(Feeling a bit Ugh About it All?)
I hope that everyone had a lovely festive break, however, from those I have spoken to since, it appears that a large majority of people went down with various ailments and maladies that knocked them for six for most of the time.
Why is that? Why, when your body is given permission to rest or not deal with the usual day-to-day pressures, do we seem to get ill?
I, myself, though not physically ill in the strictest definition of the word, found I felt distinctly off-colour for most of the time and struggling with depression symptoms without any apparent cause.
Speaking from my own experience could it have been that once the stresses in the lead up had subsided a chemical imbalance occurred? 2023 had been an extremely busy year with my attention and services being called upon from a number of directions all at the same time. The fact that these time commitments suddenly disappeared because everyone else shut their businesses down must have caused a massive dip in the stress hormone Cortisol. Cortisol is released by our adrenal glands in response to stress and plays a crucial role in the body’s “fight or flight” response. It helps regulate various physiological processes, including metabolism, blood sugar, and immune function.
It could be that I hadn’t allowed my body and brain enough rest over the year. When we are constantly working and not getting adequate rest, our immune system may be compromised, making us more susceptible to infections and illnesses. I haven’t yet found time to take a holiday since 2020 which probably isn’t helping matters.
Or it’s possible that we might have postponed addressing health concerns while we are working due to the demands of our jobs. When we finally do take time off, we might start noticing and experiencing symptoms that were previously overlooked or ignored.
Or it could be a combination of all the above factors and, of course, the shorter darker days don’t help us, neither does the weather which has been particularly awful where I am in the past few weeks.
Whatever the reasons, I am starting this year in a distinctly jaded frame of mind which seems to be mirrored by my body. I have re-started my ‘normal’ activities however I am not enthused, excited or looking forward to anything in particular….not yet anyway. I know this will change as, to use one of the CBT mantras, “this too will pass”.
So, I may not be one for New Years resolutions, however I’ll be tweaking my days, adding in new things and keeping my eyes peeled for the new opportunities that I know are always around the corner.
(This is one of the occasions where I hope the above article does not apply to you and you are refreshed and already raring to go.)
There are some days when it is just not happening for me. That’s when I walk away and do something different for a while.
