Ho Ho or Uh Oh? Managing Holiday Stress

Another holiday season is nearly upon us. For some it is a time of celebration and joyful anticipation. Yet, for many others, the last month and a half of the year seems full of unwanted stress, unmet expectations, and unwelcome conflicts. Depression, drinking and drugging, family and relational angst, disappointment, and isolation, can all increase. The good news is that these negative factors can be managed effectively if we know what to anticipate.

What Does the Research Say?

According to a 2023 study of more than 2,000 adults conducted by the American Psychological Association, 89% of respondents identified at least one source of holiday stress, with more than 40% reporting increased stress levels that interfere with their enjoyment of the season. This includes financial and budget concerns, loneliness and missing loved ones, increased relational discord, unhealthy eating and drinking habits, and more. Interestingly, 72% agreed that holiday stress can feel bittersweet . . . both good and bad.

More recently, in their recent Healthy Minds Poll, the American Psychiatric Association revealed that 41% of U.S. adults now anticipate more stress and anxiety during the holidays (a significant increase from just two years ago), with grief, challenging family dynamics, and loneliness leading the way.

What is the Impact?

The overconsumption of alcohol is another major consequence of holiday related stress. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse & Addiction (NIAAA), alcohol is a primary factor in binge drinking (1 in 4 adults or 60 million people), as well as in a significant number of highway fatalities between November and January (Thanksgiving – 40% of all highway deaths; Christmas – 37%; 58% New Year’s). An increase in DUI violations tells the story: Thanksgiving – a 30% increase; Christmas – a 33% increase; and New Year’s – a 155% increase.

Stress Prevention Tips

Here are a few suggestions to help maintain a healthy sense of balance during the holiday season:

1. Accept the fact that you simply cannot do everything, nor for everyone. Determine what are your true priorities.
2. Plan ahead as much as possible. Managing and scheduling your time is much better than your time controlling you.
3. Create a budget and stick to it. Don’t try to buy happiness – celebrate and enjoy it.
4. Give up the goal (or obsession) of having to be perfect and/or do everything perfectly. Life rarely works out that way.
5. Give yourself permission to set appropriate boundaries with people. Be willing to say, “No” and don’t feel guilty about it.
6. Build in downtime for yourself. Read a book. Play. Relax. Go to a movie. Engage in a favorite hobby. Sit and just be still for a few minutes.
7. Share the tasks; do less, not more. Doing things together, especially when it flows out of genuine relationship, often renews the soul.
8. Don’t give up all of your normal and daily routines. Repetition and rhythm are good ways to minimize anxiety, worry, and depression.
9. Unplug from time-to-time. Be intentional about reducing the amount and use of screen time and technology, especially social media. Quiet your soul.
10. Have reasonable expectations for yourself and others, and don’t make it your mission to “fix” people or the past. Instead, give the gift of your time and the ministry of presence.
11. If loneliness and a depressed mood are becoming problems, get involved. Avoid isolation. Reach out and seek community. Spend some meaningful time offering service to others who also need a word or gesture of love and encouragement.
12. Eat and drink in moderation. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and can compound other symptoms of depression.
13. Be sure to get enough sleep. This is the body’s and mind’s way of restoring and revitalizing itself.
14. Listen to your favorite music. One study out of the University of Maryland showed that music can relax blood vessels and increase blood flow, especially in and around the heart.
15. Spend more time in direct sunlight during the winter months. Sunlight increases the production of serotonin, an important mood stabilizing neurotransmitter.
16. Smell the citrus. Research on depression has revealed that citrus fragrances can increase a person’s sense of well-being and alleviate the symptoms of stress because of increased norepinephrine production. Norepinephrine is another important mood-related neurotransmitter.
17. Take a brisk walk or work out on a regular basis. Moderate exercise is an effective stress reliever and has a positive effect on the brain by decreasing anxiety and improving sleep patterns.
18. Watch your caffeine intake. This is especially important after 3:00-4:00 pm because caffeine has an almost eight-hour half-life (meaning 50% of its effect is still impacting your body up to eight hours after consumption).
19. Meditate on your favorite Scriptures. Have some honey while you do it – food for the soul and for the body. Honey is a proven antioxidant (the darker the better), and has antibacterial properties that help the immune system while also providing a good source of energy.
20. If necessary or appropriate, seek out professional help. Untreated anxiety, depression, addiction, and other stress-related disorders can be potentially dangerous.

A Thankful Heart

Take a few minutes throughout the holidays to reflect on the things you are truly thankful for. Having a thankful heart can be transformative in so many ways. Create some of your own memories and traditions. Invite Christ, the true Prince of Peace, to have first place in your life and affirm once again the joy of His gift to you. Perspective is a great companion in the midst of a season that seems crazy and disruptive. The holidays can become an endless pursuit of peace, joy, meaning, relationship, and so much more. Yet, too many of us look in all the wrong places. Jesus is the source. He told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27). He is, as the angels proclaimed two thousand years ago, the, “good news of great joy, which will be for all people” (Luke 2:10).

Learn more at HopefortheHeart.org and listen to our HopeTalks podcast to hear more from Dr. Scalise and others at Hope for the Heart.