Murray, NEB-The holiday season can be quite chaotic and a bit stressful for most. It is important to gain control over your stress before it becomes too much. Holidays can cause many people with any sort of mental illness or condition to feel even worse than normal. This is just another reason to stay mindful of your stress levels.

During the holiday season, there are many factors that can result in a “stress overload.” These factors include unrealistic expectations, finances and an overwhelming amount of commitments. There are many ways to reduce stress and cope with it throughout the holidays.

If you already have your basic plans set in place and you are not worried about them then avoid changing them. Try not to change your plans constantly or make new ones just to please others, this could only cause more stress and make things more chaotic. A simple way to decrease high levels of stress is to follow through with commitments without adding new ones.

Holidays can be heavily influenced and dependent on a person’s financial standing. As part of a group or family, it is important to be understanding of others and what they may or may not be able to contribute. By putting these extreme standards in place, people begin to accumulate unnecessary stress. To avoid stressful situations it is good to keep an open mind and be mindful of others and their circumstances.

Stressing over holidays is exceptionally common. When becoming overly stressed it is key to take a breath and relax for a moment. The holidays are a time to celebrate and be with one another. Make sure to take any needed steps to help yourself destress over the holiday break.