How To Help Someone Reduce Stress During the Holidays
The holidays may be over, but before we know it they'll be right around the corner again! Millions of people feel stress around the holidays. Cooking bountiful feasts, decorating the house, and preparing for heated discussions with family members are common reasons why people feel overwhelmed during the holidays.
If you notice that a friend or loved one is feeling anxious, here are some ways how to help someone reduce their stress during the holidays.
Talk to Them
When someone undergoes a lot of pent-up stress or anxiety, they may need to vent their frustrations to someone they trust. Venting is a healthy way of letting internal pressure loose, and the venter may even reward them with helpful advice. Therefore, one of the best ways to help a friend or loved one is to listen.
Active listening involves sitting down, looking them in the eyes and truly hearing and comprehending what they have to say. They may talk about family drama, work stress, or other related issues, and it’s your job to simply be there. If the time is right to give advice, do so, but active listening involves working together to form a solution rather than saying something general.
Help Them Out
It also doesn’t hurt to help them around the house. Perhaps they’re hosting a family dinner for the holidays and have family members traveling in from out of town. Maybe they just want to decorate their home for the holiday season. Either way, another way to help your friend or loved one de-stress is to help them with physical chores.
An extra set of hands is a great way to take some of the burden off their plate. They’ll feel appreciative of your help and you’ll feel better for doing so. Helping a good friend or loved one with an act of kindness will ensure everyone’s calm and happy.
Buy Them a Gift
Another way to help someone reduce stress during the holidays is to buy them a gift. If your friend is stressed because of work, there are many gift ideas to give a workaholic to help them relax. Whether that’s a scented candle, essential oils, or a skin-care kit, there are many tools that provide a calming atmosphere.
You can gift them a massage gun or neck massager for physical relief. These tools alleviate pain or discomfort from aching muscles, so if your friend is in physical pain, these recovery tools make a great gift. Your friend or loved one will appreciate your generosity and you’ll feel good about giving them something that relieves some of their stress.
Do Something Active
Lastly, doing something active is a great stress reliever. Cold temperatures, snow, and ice make going outside less appealing, but bundle up and still get out! Time outside is great for promoting wellness. However, going to a gym or staying inside and exercising are great ways to release serotonin and dopamine as well. These two feel-good hormones help alleviate stress and anxiety.
If you’re both uninterested in physical relief, pick up a craft. Knitting, crocheting, and painting are some wonderful arts and crafts you both can do to relax. You’ll even leave with a new piece of art afterward.
The holidays should bring joy and cheer into our lives, not stress and anxiety. If your loved one has been feeling overwhelmed during the season of celebration, we hope implementing these tips will help them relax and enjoy the festivities.
Click here for more ideas on how to restore calm and balance.
