How Stress During the Holidays Can Affect Your Life
Holidays are often not as happy as we want them to be. Sometimes, they are downright stressful. There are many reasons for this. Worrying about what to buy your loved ones for Christmas. Your job becoming more demanding. The changing seasons.
Whatever is causing your stress, be it one issue or many, the holiday stress can affect your life. Here is how.
It Makes You More Anxious
If you have anxiety, or even if you don’t, holiday stress can give you anxiety. Sometimes, it’s because you’re anxious about seeing your family. Other times, you’re worrying about your budget and whether you can make everyone happy with the gifts you gave them. Whatever the case, holiday stress is usually to blame in this situation.
It’s Harder to Sleep
Holiday stress can keep you up at night. There are a few factors that contribute to this, such as seasonal affective disorder. The changing seasons and shorter days can affect melatonin production, and your brain being more active can make it harder to shut down when you need it.
It’s important you practice good sleep hygiene and unwind during the day, or see a doctor if you need to do so.
You May Be More Irritable
For many, you may come across as a bit of a Scrooge if you’re over-stressed. It’s common to lash out on people during the holidays even if you don’t mean it. If you have a temper, you need to keep it under control during the holidays, and it’s easier said than done.
It Can Hurt Your Job Performance
Job performance is already tough if you work a job that becomes more demanding with the holiday season. However, if you’re someone who is over-stressed, your job may suffer. Make sure you’re balancing work and life, and don’t feel upset if you can’t do everything.
How to Treat it
Holiday stress is treatable, luckily. Here are some ways you can treat your holiday-related stress:
- Budget. Don’t stress too much on gifts you can’t afford. If you can’t afford everything, your family should understand.
- If your stress is due to seeing your family, try talking to them about your concerns, or thinking of a way out if the environment is too much. Also, remember that you’re not obligated to spend time with people who don’t appreciate you.
- Get plenty of exercise and eat healthy. It’s okay to indulge in moderation, but don’t use the holidays as an excuse to be sedentary.
Finally, to treat your stress, you should
Seek Help
A counselor from BetterHelp can help you manage your holiday stress. They can figure out the causes and try to find solutions. If you’re dealing with family issues, family counseling could fix it. If you’re dealing with work, a counselor can teach you how to balance work and life, and how to stand up for yourself if everyone is throwing the workload on you.
Don’t stress over the holidays. Seek help today.
Marie Miguel Biography
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
