Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and peace. For many, it can be a time of stress and pressure.

Here are a few tips and ideas to help you maintain your mental health this holiday season.

Alcohol:

The celebratory spirit of Christmas and New Year often involves social drinking. Although the consumption of alcohol might make you feel more relaxed, it’s important to remember that alcohol is a depressant. Drinking excessive amounts can cause low moods, irritability, or potentially aggressive behavior.

Food:

Additionally, it’s a well-known fact that physical activity releases feel-good chemicals. Endorphins, help you to feel relaxed, happy, and boost your mood. For example, by participating in simple activities, like cycling to work, walking in the park, or joining in with Christmas games, you can experience reduced anxiety, decreased depression, and improved self-esteem. Recent research has indicated that regular exercise can boost our immune systems. This helps us fight off colds and flu viruses that are so common over the winter months.

Get Involved:

Though the frosty air might make you want to hibernate, try to get as involved as possible. Consider a shared experience as a gift for a friend or loved one, like a cooking class or movie outing.

If you can’t be with your family, then volunteering for a charity or local community organization can provide the same human contact and essential support and encouragement for others in need.

Do Good:

Helping others is good for your own mental health and well being. It can help reduce stress, improve your mood, increase self-esteem and happiness, and even benefit your physical health.

Christmas is a good opportunity to volunteer for a charity or local community organization and provide essential support and encouragement for others in need.

Stay in Touch:

If you’re feeling out of touch with someone, the holidays can be a great opportunity to reconnect with a card, email, or phone call. Talking can be a good way to cope with a problem you’ve been carrying around in your head.

Try to Relax:

The holidays are typically very busy and stressful as we prepare to entertain family and friends, worry about cooking the perfect Christmas dinner, and fit in some last-minute gift shopping. These feelings of being under pressure can produce symptoms of anxiety, anger, and difficulty sleeping – and if prolonged, could have a long-term detrimental impact on your mental health and well being.

To keep these feelings at bay, try exercising more regularly. Practicing mindfulness to help alleviate the symptoms or your stress and gain more control when coping with difficult situations.

Sleep:

Despite many of us having extra time off during the holidays, our sleep patterns can be disturbed. It’s been shown that there’s a link between sleep and mental wellbeing. This means improving your overall quality of sleep could improve your overall mental health.

There are several steps you can take to achieve a better night’s sleep, including getting back to your regular sleep routine, consuming less alcohol during the festivities, implementing regular exercise, and taking measures to alleviate your stress. For a detailed list of ways to improve your sleep, check out our article 5 Tips to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene!