Your Low-Stress Guide to Leveling-Up Your Bedtime Routine
Are You Burnt Out or Depressed?
But for others, the most wonderful time of the year can be stressful and emotionally challenging.
Indeed, theres no shortage of stress-inducing experiences as the year winds down.
Family expectations, financial strain fromholiday spending, and jam-packed schedules can leave many stretched too thin.
Conversely, theholidays can amplify griefwhen people that we love cannot be with us.
Youre not the only one.
therapist and founder ofNoor Psychology &
All of this can affect your energy levels.
No matter the source of your stress, there are ways to cope.
9 holiday mental health tips approved by therapists
1.
Set goals
Its easy to get caught up in end-of-year obligations.
Choose something that is within your control so the holidays can meet a standard that you set for yourself.
Challenging family dynamics dont suddenly disappearsometimes the pressure of the season can amplify them, says Salazar.
Similarly, Alomari recommends deciding what yourenotgoing to do ahead of time.
You dont have to do everything that youre being asked to do, she says.
Decide what youre willing to do, and outside of that, remind yourself that you could say no.
therapist and founder ofNoor Psychology &
Throughout the busyness, routines are often the first thing we put aside.
But Salazar suggests trying to strike a balance so you dont burn out.
While spontaneity can be fun, humans need predictability to function optimally, she says.
But moving your bodyeven gentlycan help reduce stress, according to Salazar.
Write a letter
The holiday season can feel particularly challenging if youre grieving, says Alomari.
Writing out your thoughts on paper also helps release those feelings from your body and process difficult emotions.
Challenge yourself to reach out to others; dont wait for plans to come to you, she says.
Sometimes feeling lonely can have us convinced that we are alone, which doesnt always have to be true.
And luckily, there is no shortage of volunteer opportunities around the holidays.
As a bonus, spending time with animals helps boost your mood anddecrease feelings of isolation.
Feel your feelings
Theres often pressure to live up to the joyfulness of the holiday season.
Even better, voice those feelings to a trusted loved one ortalk to a therapist.
Talking openly about your experience can help combat feelings of isolation, according to Salazar.
Creating time limits orsetting healthy boundariesaround feelings of sadness can also be helpful, according to Alomari.
The holidays are a bubble, says Alomari.
It lasts a few weeks, it pops, and then were back to our normal lives again.
Like the saying goes, this too shall pass.
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