How To Reduce Holiday Stress

Feeling stressed just thinking about this holiday season?

Teresa G. Gevedon, M.D., has a prescription to help prevent
holiday stress: a dose of realistic expectations.

“We tend to think we can make the holidays perfect-from every
sprinkle on every cookie we make to every gift we buy,” says
Gevedon, assistant professor of psychiatry, University of Kentucky
College of Medicine. “We have a ‘Courier & Ives’ picture
of what the holidays should be like. It’s wonderful. It’s very
warm. Everyone is getting along, and it’s what happy memories are
made of.”

But the reality, Gevedon says, is that preparing for the holiday
season becomes an added responsibility over our regular
commitments, such as working and taking care of our families.

“Suddenly there are presents to buy, parties to attend,
company to prepare for, meals to cook, and children to keep
occupied,” she says. “As a result, our time gets
crunched, our image of the holidays being a wonderful time goes
out the window, and we end up feeling stressed.”

But, Gevedon explains, there are ways to prevent stress from
ruining your holidays:

• Keep your expectations manageable. Don’t try to do everything.

• Give yourself a break by getting enough sleep and rest, and eating right.
  You can only do so much in one day. “The pressure to ‘do’ often does not come
  from others, but ourselves,” Gevedon says. “We pressure ourselves to attend
  all the parties and do all of the old traditions.”

• Spend time with people you care about. Don’t spend your holiday on the run
  trying to spend time with all of your extended family. “There are only 24
  hours in the day, and people need to share,” Gevedon says. “It’s important
  ahead of time to make a decision about who you’re going to spend the holidays
  with. You need to decide how much is too much for your nuclear family. Maybe
  it’s time to start your own traditions.”

• Set a budget and stick to it. It is expensive to buy gifts and the extra
  food that usually accompany the holidays.

• Drink and smoke in moderation.

If you’re already experiencing symptoms of stress-headaches,
irritability, depression, and feelings of being overwhelmed-Gevedon
says the best medicine is to retreat and regroup.

“Stop and take a break,” she says. “The
holidays are a time to have fun. Remember, having realistic
expectations is one of the best gifts you can give yourself
this holiday season.”