13 tips for surviving the holidays (part two)

By Dr. Ronald Hoffman


Last week, I discussed ways to maintain your physical health over the holiday season, but what about your mental health? It should come as no surprise that the holiday season can be one of stress, conflict, even loneliness for many. Here are my best tips for keeping your emotional health in tip-top shape during this sometimes trying season:

7) Don't overbook: Holiday freneticism is hard to avoid. Deliberately create "circuit breakers" in your schedule to avoid Yule burnout.

8) Light it up: The holidays coincide with the darkest time of the year. Get some light in your eyes with an early morning walk, or consider a light box to fend off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

9) Overcome the blues: While it may seem paradoxical to be depressed during the traditional "Season of Joy," its actually quite natural. The contrast between your circumstances and the illusion that everyone else has it better is never more accentuated. Unhappy childhood memories surface, and loneliness and feelings of failure are highlighted against a festive background.

If you fall prey to these feelings around holiday time, don't hesitate to seek help. Friends, family, a clergy member or even a good self-help book may work, but seek professional counseling if you truly can't shake the Holiday Blues.

10) Defy consumerism: It's unrealistic to expect that the reality of our holiday experience will match the idealized hype. After all, retailers want us to buy a lot of material stuff, which whips us into a shopping frenzy, and inevitably leaves us disappointed when we can't "have it all." Manage your expectations and enjoy the little things about the holiday season. Think about its true meaning, and leave room amid the glitz to get in touch with your spirituality.

11) Create a "quiet oasis": Faced with all the demands of the holidays, you need a place to retreat. Create a calm zone where, for a few hours a week, you won't be preoccupied with shopping, parties, or family obligations. Avoid the temptation to check your email, texts, holiday sales announcements or social media for a short time. Read a favorite book, listen to music, or enjoy a regular hobby to reboot your brain.

12) Flex your altruism muscles: The holidays are a great time to "give back"-and I don't mean just stuffing envelopes for your doorman or postman. The dirty, dark secret about altruism is that it's actually selfish - studies show that giving can enhance health and extend longevity.

Volunteering is a way of getting outside of yourself and reaping the benefits of generosity. You can help a senior citizen, visit the sick, shop for Christmas toys for needy kids, tutor a child, or mentor an aspiring young person. Most localities maintain a roster of volunteer opportunities.

13) Avoid isolation: Loneliness can kill. Scientific studies verify it. This holiday, reach out to friends and family members whose social networks are limited. If you're feeling left out, take part in a volunteer activity or communal worship service.

I hope these tips, and the ones I provided last week, help to carry you through the holiday season in good health and good spirits. Remember that even in this season of giving, one of the best gifts you can give is the gift of self care.

Have a comment on this article? Send it.


 

Back to...

Health conditions and concerns

More in this group...

Vitamin c / atherosclerosis scare

Functional food science

Is your diet making you sick?

Drugs that steal

Iron: deficiency and toxicity

12 drugs you should never take (part 2 of 3)

12 supplements you should NEVER take

"Death by food pyramid": a review

"Don't take your vitamins"? So not!

"Fed Up": A movie review

Intelligent Medicine Bone Health Protocol available now!

Intelligent Medicine Health News Review

10 "Duh!" health and nutrition stories

10 simple hacks to improve your diet

10 ways the foods you eat can affect your sex life

11 reasons why you should be using extra virgin olive oil

11 things worth trying if you suffer from tinnitus

12 drugs you should never take (part 1 of 3)

12 drugs you should never take (part 3 of 3)

12 supplements you should NEVER take

13 tips for surviving the holidays (part one)

13 tips for surviving the holidays (part two)

16 reasons to go nuts for nuts

5 easy Paleo diet hacks

6 new products that I'm excited about in 2015

A nerd in the kitchen: My review of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji Lo

American Heart Association doubles down on outmoded saturated fat recommendations

Are "paleo snacks" an oxymoron?

Are fruit and veggie pills really as effective as they claim?

Are fruit and veggie pills really as effective as they claim?

Are vegetarians healthier than meat-eaters? So NOT, according to shocking new studies

Can a low-salt diet actually be BAD for you?

Can what you eat really damage your thyroid?

Clinical Focus: Nicotinamide Riboside

Confessions of an EX-vegan

Could a vegetarian diet undermine your mental health?

Could a vegetarian diet undermine your mental health?

Could Big Sugar become the next Big Tobacco?

Death by Food Pyramid? by Denise Minger: A Review

Defensive Eating: Taming your addiction to food

Detox in a box

Dispatches from the front lines of nutrition-what you need to know about the latest health headlines

Do you have SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)?

Do you really need to eat breakfast?

Frontline gets it wrong about supplements

GMO non-browning apples: A risky solution to a non-problem

Happy one millionth podcast! Let's review the best of 2015 so far

How a raw foods diet can make you sick

ICYMI: Dr. Hoffman's Store now available through Fullscript!

Iron: Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?

Is fructose really that bad for you?

Is the "pandemic" of vitamin D deficiency exaggerated?

Is the way to a (wo)man's heart through his(her) stomach?

Is the Whole30 diet right for you? (part one)

Is the Whole30 diet right for you? (part two)

Is your grill killing you? Your personal anti-AGEing program

More good news about olive leaf extract

Organic produce trumps conventional: Here's why!

Paleo pitfalls

Paleo Pitfalls

Pro-vegan website outs apostate meat-eaters

Repeat after me: "Hunger is my friend!"

Rethinking Super Size Me: Is it a Big Whopper?

Rethinking breakfast

Revisiting salt intake - are you eating too much or too little?

Sorry vegans, but humans were designed to eat (some) meat

Supplements that I take

The artificial sweetener controversy: who should you believe?

The Whole30: A review

The WORST health and nutrition stories of 2015

There's no "one-size-fits-all" diet, according to new research

To juice or not to juice?

Top 10 "duh!" health and nutrition stories of 2016

Vitamins can cause cancer-REALLY??

What do Bill Gates, eggs, and soylent green have in common?

What week is it, kiddies? Why, it's National Folic Acid Week!

Why I liberally indulge in high-test chocolate

Why you don't have to feel guilty about those Valentine's Day chocolates

Why you should keep taking your supplements

Will the "real" China study please stand up

Yet more reasons to go gluten-free