How to Protect Mental Health during the Holidays - Be Still Float Therapy Jacksonville, Florida

While the entire point of the holiday season is to relax and reconnect with family and friends in a fun and laid-back atmosphere, stress and the holidays often go together like turkey and cranberry sauce. Even though it may seem like the term holiday stress should be an oxymoron, experiencing tension over the holidays can be almost inescapable. It can end up causing you mental fatigue before the holiday arrives.

Whether hosting the festivities, seeing friends and family, or taking a holiday getaway to a ski or beach resort, just planning for the holidays can be frustrating. Worrying about the long to-do list of tasks, maintaining family traditions, spending too much money, shopping, and cooking for a large group can all take a toll on your patience and sanity. If you are traveling, you may have to deal with the hotel, rental car, airline reservations, and canceled and missed flights. Be Still Float has soothing candles to help relieve your stress.

Hosting a holiday gathering at your home can be just as nerve-racking as traveling across the country. The stress from either can put a damper on the festivities and suck all the fun out of what is supposed to be one of the most enjoyable times of the year. However, there are plenty of ways to relieve stress and combat the tension of the holiday season to protect your mental health and enjoy the holiday season.

The American Institute of Stress reports that the holiday season typically brings increased levels of stress. The holidays can be stressful for different people for different reasons, but much of it seems to center on financial costs. The stress can be so severe for some people that they feel more like the Grinch than Santa, making them want to skip the holidays altogether. Surveys have shown that the people who experience the most stress over the holidays tend to be families with a household income of less than $50,000.

A 2019 study showed women tend to experience stress over the holidays more often than men because women tend to assume most of the holiday-related tasks and the stress tends to increase as the day draws nearer. Other factors that contribute to stress include high expectations and exposure to too much commercialized holiday media.

Even though stress seems to be just as much a part of the holidays as bad presents, eggnog, and pumpkin pie, some highly effective tools can help you reduce stress during the holidays. Here are some tips on ways to relieve stress and protect your mental health this holiday season:

 1) Staying Present

Research conducted by Harvard University discovered that people spend less than half their time living in the present moment. Studies have also found that people who spend more time thinking about the future or focusing on worries tend to experience more stress and depression. Taken together, this would seem to show that one of the best and most effective solutions for holiday stress is being mindful of staying in, and enjoying, the present moment.

 2) Recognizing Triggers

It can be hard to pause and regroup when stressors crop up, so it is imperative to know what your triggers are. The Mayo Clinic says people must learn and be aware of their stress triggers to recognize and address them before a meltdown occurs. Research has shown that demand for personal time and financial concerns are the two most common triggers.

 3) Knowing What Matters

The holidays can make you crazy with traveling, winter driving, traffic, and the throngs of holiday shoppers clogging the stores. This is the time to remind yourself of what matters to you, what you have to be thankful for, and the true meaning of the holidays.

 4) Be Realistic

Don’t fall into the trap that everything has to be “perfect” and expect things to be the same as always. Thing change from year to year, traditions get modified, and families evolve. Be able to accept change and learn to find new and better ways to celebrate.

 5) Set Differences Aside

As hard as it can be, one of the most important things you can do to keep your holiday stress levels down is to learn to accept the differences between you and your family and friends. Put personal, and especially political, differences aside, at least for the holidays. Remember the old saying, “Never discuss baseball, religion, or politics at parties.”

 6) Be Kind and Compassionate

Try to remember the true meaning of the holidays is to have peace and show goodwill. Reach out to family and friends you enjoy spending time with, and maybe try to mend a fence or two, if possible, and be kind to service workers. Even if others don’t act in a kind manner, take the high ground and put grace in your words. You will never be able to control how anyone else will behave, only how you will respond to their behavior. Don’t forget to be kind and compassionate to yourself.

 7) Make Time for Yourself

It is sometimes easier said than done, but taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do to keep the stress gremlins at bay. Take a break to watch a movie, read a book, take a walk, hit the gym, and be sure to get enough sleep. Other self-care ideas are to get a massage or try float therapy. Relaxing and getting enough sleep have been proven to boost your immune system, which will help keep you from getting sick and dealing with holiday stress. Massages are a great way to release the built-up tension in the muscles and the mind. Float studios offer what is sometimes referred to as sensory deprivation therapy that allows you to float effortlessly in a tank where all external stimuli are shut out so you can fully relax with no distractions. Check out our journals, candles, and lotions to pamper yourself.

 8) Seek Help

Sometimes, even if you have done everything you can to reduce stress yourself, you may need professional help. There is no shame in seeking counseling, and it is actually a sign of strength to know you need help and being able to ask for it if you need it. If you don’t know of a good counselor, you can start your search by calling your local mental health agency or perform an online search for “stress therapy near me.”

 9) Set a Budget

It is all too easy to fall into the trap of financing everything for the holidays with credit cards and thinking you will pay it off later. Unfortunately, this approach almost always causes people to overextend themselves financially and is one of the significant causes of stress. Instead, set and stick to a generous but realistic budget.

It is crucial that you learn to take control of the things that cause you stress so you will be able to look forward to the celebrations and not let the holidays become a source of apprehension. Be Still Float wellness studio in Jacksonville, Florida, provides several noninvasive ways to relieve stress, including float therapy, massage therapy, and sound healing. If you live in the Jacksonville area, call Be Still Float at 904-619-9615 or find them online at BeStillFloat.com.