2023-12-24 03:01:00
The impact of stress is reflected in how the need to please everyone at parties generates tensions and conflicts, testing our emotional management capacity (Illustrative Image Infobae)
Christmas and New Year is that period of the year that is loved or often also hated. There are those who enjoy it like children waiting for Santa Claus and others who can’t wait for the vertigo to pass and everything returns to normal.
Without a doubt, Christmas usually generates mixed feelings in many people, due to the stress caused by tasks to be done, family expectations, nostalgia for times past, loneliness and personal balance.
Dr. Laura Maffei (MNº 62441), endocrinologist, stress specialist and director of Maffei Medical Center explained to Infobae: “When we reach the end of the year we often find ourselves exhausted, immersed in stress derived from rushing, buying gifts , the decisions regarding who to spend the holidays with, the accumulated fatigue and the feeling of not being in a state of calm.”
For his part, Dr. Alejandro Andersson, neurologist, medical director of the Buenos Aires Neurology Institute, INBA, described to Infobae: “For many people, Christmas is associated with positive emotions, with joy, social connection, spirituality, but for others “It is directly related to loss, to people who are no longer here, so they become melancholic, which facilitates anguish and a more depressed mood.”
Christmas gifts also have benefits. A study showed that both giving and receiving gifts produces emotional satisfaction (Illustrative Image Infobae)
And he continued: “It is also a time of greater sensitivity that sometimes predisposes to conflictive situations, because for some people the holidays, due to everything they have to do and plan, mean higher levels of stress and anxiety.”
Furthermore, experts say, stress affects each person differently and depends on personality, gender and age. Furthermore, Dr. Maffei highlighted that end-of-year gatherings tend to generate diverse emotions, especially for those who are used to spending Christmas with their family and do not have one.
“For some, these celebrations awaken feelings related to ’empty chair syndrome’, when remembering sad events or the absence of loved ones, an experience that intensified following the pandemic. On the other hand, those who are used to spending these holidays with family and now do not have one may experience overwhelm when being alone, or vice versa, feel overwhelmed in environments with too many people,” said Dr. Maffei.
Empty chair syndrome is a common phenomenon at Christmas, where the absence of loved ones awakens feelings of loss and melancholy (Illustrative Image Infobae)
And he added: “In summary, it is essential to understand and address the diversity of emotional experiences during these holidays, promoting healthy coping strategies and strengthening family ties amid the complexity that these celebrations can entail.”
All that overload of tasks, stress, emotions, reunions, joys and sadness have their causes and consequences on the body and mind.
Christmas influences our brain chemistry. There is the release of a series of hormones that are neurotransmitters and when we produce them they generate emotions.
Said Dr. Maffei: “In this end-of-year scenario, the neurotransmitters affected vary by person, but typically involve dopamine, serotonin, and cortisol.” The first two are related to happiness; cortisol, with stress.
A Danish study on the spirit of the holidays revealed that viewing Christmas images activates brain areas related to positive emotions and spirituality in people who enjoy these traditions (Illustrative Image Infobae)
“There are those who have a predisposition to live Christmas with a relaxed spirit, they experience a greater sense of well-being, happiness and company. They will surely have higher levels of serotonin, which will help them cope with this period. On the other hand, dopamine can lead us to act more impulsively, being more likely to tackle all responsibilities without leaving anything aside,” said Dr. Maffei.
He added: “The so-called ‘carol syndrome’ illustrates the stress associated with dopamine spikes during impulsive buying. This unnecessary consumerism and social pressure can affect self-esteem, creating an additional level of stress. In addition, the separation of children, increasingly common in geographically dispersed families, also has an emotional impact.”
On the other hand, in this “festival” of neurotransmitters, the famous cortisol, known as “the stress hormone,” appears. Dr. Maffei explained that it increases when we feel unable to control a situation, in the face of unforeseen events or when self-esteem is affected.
“During the holidays, decisions may seem simple from an external perspective, but the desire to please everyone often collides with reality, generating tensions and stress that are difficult to control. Expectations to perform certain actions or buy gifts for everyone are sometimes unattainable, and decisions regarding which family to prioritize can lead to conflict. There are situations that cause stress to appear and it cannot always be controlled or managed properly,” said the specialist.
