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Delray Beach, Fla. – The food. The parties. Finding and wrapping the perfect presents. Add in kids, work, cleaning, errands, and you could be on track for a not-so-jolly holiday meltdown. Before you throw a Clark Griswold-style tantrum, take a time out, breathe and know that you are not alone. Up to 80 percent of people find the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s to be “somewhat” or “very stressful”, which, as About.com reports, ranks the holidays alongside asking for a raise on the stress scale.

Instead of ripping off the calendar to speed things up to January 2, take a few minutes to engage in wisdom from Destination Spa professionals. Representing 22 of the leading Destination Spas in the world, the Destination Spa Group® is a great resource for helping you keep your cool over the holidays. Beginning with this advice: “Hire virtual assistance for items you can delegate. There are many online resources that can help with gift buying, invitation design and overall organizational logistics. I recommend http://www.elance.com/,” says Destination Spa Group Executive Director Debra Koerner.

From Green Mountain at Fox Run in Vermont - Create a 911 Emergency Self-Care Kit. You’ll need:

1. A box to decorate with sparkles and glitter.

2. Self-care goodies to put in the box that will help you to remember to take care of yourself. Ideas include: a certificate for a massage, can of chicken noodle soup, a list of affirmations, photographs of relaxing places you’ve visited, a DVD of your favorite feel-good movie, etc.

Rancho La Puerta’s Barry Shingle suggests, “Practice deep breathing. It has been proven over and over again that taking a time out to do some deep, cleansing breaths counteracts many of the physical symptoms of stress. It could be as simple as breathing deeply in for five counts and then exhaling just as slowly five to 10 times.”

While you are breathing deeply, Harold Lebovic of The Heartland Spa in Illinois suggests two more simple things:

1. Make a list.When the holidays seem to become overwhelming, make a list so you know exactly what needs to be done and when.

2. Learn to say no.Realize that it's okay to set boundaries and say no when necessary.Too many "yesses" can lead to unnecessary stress.

Stressed over visiting relatives? Golden Door Fitness Director Trish Martin suggests, “Instead of the usual get-together that primarily involves eating, suggest an outing that involves physical activity such as hiking, walking, biking, snow shoeing, skating, skiing or sledding.” Or, as Marsha Hudnall of Green Mountain says, give yourself a time out. “We often give children a time out, when it is really the adults that could use the break. Take a few minutes for yourself, createsome space, take ashortwalk,step outside forfreshair,or even just sit in a room by yourself.”

What about working out? You may be tempted to skip it; not a good idea says Rancho La Puerta’s Shingle, “Exercise releases endorphins that help us to cope better with stress. Even if it means doing modified workouts or getting up a little earlier to fit one in; maintaining our physical activities helps us to maintain a sense of control and self.” Nancy Byrd Radding of The Oaks at Ojai concurs, “Get a winter membership at a club. Change up your workout time to use the daylight available to you. Invest in DVDs, there’s some great stuff out there to help you pick up a new skill.”

After working out, don’t eat the entire box of chocolate covered cherries. Koerner suggests increasing energy by drinking one fresh, raw, green smoothie every day. To make: throw in a blender a handful of spinach with some frozen bananas, blueberries and water. “The immediate boost of vitamins and minerals will help deter sugar cravings and provide the energy to jump back into the beautiful chaos of the holidays,” adds Koerner.

About Destination Spa Group^®
Only a select group of spas follow the tradition of the true Destination Spa – where the total environment is dedicated to health and life enhancement. Representing 22 spas, Destination Spa Group^® is a membership organization dedicated to educating the public about the unique wellness and self-improvement opportunities of Destination Spas.

More details on http://www.destinationspavacations.com/ and by calling 888.772.4363.

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