Keep the Happy in the Holidays: 10 Tips to Avoid Holiday Depression

Use these 10 tips from Miraval Resort & Spa to avoid holiday depression

Be Careful of Expectations

Expectations about how things “should be” are dangerous, particularly at holiday time when activities and events feel even more significant. Remember to focus on the things that you can actually impact and let go of the expectations about things you can’t control.

Exercise

In the busyness of holiday schedules, it is tempting to move your usual exercise routine to last place on the “to-do” list. However, this is the time when it is most important to make sure you are exercising regularly. Exercise will keep your energy level up, release tension, and support a positive mood. Exercise is the number one way to keep melancholy at bay.

Don’t Fight the Sadness

Holidays are often a time when sadness and grief are deeply felt. This is normal and you need to be gentle with yourself about this. Fighting the feelings or judging yourself for having these feelings just gives them more strength. Acknowledge what you feel and let those sad feelings co-exist with the happy ones. Writing is a great way to acknowledge what you are feeling and move the energy in a positive way.

Start New Traditions or Transform Old Ones that are no Longer Meaningful

Often we cling to old traditions as a way of attempting to stay connected to “the way it was” or “the way it should be”. However, if old traditions are no longer meaningful or just don’t fit current circumstances they can become a source of stress and conflict. Transform those old traditions to honor what is meaningful while creating something that fits for what is important for you now

Limit Your Sugar Intake

Sugar is often abundant during the holidays and tempts us to splurge. However, sugar intake creates a false high that is followed by an energy and mood crash. Limiting your sugar intake will help you keep your mood and your energy more even instead of experiencing intense highs and lows.

Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Even though alcohol can have the effect of loosening us up, it is actually a depressant. Alcohol consumption has a rebound effect on mood that is similar to sugar and can increase your melancholy and feelings of negativity.

Get Enough Sleep

Like exercise and limiting sugar and alcohol, getting enough sleep is a basic self-care habit that is absolutely critical to ward off feelings of depression. It is also an easy thing to cut back on when holiday busyness is in full gear. Make sure you create time and space for nourishing sleep.

Don’t Give Weight to Trivialities

In other words, “don’t sweat the small stuff” and in truth, most of it is small stuff! Focus your attention and energy on what is most meaningful and congruent with the holiday experience you want to create for yourself and others. Putting pressure on yourself to have all the details and minutiae perfect is a quick way to plunge yourself into frustration, anxiety, and a negative mood.

Stay Connected

Be careful not to isolate yourself or withdraw from life – people, activities, animals, nature, God, spirit. Holidays can create a feeling of overwhelm that lead you to disconnect from what supports you the most. That disconnection and withdrawal creates the opportunity for sadness, regret, and disappointment to take over. Staying connected with vibrant aspects of life provides the foundation to keep feelings of depression from defining your experience.

Be Present and Enjoy

Allow yourself to be fully present and engaged with holiday happenings. Focus on what is and how to fully enjoy what you have instead of focusing on “what isn’t” or “what you wish could/be”. If you are truly present, you give yourself the opportunity to discover, play, connect, and enjoy!