While there is a lot to love about the holidays for most people, it’s also a stressful time of year for many. The hustle and bustle of the holiday season combined with inflation can make many feel overwhelmed. The good news is that there are ways to reduce stress during the holiday season, and this blog will provide you with realistic approaches for more balance in your life this time of year.
But first, let’s discuss the real impact of holiday stress here in the USA.
Holiday Stress Stats
A poll by the American Psychological Association shows that stress increases during the holidays for at least 38% of people. Meanwhile, 8% of people report they are not happy at all during the holidays.
In terms of work, people report a drop in productivity by 30-40% by mid-December. Many people include the drop in productivity due to stress and worrying about the impending holidays.
With the impact of COVID still in the mix, it doesn’t make holiday celebrations any easier. The new Omnicon variant has many in a tizzy, questioning yet again if it’s safe to gather with loved ones. Luckily, for now, there is no reason to panic over this variation as it is less severe than Delta. However, we still don’t know exactly how transmissible it is.
Where to Start with Reducing Holiday Stress
The buzz of the holiday season is around us. So, where do you start when it comes to tackling stress? You’ll want to take a step back and consider what is causing stress in the present. What steps can you take to reduce or even eliminate the stress that you are experiencing? This can take some creativity or even some help from others. This leads up to the first tip on how to reduce stress during the holiday season.
Reach Out for Help
Feeling burned out and overwhelmed? Although it’s the season of giving, this doesn’t mean you can’t get what you need in return.
Reaching out for help can be an incredible way to reduce stress during the holidays. This is incredibly important in the event that you have a mental health condition such as depression. You’ll want to reach out for help to those that make you feel the most comfortable. Some people prefer to reach out to friends and family, as they are familiar faces.
Meanwhile, some people prefer to reach out to those who they don’t know well. You can even find community support online. Sometimes, having someone to talk to is one of the best resources for getting help.
If you need urgent assistance especially in the event of a mental health crisis, please call the suicide hotline at 800-273-8255. You may also want to speak with a mental health professional about antidepressant medication.
Plan Ahead
Are you a planner or do you tend to go with the flow? While there is always room for impromptu events in life, planning can help alleviate the stress associated with the holidays.
What does it mean to plan ahead for the holiday season? One focus to consider is gifts for friends and family. Choosing gifts and shopping can be a stressful event on its own.
This is where planning ahead can reduce stress. Plan what gifts you need to get in advance, so you can have your shopping done in plenty of time ahead of the holidays.
You can also incorporate planning for a healthy lifestyle. It’s more important than ever to remain focused on keeping yourself healthy during the holiday season. This involves a mixture of physical activity as well as healthy eating.
In terms of healthy activity, this brings us to the next point for reducing stress during the holidays: being kind to your heart.
Be Kind to Your Heart
What does it mean to be kind to your heart? It means that you need to focus on living a healthy lifestyle not just during the holidays, but always. This is because stress can severely affect your heart as well as your overall health.
Let’s take a look at some statistics on heart health in the correlation to stress levels:
- Chronic stress can cause heart trouble. According to the American Heart Association, chronic and high stress levels can lead to heart disease.
- Stress can also lead to high blood pressure, Which can increase the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke occurring at some point in the future.
- Chronic stress and a combination of lack of physical activity can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
It’s scary to think that chronic stress can lead to a serious heart condition, and even a heart attack or stroke which can be fatal. This is why it is so important to be kind to your heart during the holiday season. Much of the stress reducing activities mentioned on this blog can help improve your heart health over the long-term, but there are also other factors to consider such as sleep hygiene and regular exercise.
Make Exercise a Priority
With so many responsibilities in your everyday life, it can be difficult to find time to exercise. The good news is that you don’t have to devote 2 hours in the gym six or seven days a week to get the benefits of regular exercise.
But how much exercise is really necessary for reducing stress? You’ll need to aim for roughly 150 minutes of moderate exercise activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. 150 minutes might sound like a lot, but if you divide it by 5 days during the week, it is only 30 minutes of exercise each day. This can be something as simple as taking a brisk walk.
If you are having difficulty finding time to exercise during the day, there are several options. One option is to get up before your normal wake-up time and carve out a 30-minute slot for exercise. While it’s generally not recommended to sacrifice sleep for exercise, this can be an easy way to find more time in your day.
Take a Break from Social Media
They say that social media is often portrayed as a highlight reel of everybody else’s life. You typically only see the good things that happened from a day-to-day basis on social platforms such as Facebook or Instagram. While it’s great to connect with friends and family online, some people find that they compare themselves to others in an unhealthy manner.
The truth is that a social media break can help reduce stress and improve mental health. You can define how long the break last, as there are no rules for social media detox. One effective way to step back from social media is by deleting the apps off of your phone and only using it on the desktop. It is much less convenient to get on your computer to look at Facebook versus picking up your phone and tapping the Facebook app.
Take Extra COVID-19 Precautions
Worried about COVID-19? While it’s believed that the COVID vaccine should protect against the new Omnicom variant, we still don’t know for sure. However, you can use the holiday season to take extra precautions against contracting or spreading the virus.
There Are several things that you can do to help ease your mind about COVID-19, such as:
- Wearing a mask when you are around a large number of people, such as in a busy grocery store or a shopping mall during peak holiday season
- Opting to order gifts online as opposed to in-store, which decreases the risk of contracting or spreading COVID
- Do not attend any holiday parties or gatherings if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19, or any other potentially contagious illness such as the flu
- Take careful inventory of your health and evaluate how you feel each day
- Do not attend any holiday parties or gatherings if you have recently been exposed to COVID-19
Meanwhile, the option to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine is available at Palm Harbor Pharmacy. We can also assist with booster shots for those who would like an additional layer of protection.
Palm Harbor Pharmacy also offers COVID-19 testing for your peace of mind. If you believe that you have been exposed to COVID-19 and would like a test, please contact us today.