5 Tips for Mental Health Patients to Enjoy Holiday Season
There is little doubt that we all wait for the holiday season throughout the year; however, it won't be wrong to say that a lot of people experience intense stress, anxiety and depression due to the kind of pressure that comes with it. And people who struggle with a mental problem like anxiety find it hard to enjoy a normal life. According to Charter Harley Street in London, feelings of anxiety can have a tremendous impact on your ability to enjoy anything in life. It not only affects your sleep and appetite but also makes you feel panicked. Whether you talk about holiday decorations, buying the perfect gifts for your loved ones, relatives, and friends; cooking delicious meals or arranging family get-togethers, each of these things needs a lot of planning and efforts. And, if you fail to do them effectively, it leads to stress. On top of that, if you are someone who is already struggling with a mental condition like anxiety disorder or depression, facing holiday pressure can worsen your mental health. Apart from people struggling with anxiety disorder and depression, the holiday season can also affect the lives of alcohol addicts, who are trying to live a sober life. Yes, if you are someone who is taking treatment for alcohol addiction, and trying to avoid alcohol for some time now, the holiday season increases the risk of relapse because you find alcohol everywhere.
So, whether you are struggling with an anxiety disorder or alcohol addiction, here is how you can reduce your stress level during the holiday season.
Set a Realistic Budget Your inability to arrange the money for all those things that you want to do during the festive season can increase your stress and anxiety level. Whether you talk about ordering decorative items like holiday ornaments, grocery shopping, or buying gifts for family and friends, it's wise to create a realistic budget for all these activities. Setting a realistic budget helps you choose the right items to meet your needs.
Start Your Decorations in Advance If you wait for the last minute to put up your holiday decorations, you will end up struggling with a lot of stress and anxiety. When you fail to devote that much-needed time to your decorations, you fail to adorn your home effectively. Since you always look for perfection in everything that you do, your failure to decorate your home in the right way leads to a lot of stress. Therefore, rather than relying on last minute, it's better to start your decorations well-in-advance to reduce your stress level.
Make a Guest Checklist The festive season is all about throwing impressive dinner parties for your near and dear ones. However, when you forget to invite someone who is extremely close to your heart, it leaves you frustrated for weeks. Therefore, if you are planning to throw an enjoyable dinner party, make sure that you create a guest checklist in the first place. You should create a guest checklist at least a month in advance so that you can get sufficient time to prepare for the party. Apart from that, when you create it in advance, you can add the names of your guests as and when you remember them.
Send Invitations to Your Guests In Advance Once you create the checklist, send the invitations to your guests immediately. Since everyone stays busy during the holiday season, if you inform your friends and relatives about the party in advance, they can make their plans accordingly. Apart from that, if someone on your guest list is unable to make it to the event, they will inform you about the same on time. And when you have a clear idea of how many people are coming, you can plan the party accordingly.
Decide Menu Before you go grocery shopping, it's imperative to decide the menu so that you can buy all the ingredients that you need. You can also create a menu checklist, and include all the items in it that you want to prepare. Carry your menu checklist with you when you go grocery shopping to simplify the shopping process. Apart from that, you have to make some lifestyle changes to improve your mental health during the holiday season.
Exercise Regularly One of the best ways to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression during the festive season is to introduce an effective workout routine in your life. You should stick to this routine even after the festive season is over to bring a world of difference in both your mental and physical health. If an exercise routine was never a part of your life before, then you can begin with low-intensity moves. Initially, you can go for short walks or runs, and after a week or so, you can increase your walking or running time. Walking and running are not only beneficial for your mental health, but they also reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and obesity. Apart from that they, are also good for your muscle and bone health.
Consume Nutritious Foods When it comes to reducing your stress and anxiety levels, you should increase the intake of milk, yoghurt, fatty fish, nuts, banana, and avocado, etc. Besides, tea and green leafy vegetables like Swiss Chard are also beneficial for reducing stress. If you talk specifically about Swiss Chard, it helps balance cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Apart from regular exercise and consuming nutritious foods, you should try to spend your time carrying out creative activities like painting, dancing, and signing, etc., to stay occupied. Source: https://blog.sivanaspirit.com/5-tips-for-mental-health-patients-to-enjoy-the-holidayseason/