My Support Forums - View Single Post - Tips for making the holidays less stressful

blueoctober · Dec 17, 2010, 12:37 PM

Just wanted to share this article from the magazine BP Canada.

Keep the season bright(er)

Newswise, December 10, 2010—Here are reminders about how to scale back stress and hold the “black dog” of depression at bay during the holidays, from Dr. Colleen Carney, PhD, director of the Sleep and Depression Lab at Ryerson University in Toronto, and Dr. Angelos Halaris, a psychiatrist with the Loyola University Health System in Maryland.

Be realistic: Don’t set yourself up by taking on too much or aiming for “the perfect” gift, party or Christmas dinner. “We all have our limits and learning to live within those limits is important,” says Halaris.

Stick with the basics: Exercise always helps. Mind your sleep: Don’t let extra chores chip away at your hours of rest, and don’t go to too many late parties. Continue to eat healthy meals to keep blood sugar levels stabilized. Before parties, have a nutritious snack so that you’re less likely to overindulge on sweets.

Manage relationships. If tensions always run high with this or that relative, devise plans to minimize time spent together or role-play ways to defuse the usual conflicts. On the other hand, make a point of spending time with the people who help you feel better. As Halaris says, “replenishing relationships matter.”

Feed your soul. Set aside time to relax, whether by taking a walk or having a bath before bed. Do things that you find rewarding and fulfilling.