15 Tips to look after your mental health this holiday season

If a lot of the Christmas work falls to you, don’t wait for the rush to start and do some preparation and organisation, including getting others to help you by delegating some tasks!

Catch up with rest and relaxation and use breathing to restore balance.

It’s easy to be self-critical when there is a lot to do and a lot to go wrong, so remind yourself of your good heart and good intentions and dismiss those self-critical thoughts in favour of some loving kindness towards yourself!

Get involved and make a contribution around the Christmas period. Donate food or blankets to homeless charities, and volunteer time to those in need.

Use your senses to the max: scent and light are part of the Christmas vibe, so light candles with favourite aromas to evoke different moods, whether you want to be energised, sensual, or calm.

Eat well but keep an eye on balance and moderation. Save the indulgence for Christmas Day and Boxing day, and try not to buy too much, using the incentive of saving some money by doing it this way.

Christmas is a time for seeing family and perhaps caring for those who can’t arrange things for themselves, like young children or older parents or relatives. Remind yourself of how kind and caring you are if you are doing a lot of the arranging, funding, or hosting, and make sure you treat yourself after it’s over.

If you can, set aside a moment to be grateful for this break in the winter to gather with loved ones and share.  

Have a drink and be merry if you want to, but, keep an eye on alcohol consumption levels and if you’re prone to low moods or anxiety try not to exceed recommended guidelines. 

Think carefully about how you communicate what you would like to do, or not do, over the period, so that you have the support of your nearest and dearest. If you complain too much then it sets you up for an argument, but if you express calmly how you are feeling first about the situation, following up with what you need, you are more likely to get a supportive response.  

Keep physically active to burn off excess calories and get the endorphins flowing.

If you don’t have family and friends close by, make sure you reach out and connect with others in some way to manage feelings of loneliness. If this is hard then there are organisations to contact: Reengage UK; Campaign to End Loneliness.

If Christmas is a tough time for you, find someone to share this with so that you can talk it through; the support of a listening friend can really help. 

Be aware of unhelpful thoughts about Christmas derailing you and causing more stress. These thoughts will affect how you feel, causing frustration and even anger. This in turn influences how you behave, affecting those around you. So, speak to those close to you before Christmas, express yourself carefully and thoughtfully and see what can be changed to make it something you want to be engaged with.  

The best gift you can give yourself for the duration is to let go of any self-judgement, grudges, or bad feelings, accepting you can’t control everything but that you do the best you can.