Holiday stress can easily turn a joyous season into weeks of dread.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed, you’re not alone. But you can reclaim the season’s cheer!

Here are five simple ways to ease your stress during the holiday season.

5 ways to avoid holiday stress

1. Set boundaries

During the holidays, there are a lot of demands on your time and energy. You may have multiple parties and holiday events to attend. You may be hosting these events or responsible for bringing a dish or game.

If you’re a student, you also have final exams, projects, and the stress of preparing for the next semester.

Many people host family members or travel to see loved ones at this time of year.

That’s a lot to deal with!

To protect your mental health and energy, set boundaries that honor your limits. Determine who has access to your time and energy. You don’t have to see everyone just because it’s the holidays. Set a budget for holiday spending. Decide which traditions are essential.

Make a plan in advance to make sure you can enjoy this season with the people who matter most.

2. Avoid overcrowding your schedule

Holiday parties. Recitals. School performances. Family meals. Work. School. Baking for the bake sale. Babysitting your sister’s kids. Keeping up with the house. Dealing with emergencies.

You only have so much time in a day. If you fill your days and nights with obligations, the holidays will leave you drained, stressed, and on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Instead, create a schedule for the holidays. Once you have all of these obligations on the calendar, you can determine what you can say yes to and what has to go.

The holidays are supposed to be joyful. Give yourself space to feel the Christmas magic.

3. Prioritize your health

In the whirlwind of the holidays, it’s easy to fall into unhealthy habits. Even if you don’t have time to stick to an exercise routine, prioritize your:

Sleep: Your body needs at least eight hours of sleep to maintain your physical and mental health. Your sleep time is just as important as everything else. Don’t sacrifice it.
Food: You don’t need to go on a diet, but you should be paying attention to your food. Make sure you’re eating regularly and giving your body the fuel it needs. Enjoy those holiday treats! Just choose the treats you actually want rather than mindlessly overindulging.
Activity: Fresh air and sunlight are exactly what your body needs when you’re stressed. Try to take a short walk around the neighborhood a few times a week. You can even visit other neighborhoods with your family to look at Christmas lights. Park the car in a central location and walk to each house rather than driving.

Stress takes a physical toll. Take care of your body and it will take care of you.

4. Manage your responsibilities

Do you feel constant anxiety over all the things you still need to do? The best way to resolve that feeling is to check those tasks off your list!

When you’re tired and stressed, spending an hour scrolling through social media seems helpful. But the longer you put off those must-dos, the longer you have to deal with the anxiety.

Set aside a few minutes each day to handle your responsibilities. This intentionality can help you get more done. Your life will have more order and you’ll feel more in control.

5. Ask for help

No one can do it by themselves. Friends and family are always willing to help if they can. But you first have to ask for help.

Maybe you need an hour away from the kids to get some shopping or cleaning done. A hot meal might be perfect after a long week.

Or maybe you just need someone to talk to.

Give yourself the gift of community this holiday season. Life looks up when you’re not doing it alone.

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We’re here for you! Don’t spend this holiday season stressing about your potential pregnancy.

Visit our clinic to get the answers you need today.

5 Ways to Relieve Holiday Stress