Feeling stressed this holiday season? You aren’t alone.
A recent poll from the American Psychological Association found that nearly nine in 10 people say the holidays cause them stress.
“The holiday season can be both a happy and stressful time of year in part due to expectations to spend time with family and friends, navigate family conflicts and uphold important traditions,” APA’s chief executive officer, Arthur C. Evans Jr., said in a statement.
“At this hectic time of year, it is important that people take care of their mental health, especially in communities whose members feel disproportionately burdened or excluded from what is traditionally considered the holiday season.”
Mental health experts have offered the following tips to decrease the mental burden brought by the holidays:
1. The APA recommends that people remember to take time for themselves during the holiday season.
“You may feel pressured to be everything to everyone. But remember that you’re only one person and can only accomplish certain things,” the organization said. “Sometimes self-care is the best thing you can do; plus, others will benefit when you’re feeling less stressed.”
2. Officials with UCLA Health recommend that people manage their expectations and focus on their own values and goals for the holiday season.
“During the holidays, we are conditioned by messages from advertisers and social media self-reports to expect excitement and joy,” said Emanuel Maidenberg, a clinical professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. The medical school noted that people can feel let down for failing to project the “ideal” experience of the holidays even if that experience doesn’t match their own personal circumstances or preferences.
3. UC Davis Health recommends that people simplify travel and limit time spent in the car.
“If possible, limit your driving to one or two events that you truly want to attend,” Officials with the California-based health center said. “It’s part of setting healthy boundaries and keeping a reasonable schedule.”
4. If you can, try volunteering with a local charity or program to combat holiday stress, the APA recommends.
“Helping others may lift your mood and help you put your own struggles in perspective,” the association said.
5. Dealing with stress caused by family arguments? Officials with UCLA Health recommend trying to remove yourself from the situation, which can sometimes be “an effective short-term solution.”
When you remove yourself, “practice observing your thoughts without being engaged with them,” Maidenberg said.
“It’s really a form of meditation, when you focus on the breathing for a few minutes and you notice what goes through your mind, but you actually bring your attention back to the breathing right away.”
Maidenberg recommends that people focus on cultivating mindfulness as a practice in order to deal with similar situations in the future.
“It’s one of the most effective things that we can do to help ourselves to deal with future stressors,” he said.
6. Be responsible about food and alcohol choices, UC Davis Health officials advise.
“Moderation is key, especially with holiday treats and alcohol,” officials said. They added, “Many of us succumb to the pressure to overeat or drink to excess during the holidays.”
7. Experts recommend that you lean on friends and family if you need help coping with your stress.
“Talk to them about how you’re feeling and let them help you set boundaries and practice self-care,” UC Davis Health suggests.
The APA added, “Getting things out in the open can help you navigate your feelings and work toward a solution.”
If your stress stays high despite efforts to calm it, talk to your primary care provider.
“While the holiday blues are common for many this time of year, extreme anxiety or depression should not be ignored,” according to UC Davis Health. “Therapy, counseling, and medication are all useful tools to help manage mental health challenges.”
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