Insider Advice on Managing Holiday Stress

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Let’s be honest, holiday time is full of indulgence. Rich foods, gifts galore, loads of sugar from cookies to pie, pitchers of alcohol, a lot of socialization, and a full serving of stress. 

For a human who is very familiar with anxiety, the holidays can take some patience and a whole lot of stamina. 

It is the most wonderful and the most stressful time of the year. But don’t worry too much, together we will chart a course to ensure you have a relaxing and merry holiday season.

Just keep these 8 simple steps in mind when heading out for the holidays for lower stress and a happy heart.

1. Yep, we need to talk about the booze.

As I began writing this article, I fell into the all too familiar Instagram black hole. Guess what I saw? Tacky Christmas sweaters, celebration shots, holiday cheer, fancy cocktails, Santa cookies, and more shots. 

Am I painting a clear picture? Alcohol EVERYWHERE.

People, I get it. It is the holidays where we see old friends, long lost relatives, and gather to celebrate together. Most of us are going to drink. Unfortunately, alcohol can cause some stress-inducing after effects. 

This tip is to the point – drink a little less OR at least be conscious of your consumption. Let’s throw it back to high school and keep the one water for every alcoholic drink in mind. 

2. Keep the cookie monster at bay.

My sweet tooth is no joke, and over the holidays, the temptations are unlimited. Just off the top of my head…peppermint bark, chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, chocolate tart, Christmas M&M’s… have all been presented to me at work, AND I haven’t even made it home yet. 

The sugar is real, and it’s coming for us all. Sugar can weaken our body’s ability to respond to stress. Giving stress a real field day around the holidays. 

A few ways you can cut down the sugar are: baking healthy alternative desserts like these superfood hot cholate truffles, bringing healthy snacks on your trip, or setting a daily desert limit for yourself.

3. Get up and get moving – preferably more than once.

Now we aren’t talking hitting the gym every day at 7 am but getting in a good sweat a few times over the holiday break will go a long way. 

Exercise boosts feel-good hormones in the brain that help us relax. Not to mention, getting out some pent up energy from Aunt Betty’s comment about your social media posts will probably benefit all parties. 

Some easy ways to get active over holiday break are: going on a walk/run around the neighborhood, playing with little cousins, doing an at-home workout, or taking a class at a nearby gym with an old friend.

4. Set boundaries and share them with others. 

Setting boundaries is a biggie for the holiday season when it feels like we are getting pulled in all directions. Mom wants you home, your friends want you out, and your sister keeps harping that you never come to her place. 

To set boundaries, you have to decide what you are and aren’t willing to do. It helps by identifying what fuels you and what drains you. 

Once you have identified your boundaries, stick to them. Offer clarity into why you may say “no” to something and offer gratitude when others agree to your new plan. 

5. Build-in some guiltless “me” time. 

Often, we feel obligated over the holidays to share all of our time with others. We rationalize over socializing by telling ourselves things like, “they never see me” or “it’s a tradition.”

You need to take care of yourself to spend quality time with others and actually enjoy yourself. The little saying “you can’t pour from an empty cup” is perfect for this occasion. 

Allow yourself to recharge by taking a bath, meditating, going on a walk, reading a book alone, or going up to bed an hour earlier than you actually plan to go to sleep. 

6. Step outside and into the fresh air. 

For some reason, we never think of ourselves as animals, but we are! Humans thrive when they get a little outdoor time, and it can drastically impact our mood. 

If we are getting nerdy with it, vitamin D affects feelings of depression and anxiety. Spending as little as 30 minutes a day outside helps your body produce enough vitamin D3 to maintain healthy levels in the body. 

Getting outside is a natural step to pair with other healthy-boosting tips like exercise and getting some me-time in. 

7. Take supplements when your diet lacks. 

From my personal experience, holiday food is not the most nutritious. Experts suggest it is best to get nutrients from our diets, but when your diet lacks (like over the holidays) look to supplements.

Supplements are effortless to toss in a toiletries bag and take wherever you need to go. 

Some everyday stress and anxiety fighting supplements to consider are magnesium, vitamin d, vitamin b complex, and omega 3 fatty acids.

8. Keep sleep a priority, but really. 

When we don’t get enough sleep, we slowly but surely turn into monsters. Lack of sleep actually makes emotional processing more difficult, along with a slew of other unpleasant mental side effects.

I don’t know about you, but encumbered emotional processing is the very last thing I need to be added to my holiday plate. Sleep specialists suggest a total of 7-8 hours of sleep every night to have a fully functioning brain. 

Some simple ways to be sure you are getting your needed sleep: keep your bedtime and wake up time in mind when making plans, and don’t start any long projects close to bedtime.