Holiday Stress Tips

You can alleviate a significant amount of financial, emotional, and physical stress by following a few holiday stress tips.

The holiday season is a very stressful time of year for many people, resulting in irritability, insomnia, muscles aches and tension, and feelings of anxiety. Untreated stress contributes to several serious health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, depression, and heart disease.

Women are even more vulnerable to holiday stress than men are, according to the American Psychological Association. They are more likely than men to report high stress levels and are less likely to spend holiday time relaxing.

The holidays are the most stressful time of year for many people.

By following a few practical, holiday stress tips, you can minimize your holiday stress and increase your enjoyment of the season.

1. Remember to take care of yourself during the holiday season. Eat healthy, stick to your normal exercise routine, and get plenty of sleep each night. Get a massage to help with muscle tension, and visit your doctor at the first sign of illness. Keeping your body at its best will help you cope mentally and emotionally with the demands of the holidays.
2. Ask for help from family and friends if you feel overwhelmed, depressed, or stressed out. If you are experiencing significant symptoms of depression or feel unable to cope, seek professional help from a psychologist.
3. Do not try to be a superhero. Prioritize your holiday goals and avoid pushing yourself too hard. It is not always possible to get everything done, and the holidays do not need to be perfect to be successful and enjoyable. This tip also applies to shopping for your family. Your children will not hate you if you cannot afford to buy them every item on their Christmas list.
4. Get your children and spouse involved. Even younger children can help clean, decorate, and prepare for guests. Ask your spouse to help with shopping and wrapping presents. Getting your family involved will not only relieve some of your stress, it will help them appreciate the holidays and the work that goes into holiday events.
5. Save money and ease financial stress by participating in free or cheap holiday activities with your family. Walking around your neighborhood to look at Christmas decorations, baking cookies for loved ones, and donating toys to families in need are excellent and affordable ways to spend time with your family while reducing the strain on your wallet.
6. Avoid family drama whenever possible. The holidays are not the time for solving problems with family members. Wait until the holidays are over, and do not feel bad about avoiding uncomfortable situations (and stressful relatives) when necessary.
7. Plan activities and family gatherings ahead of time, and avoid over-committing yourself. If you already have something scheduled for a specific day, let family and friends know you will not be committing to anything else. Rushing from one event to the next is not enjoyable for anyone and will significantly contribute to your holiday stress.
8. Take a day off if you feel your stress level rising. You do not have to spend every moment of the holiday season shopping, decorating, or spending time with relatives. Forget the dishes, stay away from the stores, and spend the day taking a nap or reading a new book.
9. Make family come to your house for holiday events if you have small children — unless it is less stressful for you to go to their house. Dressing and packing bags for little ones is time-consuming and stressful, and it makes more sense to keep small children in a familiar environment where they can nap, eat, and play when they want.
10. Split holidays, with one side of family getting Thanksgiving and the other side getting Christmas. Do not feel guilty if you cannot see everyone at every holiday. You can also extend each holiday, and schedule visits with some family members on the days before or after each holiday.

Everyone responds to stress in different ways, and different aspects of the holidays will trigger stress and anxiety in different people. The key to managing holiday stress is to identify your specific triggers and find ways to cope with them. For many people, especially women, understanding that the holidays do not need to be perfect is the first step toward making them more enjoyable.

Sit down with your family and create your own list of holiday stress tips. Determine what would make the holidays more enjoyable, and less stressful, for each person in your house. When everyone is having a good time, any remaining stress will be much easier to cope with.

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