Tips To Reduce The Holiday Stress

Christmas is knocking on the door. Everyone expects you to be joyful but instead you are anxious, depressed or angry. How do you cope with the stress?

Budget Carefully

Spending money on presents, holiday foods, decorations and new clothes represents a very large part of the stress so many people feel at this time of the year. Are you already having sleepless nights, because you dread spending money you do not actually have? There is a simple solution. You may not like it, but the world will not end if you choose to apply it.

The solution I am talking about is, of course, opting out of the crazy spending. We are still in the middle of a recession, and you are not the only person in your circle of friends and relatives who will be relieved if you don't exchange expensive presents. Why not suggest $5 gifts for everyone — or say no to gift-giving altogether?

Young children will be just as happy with small gifts, unless they are all hyped up on the idea of getting something big and expensive. In that case, they may need a few lessons about money, budgeting and how there's more to life that material things.

Christmas is nearly here, but if you have not already done so sit down to create a realistic budget. How much money can you spare for the holidays? What are your priorities? Then, make sure you do not go over that amount. Lock your credit cards away if you need to.

Don't Invite More People Than You Can Handle

Cooking, baking and hosting are other huge sources of stress for most people. You may well be feeling pressured into inviting relatives or friends over for Christmas dinner. Once you have done this, you will then be stressed out over the menu and what your home will look like.

There are, of course, people who simply love to host huge dinners and for whom a Christmas dinner party is the highlight of the year. If this is you, you're fine. I am not addressing you. Everyone else should be honest with themselves and not invite more people than they are sure they can handle.

Since Christmas is not that far away, the chances are that you have already invited people, and already invited more people than you really want to have over. Be honest about your stress with at least some of them, and ask for help. If your friend, sister or mom will help you shop, cook, or clean that will take a lot of the stress away. Next year, invite yourself over to somebody else's dinner instead.

Be Aware Of Other People's Attitudes

Everyone has one — a person they feel they can't possibly avoid during the holidays, but whom they really dread seeing. It may be your older sister who always brings up past hurt, or the teenage nephew who is really rude, or the drunk uncle who is being a bit too familiar. If you are particularly unlucky, your dread extends beyond one person and your whole family dynamics are so messed up you either want to kill yourself or someone else.

You can control how much money you spend, and decide whether or not to host a Christmas party. Unfortunately, the same does not apply to crazy or simply unpleasant relatives. What can you do, then, to alleviate your feelings of stress and anxiety surrounding your approaching encounter with such people?

In my opinion, the only way to deal with this semi-successfully is to be fully aware of both the dreaded individual's behavioral tendencies and your own feelings about it. My example is a cousin who always picks fights — about how shallow other people are who are not currently into Buddhism like her, or about my decisions on how to educate my kids, or even (still) about my choice of husband.

I know what she is like, have the argument I've had with her before in my head instead, and then avoid engaging my cousin when she does inevitably start on the war path. You can even practice positive affirmations in advance. “Arguing is pointless,” or “they're the crazy one, not me”, or perhaps “tomorrow they'll be gone and I won't see them for another year.”

If You Are Lonely... Reach Out

For every person who is currently experiencing heart palpitations because the thought of seeing certain relatives is so stressful, there is another who would love anybody's company during the holidays. The thought of spending Christmas all by yourself can be extremely upsetting.

If this is you, I bet there are some options for you in your neighborhood. You could bake cookies and deliver them to all your elderly neighbors. You could volunteer at a shelter for the homeless. You could visit a long-lost friend or relative, and do yourself and them a favor.

Perhaps that doesn't appeal to you, or you don't have anyone you feel you could reach out to. In that case, try to see if you can work during the holidays. This will make your experience a lot less depressing. If you don't work, even leaving the house and going for a long walk may be a good idea.

A third option is to enjoy Christmas alone. I understand that this may sound like a hard job, but I know it is possible. Plan a nice dinner for yourself, and prepare it with care. Then, watch a favorite movie or one that you have always wanted to see, or read a really good book. Start a new tradition — buy yourself new slippers, go give charity to an organization you feel strongly about, or go to the zoo.

Powerful Stress Relievers You May Need

The best cure is prevention, but you may still encounter stressors that you feel you cannot cope with during the holiday periods. You can prepare yourself by making a list of possible stress relievers you may want to tuck into if the worst happens. Not every stress relief technique will work for you. You will not have time to try these all out before Christmas starts, but you probably have a good idea about which will and will not do the trick.

Phsysical Activity

Go for a brisk walk, a jog, or do some push-ups. Vigorous physical activity will release endorfins that will make you feel a little better. If you go outside of the house to get your work-out fix, you will also get an actual break from the people that are annoying you, or from the situation you cannot cope with. Thirty minutes is a good amount of time to get your heart rate up and your anxiety levels down.

Meditation

There are many meditation techniques that may benefit you. At a basic level, sit down in a quiet area and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing. Breathe all the way in, and al the way out and make sure to use abdominal breathing. Think peaceful, positive thoughts. Imagine you're on vacation in Jamaica. Pray if you are religious. Take a nap.

Journaling

Journaling (AKA keeping a diary) probably worked for you as a teen, and there is no reason it can't work now. Write down how much you hate your brother in law, how anxious your grandma's alcoholism makes you, or how disappointed you are with how this celebration turned out. You may not be able to say all these things out loud, but you can still get it off your chest.

A wonderful alternative to journaling is venting on an internet discussion board you are part of. You will be able to say what bothers you and get hugs in return. Hey, there will even be lots of people who feel exactly the same. If you're reading this, you may well be a member of the SteadyHealth community. Members here can definitely help you keep sane during the holidays.

Medical stress relief

Those people who are extremely anxious and find that mental or physical stress relief does not work may need a stronger solution. Valerian is a herb that is commonly used to create a tincture that will help fight both insomnia and anxiety. It is available from many health food shops. Valium is a modern medicine's answer to it. If you feel you may need one of these, I suggest making an appointment with your doctor now for a consultation and perhaps a prescription.