Whether it be the stress of the lead up to Christmas, including shopping and cooking, or nostalgic memories of a lost loved one, loneliness or even lack of solitude, The Mayo Clinic has some great tips on how to avoid Christmas stress and depression. We’ve also added some advice that has worked for us over the years.
1. Be honest with yourself and acknowledge your feelings. You can’t force yourself to enjoy Christmas just because you think that you should.
2. If you feel lonely or isolated, reach out. One way to do this is to join in with local community or religious events. Another is to volunteer your time at a soup kitchen or shelter. Or you can often find Christmas events for orphans and newcomers to the city.
3. Set aside family differences. We all know that old phrase, “You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family,” and may never feel truer than on Christmas Day. But it’s the perfect time to take a deep breath and practise compassion.
4. Set personal limits for your time and money. Make yourself some goals and try and stay within them; have a weekly planner and set aside some time for Christmas catch-ups, even after work drinks if that makes things easier for you. Also, make a list of gifts you need to buy and allocate a price for each so you don’t go overboard last minute.
5. Plan ahead. The crescendo of stress and busyness builds up to Christmas Day. Try to flatten it out by being organised.
6. Avoid over-eating. Overindulgence will only add to your stress and guilt.
7. Avoid drinking too much. Alcohol is a known depressant.
8. Get plenty of sleep. Being well-rested make everything seem more manageable.
9. Exercise. The serotonin that exercised creates actually works to make you feel better so make sure you factor in a brisk walk.
10. Seek professional help if you need it. Christmas may be a trigger for something more enduring than a seasonal low. If you find yourself feeling persistently low or anxious, t alk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
