Holiday Stress

Stress, depression and the holidays: Tips for coping

Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression.

By Mayo Clinic staff

The holiday season often brings unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it's no wonder. The holidays present a dizzying array of demands — parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, to name just a few.

But with some practical tips, you can minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays. You may even end up enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would.

Tips to prevent holiday stress and depression

1.Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief.
2.Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events.
3.Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year.
4.Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are
5.Stick to a budget.
6.Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities.
7.Learn to say no.
8.Don't abandon healthy habits. Continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity.
9.Take a breather.  Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.
10.Seek professional help if you need it.

Name - Attendance - Stressors

Prancey 30 - who will watch puppy?
Jodi 29 - hair up or down?
Gary 28 - 14th pull up
Kathleen 27 - Boot Camp instructors that don't listen
Elizabeth 27 - not meeting everybody
Cindy 27 - Bad Music
Susie Mac 26 - Hills
Susie C 26 - new engagement ring weighing her hand down
Stacey 26 - tooth
Maggie 26 - Tar Heel Basketball
Lisa 26 - change (democrats)
Laurie 26 - rainy days
Caroline 26 - UGA Football
John G. 25 - Day after the MLB all star game
Ellie 25 - loud instructors
Kaffee 24 - missing Boot Camp
Barb 24 - Fire
Tiffany 23 - candy
Mary D. 23 - boys driving
Kristen 23 - the clock...how does she do it all?
Jenny 23 - gum
Charles 23 - explaining to BC instructor why he missed another workout
Brittany 23 - waking baby
Roxanna 22 - kids on Skis
Glamour 22 - hunting
Michael 21 - hamstring
Leslie 21 - beating Richard at mlkday5k
John O'Neill 21 - Holding that fart until the end of the workout
Michael S. 20 - exercise (getting over it)
Mary 20 - cold ears and mean people
Irene 20 - missing that morning bell
Mary Blythe 19 - nothing
Margaret 19 - sprinting
John S 19 - 3:25
Jimmy F 19 - Crazy 8s
Holly 19 - Jenna
Harriott 19 - Chip
Paige 18 - Verrazano Bridge
Jennifer 18 - Catching Waves
Christine 18 - Girls
Allison 18 - frowns
Todd 17 - knee
Fred 17 - heat
Caroline Mc 17 - surviving health care cut backs
Matthew 16 - Way too many to name...
Frank 16 - slow running
Carolyn 16 - missing the opportunity to be delightful to everyone
Kristin 14 - The Stop Watch
Sally 13 - Kaffee waxing her in a run
Liz 13 - Atlanta for more than 4 days in a row
Katie 13 - BOYS
Carina 13 - Crazy Americans
Sabrina 11 - cold
Alwyn 10 - feet
Pam 9 - obnoxiously fit sister
Rachel 8 - these BC fanatics
Lisa M. 8 - Kaffee waxing her in a run
Cindy Neal 8 - lawyers
Dolly 7 - the BIG deal