How to Stop yourself from Singing the Holiday Blues

From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve, the holiday season brings not only joy and excitement but stress and anxiety as well. However you choose to celebrate, you can benefit from developing a plan to stop the holiday blues from getting you down this year.

7 Steps to Overcoming the Holiday Blues

1)      Acknowledge your Feelings

Before the holidays even begin, recognize how you feel about them. If you have experienced change or loss throughout the year, express your feelings rather than suppressing them.

2)      Set Realistic Expectations

Too many people get the holiday blues because they enter the season with too high of expectations. Instead of falling for that trap, try to go with the flow more this season.

3)      Reach out to Family and Friends

No one should have to go through the holidays alone. If you are feeling low, reach out to a friend or family member you haven’t spoken with in a while. You might be surprised to learn they are missing you, too.

4)      Plan out a Holiday Schedule

You can minimize your stress and anxiety levels by planning out a holiday schedule in advance. If you notice too much down time, you can then add new holiday activities to your agenda.

5)      Help others

One way to forget about your own problems is to help someone in need. If you have the time, you could volunteer at a soup kitchen or assist with a local toy drive.

6)      Maintain Healthy Habits

Just because you may be feeling blue, doesn’t mean it’s time to overindulge. Practicing healthy eating habits this holiday season will place you in a good position to start the New Year off right.

3 Healthy Ideas for the Holidays

• Eat a nutritious snack before going to a party
• Don’t stop exercising
• Get plenty of sleep

7)      Ask for Help if you Need it

If you still find the holidays difficult to deal with, you could also enlist the help of a trained medical professional.

Advantage Care Health Centers provides mental and behavioral health services for individuals that work to improve overall wellness. If you want to find out more about our community health center and how it can be of assistance, contact us today.