Christmas Stress Relief

Christmas can be a really stressful time of year. For some, the Christmas holiday period is a mass of complex social interactions with family & relatives, some of whom you may rather not see

There may be expectations to create a ‘wonderful Christmas’ with lots of presents & perhaps the most important meal of the year. Ugh, no pressure!

Here are some things you can do to protect your mental health & make Christmas less stressful:

Plan Ahead

Start making a list of things you need to do for Christmas early, i.e. shopping, #food & presents, decorations etc. Make the list as detailed as possible. Of course, sometimes things don’t go according to plan but planning ahead can definitely help make things a little easier.

It’s a good idea to have some pre-planned excuses to escape from awkward conversations or situations that might make you feel nervous. Be imaginative & use things such as leaving the room to make a phone call or check on the baby (if there is one) etc. Leaving the room, even for 5-10 minutes, will clear your mind & help you relax a little.

Lack of sleep can make you feel irritable & more prone to feeling stressed.

Make Time for Exercise

Christmas is, for many, a time of excessive eating & drinking & exercise can be easily overlooked.

Avoid Excessive Alcohol

Let’s be realistic, it’s Christmas! Though I don’t drink alcohol myself, I totally understand that avoiding it completely would be near impossible. However, it may be a good idea to avoid excessive alcohol as it dehydrates your body & makes your liver work overtime to process it. Alcohol can also negatively affect overall sleep quality.

Have Fun!

Do something you enjoy. Remember it’s your Christmas too so try to relax & have fun, laugh & be merry!

Do you get stressed out during the Christmas holiday period? What are the things that stress you out? Let me know in the comments

Don’t forget to save & share if you or someone you know need these reminders this festive season