The holidays can be a time of celebration, but they can also bring emotional challenges. Good mental health and the holidays can coexist.
Read on to learn how the holidays affect the American population, and five tips to manage holiday stress to make the season brighter for you and your entire family.
Mental health and the holidays
For a season called “the most wonderful time of the year,” it’s the holidays not that for many Americans. In fact, a survey by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 64% of people with mental illness feel like their condition worsens during the holidays.
Other research suggests:
- 68% of Americans feel financially stressed.
- 66% experience loneliness.
- 63% feel like they are ‘under pressure’.
But with a few intentional habits, you can make this season a time of more peace and joy.
Tips for holiday stress
According to Ariel Acosta of KinderCare, a child care and early education provider, “The key to enjoying what these holidays bring is recognizing the range of emotions the entire family may feel and making space for those feelings.”
Here are her top tips for “building a toolbox of skills that will make the season less stressful for everyone.”
Set realistic expectations.
It’s normal to strive for the perfect holiday celebration, but reality often doesn’t match your expectations. Plans change, family dynamics change, and things may not go as you expect.
Accepting this fact can help you avoid disappointment and enjoy a quieter holiday season. Instead of striving for perfection, you emphasize pleasure.
Focus on creating simple, meaningful experiences that promote connection. This could include cooking together or playing board games; any fun, low-stress activity that you and your family can enjoy together.
Prioritize relaxation.
The hustle and bustle of the holidays can easily lead to overwhelm and burnout. But you can combat this by simply making a point of calming and centering yourself.
Start every day with a conscious practice, such as:
- Meditation
- Take a deep breath
- Yoga or slow stretching
These activities activate the parasympathetic nervous system – the body’s rest and digest mode. The more you engage your relaxation response, the easier it will feel to cope with the fast-paced nature of this season.
You can even help children develop a list of their own favorite calming techniques. Encourage them to use these strategies when they feel overwhelmed or need to recover from an outburst.
And schedule quiet days at home between meetings to avoid overstimulation and give everyone in your family a chance to recharge. If that’s not possible, you can de-stress during your party by putting on some music and having a family dance party.
Moving your body releases feel-good endorphins, helping you quickly shake off holiday stress and liven up your celebrations.
Practice and teach emotional awareness.
‘Tis the season for heightened emotions, so give yourself and your children grace when you’re not feeling so cheerful. Discuss the full spectrum of emotions to normalize less pleasant emotions, and when difficult feelings arise, validate them.
For example, you might say to your child, “I see you are upset about leaving the party. I’m sad about it too. What could make you feel better?”
If children are acting out, wait until everyone is calm before discussing alternative responses. And use your own reactions as learning moments. “The way you handle your mistakes can set a powerful example for your children,” says Acosta.
“Once you feel calm, explain what happened to your children,” she adds. “Start by naming your emotion, apologize if you haven’t handled your feelings well, and let your children know what you will do differently next time.”
Allow yourself to say ‘no’.
It’s tempting to say yes to everything during the holidays: parties, gift exchanges, visits, and other obligations. But taking on too much can lead to burnout and even resentment.
So practice saying ‘no’. If an invitation or request doesn’t feel essential or satisfying, it’s okay to decline. In fact, it is an essential form of self-care.
Saying “no” creates space for what matters most to you – and gives you the relaxation time you need to recharge and enjoy the festivities.
Focus on giving.
The final tip for dealing with stress during the holidays is to shift the focus from receiving to giving and performing small acts of kindness. This can range from making Christmas treats or cards for your neighbors, to volunteering at a local shelter to help those in need.
These simple actions can make the season more meaningful and take the pressure off gift expectations. They can also have great health benefits.
Research shows that people who volunteer experience the following:
- Lower blood pressure
- Greater happiness
- Longer life expectancy
That’s probably because helping others causes the release of “feel-good” chemicals in the brain, such as:
- Serotonin
- Dopamine
- Oxytocin
- Endorphins
Serotonin and dopamine are both important mood-regulating neurotransmitters. And oxytocin gives you a deeper sense of connection with others, while endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers and mood enhancers.
Holiday stress affects almost everyone. But you can minimize its impact and enjoy a happier, more stress-free season by taking a few proactive steps.
Here’s to fun and meaningful holiday traditions that support the well-being of everyone in your community.
References:
Mental health and the holiday blues | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
Topline of data from the 2023 Holiday Stress Survey
A study into the impact of holiday expectations on individual well-being | Request PDF file
The role of deep breathing in stress – PubMed
Breath of Life: The Respiratory Vagal Stimulation Model of Contemplative Activity – PMC
Motives for volunteering are associated with mortality risk among older adults