Pre-Christmas Stress

Introduction.

As the saying goes “Christmas comes but once a year”, but the stress during the build up to it can take months to get over. Whether it’s getting all the presents, buying and preparing food, meeting those relations or friends you’d really rather not know; the pre-Christmas period can seem anything but the “still and calm” of a Silent Night. However, there are some natural health supplements, other than St John’s Wort, that can help you to alleviate and reduce all that stress you might be feeling.

De-stress yourself this Christmas with these simple tips.

Chamomile.

One of the great natural ’smoothers’ from the health supplements cabinet is chamomile, that can both alleviate anxiety and promote feelings of general relaxation. A naturally occurring herb the dried flowers have been used to brew a relaxing and soothing tea since Roman times. To prepare it simply add one or two teaspoons of the dried flowers to a cup of hot boiled water, leave it to infuse for 5 minutes, then strain and drink. Alternatively, at the end of the day, pour four or five drops of chamomile oil into a relaxing bath.

Valerian.

The rootstock of Valerian is most effective when used prior to sleep, as it is accepted by the medical authorities as being an aid to sleep as well as being a calming agent. Valerian raises the levels of a neurotransmitter, GBA, to reduce anxiety, calming you down after a stressful day and preparing you for sleep. Take Valerian as a tincture, one teaspoon, with a little sugar or honey 45 minutes before you go to bed. Although Valerian isn’t addictive, you shouldn’t use it for more than a few nights at a time.

Black Cohosh.

It is actually the root of the Black Cohosh that is used to treat ‘bad nerves’, such as can arise when you’re under stress. Women in particular find this herbal remedy effective, especially if they have menstrual problems. Triterpenes are the active ingredient in Black Cohosh, so look for tablets containing 2.5% triterpenes. 40mg twice a day should be sufficient to calm those nerves and reduce that stress. But, Black Cohosh works best as a preventative so start taking it now before the pre-Christmas build up gets too manic.