When you need to reduce anxiety at the end of the year and unwind it can be hard. Christmas and the holiday season should be a time to relax and enjoy time with your family. However, it has its own set of challenges outside of what you would normally face every day. This can be especially daunting for those suffering from anxiety. Christmas brings about multiple obligations, financial strain and enhanced expectations within a very short period. No wonder we all get stressed over it!
So, what can help reduce anxiety in the holiday season? There are many strategies that you can implement for yourself at home. Though, in some cases, it doesn’t hurt to seek professional advice, especially when you feel you have no one else to talk to. Voicing your concerns can help relieve some of your stress while allowing others to help guide you through your anxiety.
Here are 5 helpful strategies for you to implement which will help you reduce anxiety during the holidays and ensure you have a relaxing Christmas and an enjoyable end of the year!
1. Enjoy your downtime to reduce anxiety
Downtime is rare in this day and age. We are constantly working and have little energy for the things we enjoy. So, when you do have downtime, treat it like gold! Take the break and make the most of it because you probably won’t get another for a while.
Ensuring you get plenty of sleep and rest during your downtime is sure to help you combat anxiety. If you don’t feel like sleeping, lying in front of the tv and binging a good tv show or reading a good book can be just as rejuvenating. Listening to music can also be relaxing while you take some time to draw or fill in a colouring book. Just as long as it helps you chill out!
Meditation, deep breathing or doing yoga is also beneficial and helps reduce anxiety. Taking the time to do some morning stretches and soothe your soul can give you a boost for the day ahead. Make sure you enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts. This can give you a true appreciation for the time you have which promotes gratitude and happiness.
Finally, some pampering! It is always good to treat yourself when you need it. You have worked hard this year so make sure you take care of yourself now. Enjoying a nice massage and some chocolate is always a good idea. Maybe you just want a facial or a soothing dip in the bath with some wine. Whatever you consider pampering, do it! There is nothing saying that you don’t deserve it.
2. Be honest about your expectations
Honesty is the best policy and that includes being real with yourself. Try not to set unrealistic expectations of yourself because it doesn’t work. Instead of driving you to be better it just causes a huge amount of stress. You can avoid this and reduce anxiety for yourself by creating a realistic action plan with all your tasks and activities written down.
Don’t try to compare yourself to others either. This can influence anxiety symptoms and send you tumbling out of control. Stick to what you are doing, it is good enough! You don’t need to be perfect. It’s not a competition! It’s whether you are happy that counts. If you try to outcompete you may just end up overburdening yourself and being miserable for the whole holidays.
Reducing anxiety can also be difficult when you have so many people to catch up with and events to attend during Christmas. Being capable of saying no is a crucial skill at this time of year. Especially if you suffer from anxiety and depression. You should be flexible with your options and make changes where necessary but remember it’s your time too. So you should be enjoying it!
Money is another problem at this time of year with the extra expenses of presents, decorations and events. Therefore, you need to ensure you set a realistic budget and stick to it! This will help you avoid so much heart ache and regret at the end of the holidays while helping you reduce anxiety. Finding a bargain can be its own reward!
3. Reduce anxiety by spending your time wisely
Spending your time wisely during Christmas is important to help maintain your anxiety. Start by delegating tasks to others if you don’t need to do them yourself. It shouldn’t be up to you to do everything when others can help. This will help you reduce anxiety during your holidays and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.
It is rare that we get to spend time with the ones we love and the ones who support us throughout the year. Prioritizing time with them will allow you to thank them for the year gone past and give you happy memories that you will remember for a lifetime.
If you feel your time is being encroached upon by those that don’t support you then this can be a problem. Spending your time on these people won’t help your anxiety and you will need to express your feelings about this. You can say no and spend your precious time elsewhere. Be firm but fair and ensure you have your best interests at heart.
Spending time on yourself is also a good way to reduce anxiety. This is because you allow yourself to take a breather from others and everything going on around you. It can be exhausting doing holiday tasks all the time then going out with others. Spending time on the things you love will allow you to unwind and enjoy the free days you have.
4. Be mindful and practice gratitude
Being mindful means focusing on the present moment. Don’t try to think about what tomorrow will bring but focus on what you are doing today. Whether you are eating a meal, exercising, wrapping presents or enjoying an activity you love, focus on that current event. This will allow your body to relax and ease your mind which, in turn, helps to reduce anxiety. That’s is because you are focusing on things you can control in the moment.
Doing something for someone else, whether they are a family member or stranger, can be beneficial for your happiness. When we help others out we are showing them that we care and the gratitude we receive in return gives us the warm and fuzzies. Even if you don’t receive gratitude first hand just know that you did something good for someone else.
Don’t forget to practice your own gratitude as well. If you are thankful for what you have and for the current day you can experience then this will help with your anxiety. Positive affirmations are also powerful tools you can recite to yourself which will help your mental health. They can be anything from “I will get everything done today” to “You can do anything!” As long as it gets you pumped, it’s a good sign.
Lastly, you should reflect on your day. Think about the things you did well and give yourself a moment to be proud or excited about what you did. Also think about what you didn’t do so well during the day without judgement. Was there something you could have done better or improved upon? This will allow you the confidence to do better tomorrow through this mindful reflection.
5. Believe in yourself
No matter what time of year it is, it is important to believe in yourself. If you don’t then who will? Only you can push yourself forward and contend with the holiday drama the way you know how. Believing in yourself will one, reduce your anxiety and two, make things a lot easier for you to deal with. This is because you are then motivated and know that you can get the job done!
Starting with small tasks and working up to larger ones during the holidays can give you the confidence to believe in yourself over time. This ensures that when those big tasks come around you are ready and won’t bat an eyelid when they present a challenge. This will reduce your stress and anxiety while helping you maintain your mental and emotional health overall.
Positive reinforcement from a friend or family member is also good. This will give you a confidence boost while improving your image of yourself. It can also give you more motivation to push through the tasks you need to get done over the Christmas break. If you are struggling to get reinforcement from someone you know then asking a health care professional can be beneficial as well.
Ask for professional help to reduce anxiety
Sometimes fighting alone is just not enough and there is no shame in asking for help. Some people can feel very overwhelmed and stressed around Christmas time. If your friends and family can’t help and you feel like you are on your own this is when you need to speak to a professional. They can help you manage your anxiety with anxiety treatment plans you can implement at home.
Anxiety symptoms that are severe and are affecting your family as well as your life need to be addressed sooner rather than later. If you feel you will be extremely anxious or already are, speaking to your health care professional can help. This could be your doctor, psychiatrist or other health professional you trust. Just make sure you get the help when you need it!
Keep moving forward
It can be hard during the end of the year but that doesn’t mean you should give up or give in. This is the time where you need to keep moving forward. Dealing with anxiety is not easy but if you know how to manage it you will be much better for it. This will not only allow you to have enjoyable holidays during Christmas but will change your life for the better!
Please be advised this information may help but is NOT a replacement for professional health advice. If you are feeling unwell please speak to a medical professional.
