According to one recent survey, a whopping 62% of people admitted that they are ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ stressed more than usual during the holidays.
There are lots of different sources of stress. Some are financial. Others are related to gift-giving, holiday parties, travel, crowded stores, and social obligations. Alternatively, you can also be stressed out because you feel isolated and alone.
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‘Headspace’ explains that holiday stress can affect your well-being, causing anxiety, restlessness, irritability, anger, sadness, and depression.
Meanwhile, on the physical side of things, chronic stress can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, increase blood sugar levels, suppress the immune system, and constrict the blood vessels. You can also experience tense muscles, tightness in the chest, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, nausea, and dizziness.
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With this in mind, ‘Headspace’ suggests reframing how you perceive holiday stress. Try to find the silver lining.
“For instance, let’s say you’re stressing out about all the gifts you have to buy; one way to reframe this situation is to take a moment to think about each person on your list and how grateful you are to have them in your life. Focusing on the feelings of love, warmth, and gratitude you have for these people can help to soften the intensity of stress and motivate you to choose a thoughtful present. What you initially perceived as bad stress can actually be reframed as good stress.”
Similarly, if your flight gets delayed during the holidays, you could try to find what you’re grateful for. For example, you could spend that downtime reading a book, listening to a podcast, and doing whatever else you love doing.
In the meantime, mindfulness is a very powerful tool in your arsenal. It can help you take the sting out of the stress you usually feel around the holidays.
“Mindfulness is the quality of being present, aware, and fully engaged with whatever we are doing at the moment. It can be particularly helpful in reducing stress and the power it has over us because when we’re being mindful, we are free from distractions or judgment and aware of our thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them. Simply put, even if we’re experiencing a stressful situation, we are less affected by it,” ‘Headspace’ advises.
One way to practice mindfulness is to be fully present in the moment and immerse yourself in what all of your senses are feeling. This way, you can calm down even among the holiday chaos.
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It’s probably safe to say that practically all of us want to spend the holiday season full of joy, cheer, excitement, good food, in the company of our loved ones, and fully relaxed. But you and we all know that life isn’t that simple.
You likely have tons of responsibilities weighing on your mind, from shopping for gifts and putting up the decorations to work, chores, Christmas travel logistics, and more. So, what’s meant to be a period of happiness or quiet contemplation can become one of the most stressful times of the year. And that’s awful for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
It’s completely understandable if you have the impulse to rush about and create the best, most magical Christmas ever for your loved ones. But, at the end of the day, you always have the choice to slow down and decide to do things differently this year.
Take a breather. Reprioritize. Focus on what’s truly important. And trust that your family and friends prefer to see you recharged and well-rested rather than panicked and exhausted.
