The stress of the holiday season can be taxing, but being mindful and setting boundaries can help prevent stress.
There are many reasons why the holidays can induce stress; finances are stretched when buying gifts, travel headaches, and arguments with family members, to name a few.
Stress depletes brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, according to the Mayo Clinic, which can lead to depression and anxiety. Acute stress can impair short-term memory and releases cortisol in the body, which is known as a fight or flight response.
CCRC’s Family Well-Being division staff shared ways to reduce stress.
“Consistency and predictability, you want to keep your routine. Keep things the same, so don’t skip breakfast, don’t skip dinner, don’t skip lunch. Eat all your meals, go to bed at a reasonable time. If you exercise, exercise. And walk into whatever routine you do without judgement. Your workout might not get done at 5 a.m., it might get done at 7 p.m. and that’s ok, so being realistic with yourself is another thing I’d encourage you to do,” said CCRC Family Well-Being Manager Rosario Williams.
And another helpful tip is to remember that it’s ok to take time for yourself. Carve out some “me” time so you can balance your holiday obligations.
Those who are dreading difficult political discussions can set boundaries in advance.
“Letting people know that’s a topic that does not get discussed during the holidays and that might create further conversations that don’t need to happen during that time,” said Williams. “So going into it knowing that there may be differences of opinions or feelings and tabling that for after the holidays.”
For children, the change in routine and sensory overload can cause behavioral issues.
“For the 0-5 age group, usually tantrums that occur, sometimes depending on when we do our shopping, may be at the time of day when the child is hungry or usually asleep. Those are times we shouldn’t do our shopping because our child might be triggered,” said Williams. “I also encourage parents to maybe take a bag of activities for the child – a book, sensory item, headphones, or even snacks. Snacks could be helpful to help the child self-regulate.”
And many people will feel the pain of a lost family member or friend at the dinner table. Williams said it’s important to honor that person and feeling within our hearts. She suggested reading a poem aloud, keeping a literal or figurative space open at the table for them, setting up photos, or sharing memories.
“A lot of parents are afraid to cry in front of their child, they don’t want to trigger them, but it’s ok to let them see you cry, they should see you cry, and you should cry with them. We want to model the balance between – yes, I get hurt and triggered, but I can come back. It helps them understand how to self-regulate and co-regulate, as well,” she said.
Ultimately, the key to reducing stress this holiday season is to remain mindful. If symptoms of stress begin to arise, address them and take action.
Visit our Mental Health Services page for more support.
