8 Tips to Manage Stress During the Holidays

If you feel increased angst during the holidays, you are not alone. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 44 percent of women and 31 percent of men experience increased stress levels during the holiday season.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty, and the stress felt by parents with students who are at home are likely to exacerbate stress during the holidays.

Here are 8 helpful tips to manage stress during the holidays.

1. Identify Your Stressors

Once you name your holiday stressors, it becomes easier to realize you can overcome them. For example, time, money, and expectations are three common holiday stressors. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, other common stressors are likely to occur, including not being able to see loved ones or fear of travel.

Once you’ve pinpointed exactly what causes holiday stress in your life, then it will become easier for you to come up with a strategy to address or mitigate these stressors.

2. Set Personal Boundaries

Challenge yourself to set boundaries during the holiday season. Setting a boundary can be as explicit as saying “yes” only once for every three times that you say “no.” Identify what is most important to you during the holiday season this year, and focus on doing that one thing well instead of trying to do it all.

If you’re not comfortable hosting lots of family members during the pandemic, do not be ashamed. If you’re not up for Black Friday shopping due to crowds, make your position known. Whatever your boundaries are, set them, and stick to them to manage your holiday stress.

3. Keep It Simple

If finances are your biggest holiday season stress trigger, you’re in good company. With millions of Americans out of work as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, financial uncertainty is weighing heavy on so many minds. Instead of physical gifts, suggest that your family members pledge to spend deliberate time together, once it is safe to do so.

Not only will you be freeing yourself from undue expectations, but also unburdening everyone else who is experiencing stress during the holidays due to financial hardship.

4. Squash Negativity

During the holidays, you may feel forced to spend time in person or online, with people who add to your stress, whether this is family, friends, or coworkers.

If this increased facetime strains you, create your own human counterweight by setting up time with people who energize you. You may not be able to completely avoid those who stress you out during the holidays, but you can proactively get time on the calendar for people who make you feel the opposite way.

5. Prioritize Self Care

Cheating yourself of exercise, healthy foods, and sleep can backfire fast and will only increase your stress level. So, don’t do it.

Make sure to continue with your daily self-care habits, or even increase them, to mitigate holiday stress. Likewise, avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms that seem to balloon during the holidays, including rich foods, sugary sweets, and alcohol.

6. Practice Mindful Meditation

Mindful meditation can be a valuable tool to help manage stress during the holidays. Begin by sitting or lying down in a comfortable position.

Let your mind go, and just absorb the present moment, while you concentrate on taking deep breaths for 5-7 minutes. The benefits of mindful meditation include slowing down a racing heartbeat and lowering blood pressure.

During times of particular agitation, using mindful meditation to manage your stress during the holiday season can be very helpful.

7. Stick to a Schedule

During times of high stress, it can be helpful to set and stick to a schedule. For months, staying at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic has made every day feel the same for many Americans.

One way to combat both stress and monotony is to create a schedule that includes good sleep hygiene, planned exercise or activity, and completing to-do lists.

8. Seek Professional Help

The holidays are intended to be a time for joy but they can often be poisoned by stress. If your stress level is becoming unmanageable, and you are feeling completely immobilized, it may be time to talk with a trained professional, such as a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist.

Professional therapy, whether in person or via telehealth appointments can teach you coping techniques to help you navigate stressful periods.

Sometimes, therapy is most effective when combined with specific medications, if you’re experiencing anxiety, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or depression. If you are prescribed medication, be sure to check RxSaver to save up to 80% on prescription medications.

Holiday Stress and COVID-19

More than half of Americans have reported that COVID-19 has had a negative impact on their mental health. Those already dealing with anxiety, stress, or depression may find that the holidays exacerbate the symptoms of these common conditions.

Be sure to take advantage of the many free mental health resources available during COVID-19 and the holidays if you’re struggling to cope.

Seasonal Affective Disorder During the Holidays

For the millions of Americans believed to suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the holidays can be especially challenging. Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that recurs seasonally, with symptoms persisting for approximately 4-5 months. Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder tend to arise in late fall, or early winter, coinciding with the holiday season. Symptoms of this type of depression include:

• Sleeping too much

• Gaining weight

• Withdrawing from social engagements

• Low energy

• Feelings of hopelessness

• Difficulty concentrating

• Feeling depressed most days

• Losing interest in hobbies and activities

Preparing for a Healthy New Year

Ultimately, the holidays can be a complicated time and you are not alone if you feel stressed or anxious this year. After all, 2020 has been a year like no other, and it’s ok to admit that it has been challenging.

But, there is reason to be hopeful, as we transition through the holidays, and into a New Year. To begin preparing for a healthy New Year, try visualizing yourself sitting on the other side of the season, in January, ushering in a year of health and wellness.