Christmas – without the stress factor
With turkey, sprouts, Christmas pudding and all the trimmings, we all tend to literally have a lot on our plate during the festive celebrations.
But the culmination of high expectations, financial worries and potential family tensions can mean we end up with even more on our plates – with the holiday season dishing up a serving of stress, too.
December’s To Do list can appear overwhelming with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, this year’s must-have gifts and a turkey worthy of Nigella just some of the pressures many of us place upon ourselves.
But it’s this mindset that can often lead to stress and depression during the festive season, as people’s high expectations of their own Christmas celebrations see them swap feeling festive for feeling fraught.
“Stress and depression are both common during the Christmas period as people try to match their own and others’ expectations of what Christmas should be,” said Dr Karen O’Connor, mental health clinical lead at the Central Sheffield GP Consortium.
So, what can you do to make sure your Christmas is stress-free this year?
Firstly, recognise the symptoms.
“It’s important you recognise when your body is feeling stressed,” said Dr O’Connor. “Stress affects people in different ways but some of the most widely recognised symptoms include difficulty concentrating, headaches and a change in appetite. It’s important to recognise the signs and to address the issues causing them.”
“If you can’t afford to buy lots of expensive gifts or put on a huge spread of food, then don’t!” adds Su Campbell, counsellor at Heeley Green surgery. “Take the time now to discuss the issue with your friends and family - you never know, they could well be in the same situation.
But money worries aren’t the only factor involved when it comes to feeling stressed at Christmas. While the holidays are acknowledged as a chance to be with loved ones and spread ‘comfort and joy’, spending time with relatives can send some people’s stress levels soaring and in turn, raise tensions within the home.
“No matter how stressed you are feeling, the best thing to do is to take a step back and breathe,” said Su. “Think to yourself, is it really worth causing a scene today? Sometimes it’s best to gloss over any issues you and a relative have, for everybody else’s sake.”
Alcohol can also be responsible for taking the fizz out of Christmas.
“A lot of people don’t realise that alcohol is actually a depressant drug,” added Su. “So if you’re already feeling stressed after shopping, cooking or playing peacemaker, you’re only going to make yourself feel worse by reaching for a drink.”
And alcohol isn’t the only danger. If it’s true that ‘you are what you eat’, Christmas often means consuming foods high in salt, sugar and caffeine, all of which contribute to stress levels and anxiety.
Too many chocolates and carbonated soft drinks may lead to a sugar high – but the ‘rush’ doesn’t last long and usually results in a low, leaving you feeling drained afterwards and worse than if you had paced yourself.
If it all gets too much, help is at hand.
Dr O’Connor said: “Speak to your GP about how you’re feeling. They will be able to offer practical advice, and can refer you to a counsellor or mental health worker. In addition, there are many community-based help groups around Sheffield designed to give support to people suffering from stress.”
For more tips and useful links to help you deal with stress, visit www.sheffieldhealth.co.uk
The Central Sheffield GP Consortium’s top tips for surviving Christmas
• Sign of the times: Learn to recognise your stress triggers and tackle the symptoms promptly.
• Don’t compare and contrast: Everybody celebrates Christmas differently – there is no ‘right way’. Ignore any peer pressure – perceived or actual – and set standards that are achievable and you are comfortable with.
• Watch the pennies: Work out, and stick to, a budget and don’t overspend.
• The big chill (out): If you feel your stress levels rising, try to calm down with deep breaths to calm your nerves. Exercise such as going for a walk can help to clear your head.