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The holiday season is upon us! While it is also a time of joy and love, it can be a stressful time as well. Finding the perfect presents, preparing for guests, and so much more can bring about anxiety and depression in us all. Here are 10 helpful tips for managing and coping with stress during the holidays!
1. Make sure to get enough sleep every night. It is hard enough to get enough sleep as is, but that can be heightened during the holiday season. Staying up late to wrap presents and stressing about things that are out of your control are not good for anyone! Make sure to go to bed at a decent time and try to get as close as possible to 8 hours of sleep.
2. Make sure to say no when you need a break. Often, people tend to stretch themselves too thin to be there and do everything for everyone else. It is important to take care of you and your needs so you do not get burnt out. Learn to say no!
3. Take some time for yourself. Whether it is for a short walk or a few minutes of meditation, taking some time for yourself will help ease your mind and relieve a little bit of your stress.
4. Make a budget and stick to it. Allot a certain amount of money to gifts for those you love, activities, and food for holiday events with family and friends. Having this budget and sticking to it will help relieve your stress surrounding spending too much money during the holidays.
5. Make a plan for the possible difficult situations you make encounter. Is there someone in your family who tends to drive you crazy? Plan out what you will say and how you will react to them.
6. Plan fun activities for yourself and others during the holiday season. Doing fun things like going for a picnic in the cool winter weather, the zoo, or to the beach with family and friends are great activities that boost your mood.
7. Eat healthy and try to maintain your usual routine. Make sure not to go overboard on stuffing, potatoes, or desserts you find on your table during holiday gatherings. While it is okay to enjoy these things, making sure to take smaller portions will help ease your mind on overeating. Also, try not to stray too far from your usual routine.
8. Remember people’s motivations. Just because they want you to try their cookies means that they care about you and their intentions are genuine, not that they want to tempt you.
9. Remember to be grateful and generous. Tis the season to be thankful for who and what you have around you while giving to others as well. Giving does not have to be monetary or in the form of presents -- volunteering at a local non-profit or helping someone out with decorating their home is just as generous as any other gift.
10. Reach out if you need help. The MHA offers classes such as their 6-week Mindfulness Course to help people cope with their mental illnesses. The MHA also sees walk-in patients Monday through Friday for mental health screenings.