Cut your stress level to ensure it actually is ‘the most wonderful time of the year’

This paid piece is sponsored by Sanford Health.

Concerts, parties, family get-togethers, traveling, baking and shopping! No wonder the holidays are stressful. Even positive stress can become overwhelming.

Tips to buffer your holiday stress

Holidays typically bring additional things to do, places to be and expectations that disrupt one’s usual routines. The holiday season can be exciting and memorable but also stressful, especially for children who thrive on routine and consistency. Consider these tips to help keep your holiday season less stressful:

• Stick with routines: Regular eating and sleeping times provide children with structure and predictability that give children a sense of security and calmness.
• Eat nutritious foods: To maintain appropriate levels of energy, make sure to keep healthy foods on the daily menu.
• Drink plenty of water: Don’t forget to keep hydrated. Staying hydrated helps keep levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, low.
• Find ways to move: Physical activity helps decrease the levels of adrenaline and cortisol, the stress hormones. Moving also increases the production of endorphins that help elevate one’s mood. So get outside and take a walk or build a snowman together.
• Prepare for transitions: The busyness of holidays can be very stressful for children who have a low adapt temperament. Giving children a heads-up of what is coming next and allowing them time to adjust can minimize their stress. Here’s an example: “John, in 10 minutes we’re going to be leaving for Grandma’s. You will need to stop playing so we can go.”
• Manage expectations: Holidays are supposed to be exciting and fun! Yet they may bring boredom at family events, disappointment in gifts not received and being overwhelmed because of too much stimulation. When children experience such feelings, provide empathy and understanding along with your expectations of their behavior.
• Plan downtime together: Don’t forget to schedule some downtime. If you don’t schedule it, it probably won’t happen. Make time for 10 to 15 minutes a day to enjoy relaxing music, reading stories, etc. Taking time to relax is important to keep stress under control.
• Deep breathe together: Help your child learn the simple stress management technique of taking deep breaths; it will help you too. When stressful feelings start to erupt, take some deep breaths together — inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Deep breathing sends a message to the brain to calm down and relax; in turn, the brain sends a message to the body to relax.

Keep things in perspective, and enjoy the moments you share together that will become great memories.

Learn more

• Managing stress during the holidays
• Healthy holiday habits: Eat what you love
• Why does my child react that way?