The Christmas season can be stressful for many of us and hurt our mental health. From organizing the festive dinner party, and decorating the home to shopping for the perfect gifts, all this mental charge can affect your overall wellness. That is why it is crucial to keep your sanity intact! I have gathered mindful Christmas mental health tips that may help you look after your mental soundness and survive through these crazy holiday season festivities.
Medical disclosure: The Fit Yourself Barre content is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of a physician. You should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
8 Christmas mental health tips for a merrier holiday season
- Plan ahead
- Get help
- Lower your expectations
- Talk about how you feel
- Practice self-care
- Enjoy yourself
- Do activities that bring happiness
- Keep active
No one wants to start the new year mentally and physically drained, right? I hope these tips will help you cope better with Christmas anxiety and preserve your mental health.
- Plan ahead
Your mental load is doubled when it comes to organizing Christmas and New Year’s. It is important to remember to plan well ahead so you don’t end up feeling too stressed out. To limit the pressure, keep a to-do list to ease your mind gradually.
- Don’t hesitate to ask for help
To prevent you from struggling to make ends meet, asking for help is the key to maintaining your mental health sound. Involve all your family members to participate in the holiday plans. In this way, the season preparations can be a time for creating lasting memories and bringing your family closer together.
- Lower your expectations
We tend to imagine that everything will be perfect and our expectations are too high. Train your mind in advance to welcome the unpredictable. Let go of worries that you can’t control. That’s so much more fun to enjoy the present moment.
- Talk to someone about your feelings
At times, as Christmas is approaching, you may feel down even though you are eager. This can be a sign of burnout and it can be very confusing. Be open about how you feel and talk about it to a loved one to protect your mental health.
- Practice self-care
Soon enough, you’ll be surrounded by your friends and family, so don’t feel sorry about taking extra good care of yourself before all the festivities’ hype begins. Pamper yourself and take a break whenever you feel the need to. Make sure your social batteries are fully recharged!
Read the related article “French Women Self-Care Ideas: 14 Top Tips!”
- Be mindful and enjoy yourself
Christmas and New Year’s partying is all about enjoying yourself, unloading the tension, and being happy. Eating and drinking a little more than usual is ok, unless your doctor has put you on a special diet. Know your limits. It is just for a few days and it is not worth stressing out about it. Hence, be very mindful and appreciate every single bite of the food specialties that you only eat at that time of the year. Without overdoing it and always in moderation of course!
Read the related article “5 Weird French Christmas Food Traditions To Try or Not!”
- Do festive activities that make you happy
Intentionally doing activities that bring us happiness keeps us mentally fit. With the extra cooking, shopping, and cleaning, the holiday season can quickly become more about preparing than celebrating. Whether it’s baking some delicious pies with family, or crafting unique gifts, numerous activities can lift your spirits and make the holiday season all the more special.
- Keep active
Nothing better for your mental health than keeping yourself physically active both before and after the Holiday season. A bowl of fresh air and a brisk walk are always beneficial and will help eliminate the excess eating during meals and help free your mind. Remember that exercise helps improve sleep, mood, and concentration.
Read the related article “Christmas Fitness Tips | How To Stay Healthy And Fit”
Have yourself a happy mental Christmas!
The Christmas season shouldn’t feel like a burden! Hence, it is a time for happiness, fun, and making joyful lasting memories with your family and friends. So, remember that with a little help, some planning ahead, and taking breaks for yourself, you also protect your mental wellness.
Enjoyed this article? Pin it for later on Pinterest!
What do you do to support your mental health over the holiday season? Please share your thoughts and experience below!
Affiliate disclosure: my content may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, I make a small commission at NO extra cost to you and that will help me pay for the cost of maintaining my website and writing more helpful content. Thank you for your support!
It’s so easy to get caught up in the lead-up to Christmas, wondering why, if this is such a joyous time, you are feeling so drained and stressed.
Your 8 tips are an excellent guide to enjoying the Christmas break instead of dreading it.
I’m pretty sure that planning ahead is key, just as it is for most of life’s ventures.
If you have a plan and stick to it, you are much more likely to come out the other end unscathed. Just make sure that you have some fallback options, so that you’re not thrown out of kilter when something doesn’t go according to plan.
And remember that you are not responsible for everyone else’s behavior. So don’t stress over what other friends (or more likely, family members) say and do.
Thanks, Anne-Caroline for these timely Christmas tips and the links to other useful information.
Thank you for your comment. Yes, planning for the holiday season festivities is key to protecting your mental wellbeing.
You may be interested in reading Christmas Fitness Tips | How To Stay Healthy And Fit !
Great article, not one I thought would be out there to be honest with Christmas cheer etc. But certainly one that I can relate to. December is a crazy month for us even before Christmas and super stressful at time so this is a great read and one I think a lot of people would benefit from. I especially like the mental health tips here!
Thank you! It is important to talk about our feelings during the Christmas season. You may be interested in reading Christmas Fitness Tips | How To Stay Healthy And Fit