Tips to Reduce Holiday Stress

The holiday season is a time to visit family and friends. It’s a time of joy and excitement for many, but can also include the stress of finding the perfect gift or making sure your home is perfectly decorated. There are a few tips that you can follow in order to make the holidays enjoyable while staying relaxed.

Get Outside
Whether it’s picking out a tree or hanging decorations, spend some time outdoors when the sun is shining. Being in the sunlight can put you in a positive mood and help fight Seasonal Affective Disorder  due to the changing seasons.

Take A Walk
When it seems like too much is going on at one time, take a walk. Find a trail or a sidewalk that is safe so that you can walk away from the stress! Physical activity helps to decrease anxiety levels and the fresh air is good for the body as well.

Sleep
Even if you need to take a supplement, it’s important that you get plenty of sleep at night. You’ll feel rejuvenated the next day and have the energy to do all of the things around the home for the holidays.

Shop Less
There are so many times when you might get caught up in needing to find just the right gift that you forget the reason for the holidays. Choose one or two items, and leave it at that. The holiday season is about spending time together, not spending money.

Plan Ahead
If you are hosting holiday dinner, make a plan of how many people will be joining you and how many gifts you need to buy so that you can budget money and buy food ahead of time.

Bubble Baths
Add a hot water to a tub and a few bubble, and you will have a relaxing environment for the end of the day.

Talk
Don’t keep feelings bottled inside. Talk about your feelings with someone else so that you don’t feel overwhelmed.

Laugh 
Find something you enjoy. Laughter is often the best medicine for decreasing stress!