Take care of yourself this holiday season

It’s been said that suicide is more common during the Christmas season. That’s not actually true (it’s really the springtime), but the holidays can add extra stress — especially for those who already suffer from depression.
Oftentimes there are high expectations for gift giving, spending time with family, and even being happy.
With a bit of foresight and planning, however, the holidays can leave you feeling up, not down. Follow these tips for a successful holiday.
Take care of yourself
It’s okay to be a little selfish once in awhile. Simple things like reading a book, taking a nap or walking around the block can do wonders for your mental health. If you can make taking time for yourself a priority, the shopping, baking and visiting will be less stressful.
Come up with an escape plan
Even though you take steps to relax and unwind throughout the season, some stresses just can’t be avoided. Believe it or not, not every family has a picture perfect Christmas.
If you know there are going to be conflicts, be sure to prepare a statement such as “I respect your view, but let’s talk about this another time.”
Then you can go hang out with the kids, play with the dog, or help in the kitchen. And finding a friend who can lend a sympathetic ear doesn’t hurt either.
Create new traditions
Sometimes trying to live up to Christmases past can be overwhelming. So your mother or grandmother always set the perfect table and the gifts were impeccably wrapped. Or perhaps, a death or divorce is causing your grief during the holidays as your remember how things used to be. Instead, try making a list of things that make you and your family happy and start new traditions. Studies show that helping those less fortunate can make those giving just as happy as those receiving the gifts. Talking about your feelings along the way can bring you closer to the ones you love and also help in the healing process.
Get some sleep
There is a link between sleep loss and depression, so be careful about cutting back on sleep as your holiday activities increase. Getting to bed and waking up at the same time every day will help keep you on schedule. Avoiding large meals and exercise within three hours of bedtime will also help you stay rested.
Get some exercise
One of the first activities that people give up during the holidays is exercise. However, keeping it high on your to-do list should be a priority.
“The more stress we are under, the less time we feel like we have, and the more irritated our mood, the more we need to continue exercising. Get out and do something; it helps use those calories from rich, fatty, sugary holiday foods,” says Jeffrey Greeson, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University School of Medicine, in Durham, N.C.
Exercising for 30-60 minutes three to five days a week, is all you need to improve your mood — and keep you in shape.
Lighten the financial load
It’s easy to get caught up in the push to buy the perfect gift for every family member, friend and neighbor. The stores seem to pull us in and entice us to spend more to save more. This may be the time to start a new tradition of drawing names or organizing a gift exchange with friends or family — and even setting a limit to the amount we spend on each other. Baking gifts and having a potluck meal followed by a walk through the neighborhood or a fun game, can help to relieve the stress of the holidays.
If you feel like you just can’t get through one more holiday gathering, it’s OK to sit them out.
“One of the things about holiday stress we forget is that Thanksgiving and Christmas are both 24 hours and that’s it,” says Pauline Wallin, PhD, an author and clinical psychologist in Camp Hill, Penn.
Wallin recommends figuring out what you need to get through those 24 hours, such as volunteering, going on vacation, or visiting a shelter or someone who is alone. Focusing on others can help alleviate depression.