Holiday Tips
Seasonal Advice from UMMC Experts
Mental Health
For many people, the holiday season is a joyous time of year that reinforces a sense of self,
family, culture and community. However, there are many people for whom the holiday season can
quickly become overwhelming and stressful. The tips on this page offer suggestions to help
cope with and manage this additional stress and anxiety.
Maintain Your Health and Wellness
Tips Provided by Jennifer Funk Cox, M.S.W.
- During the winter months,there is significantly less daylight, which may impact
mood altering chemicals in the brain. When you can, get outside, take a walk,
play fetch with the dog! The natural light will brighten your mood and give you
the necessary vitamins to help you feel well through winter.
- Try to keep to your normal routines as much as possible as these are critical to maintaining
both physical and emotional health. It is easy to forget about those exercise classes or
going to the gym when you are busy celebrating, but exercise is a great way to relieve
stress and help keep off those extra pounds you would otherwise gain from holiday
eating.
- Accept and appreciate yourself and others. With multiple cultures and religions celebrating a
variety of holidays during the winter season, it is a great time to learn about others. Reach
out to a friend or co-worker to learn about the multitude of holiday celebrations.
See Complete List of Tips from Jennifer Funk Cox
Know How to De-Stress
Tips Provided by Maria Haine, M.D.
and Connie Noll, M.A., RN-C
- The most important strategy to manage stress is self care. There are many components, and you
should congratulate yourself every day for every healthy choice you make.
- Keeping a great sense of humor, letting go of the past and doing something for someone else
can help form a coping strategy to help you get through the holidays if they are particularly
stressful or troublesome this year.
- Reach out to others when necessary. It is okay to ask for help, and it is okay to delegate.
Tolerance and forgiveness can go a very long way.
See Complete List of Tips from Dr. Haine and Connie Noll
Find Meaning in the Holidays
Tips Provided by Richard
Colgan, M.D.
- Find strength from having a passion for a cause or your work, recognizing the importance
a loved one has in your life, or understanding that even when suffering, you may live to
enjoy a brighter day by merely being alive.
- Recognize the meaning of life, which can be found in looking not inside, but outside of
ourselves.
- Be grateful for what you have, the relationships you enjoy, and understand that even when you
suffer through bad situations, you may live another day to enjoy a more meaningful life.
See Complete List of Tips from Dr. Colgan
This page was last updated on: July 14, 2010.
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