovchinnikov and learned how to cope with the stress of December, prevent burnout, celebrate the New Year with a sense of calm and happiness, and then return to work in a good mood.
The Perfect Storm
— Alexander Sergeevich, please explain why it is precisely at the end of the year that many people experience particularly intense stress?
"I would call this phenomenon a 'perfect storm.'" Sailors use the term when inclement weather combines with, for example, a shortage of drinking water, seasickness, or engine failure, all leading to dire consequences. It's the same with us: at the end of the year, biological and social factors prove incompatible, and at some point we can't cope.
The biological factor is December, the darkest time of year in our city. Daylight lasts only a few hours, and the body enters hibernation mode, becoming inactive and conserving energy. And the social factor is exams, challenging work tasks, reports, balance sheets, important meetings, and the social pressure to buy gifts, celebrate holidays beautifully, and have fun. As a result, internal conflict arises. Add to this the tradition of summing up the year: how did I spend it? If plans were ambitious but achievements minimal, a gap forms between the ideal self and the real self.
If by the end of the year you feel drained, exhausted, and wanting nothing, the problem isn't you. This is a normal reaction of the body and mind to an overwhelming workload.
Incidentally, two groups are more susceptible to stress. The first I call "homemakers." These are women, on average, between 30 and 60 years old. They are building their careers, and at the same time, they shoulder the burden known in sociology as "second shift": cooking for the holidays, setting the table, cleaning the apartment.
The second category is single people. December sees the start of flashy marketing campaigns promoting love, family, and happiness. And those who have experienced divorce or loss of loved ones feel especially vulnerable and hurt by all this.
— How can one determine that the stage of distress has begun, when a person can no longer cope with the circumstances?
— Irritability often increases. Any little thing can trigger a flare-up of anger: traffic jams, lines at the store, music that's too loud, seemingly pointless questions from colleagues. This irritation masks extreme fatigue. When our resources are at their limit, this is how the psyche protects us from overstimulation and excessive stress.
Another option is apathy, subdepression: the person dreams only of being left alone and becomes tearful. Of course, in such a situation, they have no time for celebration, and they perceive New Year's as a burdensome chore.
At the same time, sleep is disrupted. You can't fall asleep at night, and it's hard to wake up in the morning. You experience a feeling of a tight band around your head, muscle spasms, and back and neck pain. Furthermore, your immunity is weakened. You hold out until the last minute, forcing yourself to get up and go, and when the winter holidays arrive and you can finally relax, your exhausted body is attacked by bacteria.
— What brain mechanisms trigger stress?
The human brain has two "agents": the prefrontal cortex, responsible for willpower, planning, and conforming to social norms, and the amygdala, which deals with anxiety, fear, and aggression. Under normal circumstances, these two areas interact through hormones (neurotransmitters) and create a balance. If the stress is short-term, the prefrontal cortex calms you down: "Everything's fine, you'll make it, vacation's coming soon." But in December, it stops functioning because there are too many triggers. The amygdala activates the adrenal glands, releasing adrenaline and cortisol. When we're truly in danger, this is a helpful response: "run, freeze, help." The problem is that the brain can't filter whether something is truly life-threatening or not.
Planning without expectations
— Is there really no way to protect yourself from this stress and save resources?
There's a saying: "Happiness depends on our expectations." The main enemy is the fantasy of a perfect New Year.
The first piece of advice is to agree with yourself not on a perfect holiday, but simply on a good one. Let's skip the deep cleaning and buy ready-made salads. Lowering your expectations by even 20 percent can save you energy.
Second tip: buy gifts in advance and gradually. This will save you money, as expenses skyrocket towards the end of the year, which can also cause stress. You can play "Secret Santa" with your loved ones: each person gives one gift to a specific family member, rather than everyone at once.
The third is a digital detox. Limit your time spent browsing the news and social media, especially at night. The more you connect to other people's lives, the fewer resources you have. Furthermore, any screen emits blue light: the eye perceives light and signals the brain that it's daytime. Melatonin is not produced, and even if you do fall asleep, it's an unhealthy, shallow sleep caused by overexertion. Put away your smartphones an hour before bed and establish a routine: take a walk, read a book, draw, do some light stretching, meditate, take a warm shower. And of course, ideally, avoid eating or drinking four hours before bed. When the body is busy digesting food, it doesn't relax.
— Can planning help prevent stress?
— Absolutely. When we put our thoughts down on paper, we realize it's not all that complicated. There's a technique called the "Eisenhower Matrix." Take a sheet of paper and divide it into four sections. The first quadrant is important and urgent: for example, paying bills, completing a work assignment. The second is important and not urgent: planning a New Year's menu and other chores that can be put off until the weekend. The third is urgent and not important: delegate the tasks in this quadrant to family members, order grocery delivery. And the fourth is unimportant and not urgent: things that are easy to skip altogether. The longer the list in this quadrant, the more time you'll have for the urgent and important.
Be sure to schedule time off: two hours a day, a day a week, a whole weekend a month, and a week or two every six months. Schedule a Monday in your calendar when you plan to watch a movie, take a walk in the park, or go ice skating.
First aid and gentle return
— And if you still can’t avoid stress, how do you deal with it?
"I'll tell you about three important techniques. The first is 'Breathing.' We take a deep breath for about four seconds, then slowly exhale through our mouth for about eight seconds. We feel our diaphragm expand and our ribs touch our back. We should repeat this exercise at least 10 times, concentrating solely on the process. After this, our heart rate will decrease."
The second technique is "Five, Four, Three, Two, One." In a moment of intense anxiety, locate five different objects around you and examine them. Then touch four things. Try to distinguish three sounds; if you're in an office, it could be the creaking of a chair, the hum of a printer, or someone's voice. Catch two smells. And finally, experience one taste. This will shift your focus from the emotional to the physical.
The third technique is "Washing." Fill your palms with very cold water from the tap and splash it on your face and clothes. Repeat this at least five times. This will trigger your diving reflex: when you go underwater, your brain inhibits all other emotions and activates the resources necessary for survival.
If none of the tips worked, I recommend contactingMoscow service for psychological assistance to the population by dialing 051 from a landline phone (free call) or 7 495 051 from a mobile phone.
Many people struggle not only with the holiday preparations but also with the return to work after the holidays. People adjust to a different rhythm, relax, and then suddenly there are meetings and reports again. What should they do?
The saddest day of the year is the third Monday in January. That's when the holidays are clearly behind us: New Year's, Christmas, Old New Year's. It becomes clear: now a whole year of work lies ahead.
To prevent further stress, don't wake up abruptly at 7 a.m. on your first Monday. Three days before the work week starts, set your alarm for 10 a.m., then 9 a.m., then 8 a.m. Your brain will get used to waking up an hour earlier each time.
Avoid "burning out"—plunging headlong into tasks. Start by sorting through email, tidying up your desk, and chatting with colleagues. Some tasks can be put off.
And one more piece of advice: plan a pleasant activity in the middle of your first work week. Go for a massage, to the cinema, to a museum. It's important to show your brain that life goes on even after the holidays.
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Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.