5 ways to manage holiday stress
Q:How can I make it through the holidays without feeling so stressed?
A:“With
all the gaiety, the holidays can bring an array of demands and expectations, which, as you indicated, can induce seasonal stress,” says Jeff
Smith, M.D., a board-certified Family Medicine physician at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. “Commitments, crowds, traffic, and maxed-out credit cards can leave you physically, emotionally, and financially exhausted.”
Here are a few practical tips to help minimize your seasonal swoon:
1. Don’t shop till you drop.
Compulsive holiday shopping and overspending can lead to distressful financial consequences. Set a spending limit and stick to it. January creditcard bills can haunt you like ghosts from A Christmas Carol.
2. Get adequate rest.
Exhaustion often accompanies the hectic holiday pace, leaving you more vulnerable to seasonal illnesses such as the flu. Have realistic expectations about what you can do. Don’t exhaust yourself by attending every holiday function.
3. Practice moderation.
If you choose to imbibe, do so in moderation. Alcohol is a depressant that can exacerbate a seasonal psychological condition known as the holiday blues. Never drive under the influence of alcohol – it’s not worth the risk!
4. Exercise.
Make time for exercise. A brisk 30-minute walk each day can help relieve stress.
5. Create new memories.
Ironically, the season may bring sadness with romanticized memories of the irretrievable past and loved ones no longer here. Try to accept these passages as an inevitable part of our human experience. Now is your time to create new holiday memories. William Wordsworth wrote this poem 212 years ago: “Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass / of glory in the flower / we will grieve not / rather find strength in what remains behind.” Dr. Jeff Smith cares for patients at Kelsey-Seybold’s Pasadena Clinic,
5001 E. Sam Houston Parkway S. Call 713-442-7587 to schedule an appointment or to find a physician at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.