It has been proven that at Christmas, more dopamine and serotonin are secreted, two of the hormones related to happiness (Illustrative Image Infobae)
All of these effects on the body’s chemistry attracted the curiosity of researchers who decided to study how Christmas affects the organ that controls our body and mind.
Danish scientists made a experiment and they found that when people are shown Christmas images, an area of the brain is activated in all those who said they saw Christmas in a positive way. That didn’t happen with those who didn’t celebrate Christmas. This showed that, indeed, there is a kind of presence of the Christmas spirit in the human brain.
Dr. Andersson explained the Danish study: “They took a group of 10 people who celebrated Christmas and another 10 people who didn’t celebrate it, who had no Christmas tradition. What were they looking for? See the type of brain activation using functional magnetic resonance imaging equipment. They presented Christmas and neutral images to these 20 participants and then analyzed the type of brain activity. MRIs, in addition to having static images, provide dynamic images that are related to the functioning of the organ. Then, they found areas of significantly increased activation in the sensorimotor cortex, premotor and primary motor cortex, and parietal lobe of the brains of volunteers who celebrated Christmas and had positive associations with it. These brain areas have previously been associated with spirituality.”
Giving gifts activates brain regions associated with pleasure, social connection and trust (Getty Images)
Andersson continued: “These results suggest that there is, so to speak, a neural network of circuits that have to do with the Christmas spirit and that it is clearly significantly activated in people who have that tradition compared to those without traditions.”
Dr. Maffei added: “This study is interesting because it allows us to delve deeper into the way we react, not only for Christmas, but also for celebrations in various communities, such as Hanukkah for the Jewish people or Diwali for the Indians, where commemorates a symbolic victory of good over evil. The predisposition to spiritual experiences is reflected in the activation of the aforementioned lobes, as well as the frontal and prefrontal cortex. This would be something cross-cultural.”
And he concluded: “That is to say, it is not only at Christmas, it happens in all human beings, in all communities that have festive traditions in relation to spiritual aspects. This allows us to know more and more how psychology, neurology, and endocrinology are interrelated in the understanding of our psychic phenomena.”
Giving gifts, especially when the recipient is someone with whom we have a close relationship, activates key reward pathways in our brain (Getty Images)
And Christmas gifts also bring benefits. A study showed that both giving and receiving gifts produces emotional satisfaction.
In conclusion, this time activates deep evocations and memories in human beings. That is the reason why the brain seems to present a different activation on these dates than at other times of the year. And these create the need to relive the experience. For this reason, the celebrations are repeated every year.
It is important to learn to manage stress to have a happy holiday. “How we celebrate, relax and participate in these events is crucial. Advance preparation, accompanying each other, and collaborative family decision-making are key elements to mitigate tension,” said Dr. Maffei.
And he recommended: “Try to avoid experiences with many auditory and visual stimuli, crowds, rush, expenses and end-of-year reflections. The ideal is to prepare in advance, make decisions regarding how to celebrate and where to be, and seek company, since these festivities are usually not conducive to loneliness, since they are moments in which various emotions arise.”
Gratitude improves our mood and holiday experience, according to mental health experts, through a positive perspective and recognition of the rewarding aspects of life (Illustrative Image Infobae)
For his part, Dr. Andersson highlighted three actions to enjoy the holidays: planning, accepting and setting realistic expectations. “We must recognize that the holidays can have moments of joy and challenge, but not all experiences are going to be perfect. You have to accept each of the members of the meeting. It is also important to plan things ahead to help reduce stress.”
The doctor also highlighted the importance of maintaining healthy habits: “Follow a balanced diet, try not to overindulge in food or drinks; perform regular physical activity and prioritize rest. “You have to listen to your own body.”
If a person feels overwhelmed by the holidays, the doctor recommended seeking some type of professional help to maintain emotional balance.
And he added: “It is important to take advantage of all the good things that the holidays have. Reflect on the year that has passed and the situations for which one can be grateful. Gratitude often improves your mood and changes your perspective on things.”
In short, if possible, reliving those beautiful Christmas experiences and recovering the excitement along with the love of our loved ones seem to be the keys to enjoying these holidays.
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