It’s that time of year again. Time to deal with cold weather, busy stores, empty wallets, and family gatherings. Over my last 20 years as a pharmacist, I have witnessed extreme personality swings during these winter months. My assumption is the stress of the holidays is too much for many of us to handle, so I want to try to offer some tips on how to stay calm and happy this holiday season.

Relieving Stress & Ashwagandha

Stress-relieving practices such as yoga, meditation, and exercise are a good place to start. Ideally, these should be a staple in our everyday existence, but many of us get busy with life and these self-care practices get thrown to the wayside. Now is a great time to start it up again! Go on that walk, do that yoga class, and learn how to tango! Another tip would be to consider a supplement such as Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is a plant native to India and the Middle East. Throughout the years, the root has been harvested and ingested to relieve stress, improve athletic performance, increase energy, improve sleep, and promote vitality. For those with chronic stress, supplementing with ashwagandha has been associated with reduced anxiety, reduced morning cortisol (a stress hormone), and lowered pulse rate and blood pressure.

The mechanism in which ashwagandha exerts its activity is thought to be through a moderating effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), which leads to a lowered stress response and less cortisol and DHEA-S (another stress hormone). Ashwagandha also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may contribute to its effect on stress and anxiety. Studies have shown this supplement to be well-tolerated (causing minor stomach upset or headache most commonly) and safe for the majority of people. As always, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have chronic health conditions, speak to your physician before adding any supplements to your regimen.

Health Tips for 2025

My last tip of the year is to limit alcohol. Although alcohol flows freely during the holidays, especially at most social gatherings, it will worsen anxiety, depression, and sleep. I’ve been amazed at the vast selection of non-alcoholic cocktails available during my recent shopping trips, and take my word for it, they are a game changer with respect to surviving the holidays.

My wish is for everyone, especially our Oswald customers and family, to have a happy and healthy holiday season. I hope my tips will help keep everyone calm and relaxed as they navigate family obligations and travel. And I hope everyone has a “December to remember” and happy memories that last a lifetime!             ꝶ