The festive season is a time for joy and celebration, but this often comes with high expectations that can pile on the pressure. For men, this can bring particular challenges, because of cultural conditioning that can make them reluctant to express their emotions or reach out for help when they need it.
Societal expectations can be particularly intense as the festive season approaches, when financial and social demands tend to step up and we are expected to be enjoying ourselves. This can take its toll on mental and physical health, bringing to a head any issues that might have been simmering in the background.
Here are some strategies that can help men to navigate the festive season successfully.
Managing physical health
One of the biggest challenges of the festive season is maintaining a good standard of physical health. The disruption to usual routines can make it easy to slide into bad habits such as eating more unhealthy foods, drinking too much, and exercising less.
This can have a knock on effect on other areas of your life, such as worse sleep, increased fatigue and worse mental health. While no one wants to completely sacrifice all the pleasures of the season, it’s helpful to plan in advance so that you can keep yourself in reasonably good shape.
Allow yourself to have some fun and days when you can eat and drink whatever you want, but keep some structure and plan to eat well, avoid alcohol and exercise on at least three days of the week. Set boundaries and don’t let anyone pressure you into eating or drinking when you don’t feel like it.
Maintaining strong relationships
Christmas can put strain on your relationships, particularly with romantic partners if there are already tensions bubbling under the surface. Often these issues arise from poor communication and misunderstandings. Be prepared to be open and honest about the way you are feeling and take the time to listen to your partner without arguing or interrupting.
Make some dates when you can spend quality time together, even a simple walk or a home-cooked dinner, and check in with each other. If you are failing to connect in the bedroom, try to have an open conversation about why this might be.
At this time of year, men may be more susceptible to issues such as erectile dysfunction (ED), because of excess alcohol, tiredness, poor diet, or financial or work stress. The problem may improve as life settles back into its usual routine.
However, if the problem persists it’s strongly advisable to refer to a doctor because it may be the sign of a serious underlying health problem such as diabetes or heart disease. Once these are ruled out, the first line of ED treatment is usually an oral medication such as Cialis, which is cheap to buy as its generic name of tadalafil.
Managing finances
Christmas can put a strain on household budgets, particularly if you have children. If your finances are tight, be open with your family about it and make sure the kids don’t have unrealistic expectations about what Santa might be able to bring them.
Investigate some budget-friendly gift ideas, such as buying some items second hand, making items yourself, or arrange a secret Santa so there’s less to buy. Set a budget and stick to it to rein in any extravagances that you might end up regretting later.
Avoiding burnout
The holiday season is the busiest time of year for many people, when demands at work and in your family and social life all increase. To protect yourself from burnout, avoid the pressure to try to ‘do it all’ and prioritise tasks and commitments. Not everything is compulsory, and it’s OK to say no and set boundaries.
Make time for guilt-free relaxation when you can recharge your batteries: this should be just as important as any of your other commitments. You might prefer a structured downtime such as meditating, journaling, or going for a walk, or you may just want to chill out with a good book or TV programme.
Navigating social events
If you have a packed social calendar, you can become fatigued by late nights and overindulgence in rich food and alcohol. Plan to pace your drinking by alternating alcohol with non-alcoholic alternatives. Most bars and restaurants now have an excellent choice of low or non-alcoholic options.
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