The holiday season should actually be a contemplative, cosy and quiet time. When the end of the year approaches and it gets dark early, you can look forward to a few days off in the presence of family and friends. And everything could go a bit slower than usual. But usually the opposite is the case: Christmas time means stress. But that does not have to be – with the help of selected micro nutrients we can cheat the annual consumer frenzy and collective stress.
Silent time – stressful time!
The weeks approximately around Christmas feel many humans as most strenuous and loading. The hunt for presents has been in full swing for weeks and the preparations for Christmas are in full swing. Christmas should be especially beautiful and comfortable according to current ideas.
Short days and grey weather together with the stress of the holidays make many people feel bad.
Often the reality looks somewhat different – hands full with gift bags, mulled wine drunk in passing, and children whining. And don’t forget to send out your Christmas cards, decorate your house for Christmas and bake biscuits – 10 different varieties are best. That doesn’t sound like the quiet and quiet time everyone longs for when the year comes to an end.
On the hunt for the “happiness hormone” serotonin
It’s not just the Christmas stress that strikes our minds – short days, grey skies and wet and cold weather do the rest. We feel almost exhausted, tired and lacking drive. Many people suffer from the so-called winter depression, SAD (Saisonal Affective Disorder), which begins in autumn and lasts into the winter months.
Typical symptoms are a persistent lack of energy, mood swings as well as lower performance, often associated with social withdrawal. A strong appetite for sweets and carbohydrate-rich foods is often observed.
The fact is that in the dark season of the year the body produces more of the sleep hormone melatonin, whereas we lack the “pick-me-up” – the messenger substance serotonin. Numerous studies have shown that a lack of serotonin (known as “feel-good hormone”) contributes to depressive moods. The body needs various micronutrients to produce serotonin at all: First and foremost the amino acid tryptophan, which is found especially in dried fruits, bananas and dark chocolate.
Micronutrients with “good mood” potential
We have a large number of micronutrients at our disposal to positively influence stress events. The mineral magnesium plays a very important role in stress reactions, as the mineral plays an important role in the nervous system as well as in the storage and release of neurotransmitters and hormones. Magnesium is necessary for energy production and supports the functions of the psyche and nerves – a true all-rounder in times of increased psychological stress. In exhausted people, metabolic processes do not run on a low flame, but minerals – including potassium – are increasingly needed. Therefore, special attention must be paid to an adequate supply of both minerals.
B vitamins, better known as the so-called “anti-stress” vitamins, are essential in stressful and exhausting phases of our lives. The vitamins of the B-complex are needed in the body, for example, to provide energy and for the smooth functioning of the nervous system.
In addition to building up the nerve cells, the B vitamins also support signal transmission between the nerve cells by participating in the formation of the necessary messenger substances. The adequate supply of selected micronutrients means that overload, fatigue and exhaustion no longer stand a chance.
View with vision
Many would like to escape the stress especially in the pre-Christmas period. We often cannot change the external conditions, but we can influence how we react to stressful situations.
Reflecting on the essentials and enjoying the moment – we should remember this from time to time – especially during the Christmas season. Micronutrients can help us with it and make a substantial contribution for the improvement of the Resilienz. And for all those among us, which cannot expect it, it is said – the next summer comes certainly.
