How to Deal with Christmas Stress
by Cannaray Wellness Editor, Zara Kenyon
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Zara Kenyon
How to Deal with Christmas Stress: 10 Tips for the Festive Season
‘Tis the season to get stressed out? Some years, it can feel that way, with idyllic visions of a peaceful holiday season making way for Christmas stress – AKA festive fatigue. With seemingly endless planning, gift buying, wrapping and cooking involved, the most wonderful time of the year can also be one of the most exhausting.
So, we're sharing 10 tips to help you keep the Christmas stress at bay this festive period. The overriding message? Find moments of peace where possible. You deserve a joyful
1. Schedule in Self-Care
Self-care can sometimes sound like a social media buzzword, but the soothing impact of taking time for yourself can not be understated. It doesn't have to mean investing in pricey meditation subscriptions or trips to a spa. A lot of the time, it can be as simple as remembering to take your CBD oils or wellness gummies and scheduling in downtime. Showing yourself these small acts of kindness can have a big impact on your mood, so make sure there's time in your festive break for a real break. Need some inspiration? Team Cannaray will be winding down with the Bath Melt CBD Bath Bomb this year; a milky, melting miracle that soothes achy muscles with a blend of Epsom salts. Drop it in the tub, and notes of Santal, Amber and Musk will calm a busy mind, while Chamomile and Coconut Milk will leave skin velvety soft. There's no better way to banish Christmas stress.
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2. Ask Others for Help
There’s always one person who shoulders much of the Christmas planning and stress. Perhaps it’s you who takes on the role of head present buyer, go-to wrapper, food shopper, cook and peacekeeper. Quickly, these tasks become tradition, and you find yourself working solo every year. This year? Ask for help from your friends and family. You may even find they enjoy getting more involved.
3. Keep the Laptop Closed
If you work from home or split the weekdays between your place and the office, there’s no denying that relaxing after WFH can be a challenge. Having your dining table double up as a desk makes it tricky to set clear boundaries, but Christmas is the time to hit ‘reset’ on your over-working habit. Tuck the laptop out of sight, turn off email notifications on your phone, and remind yourself how good it feels to be present in the moment. Even if it’s just for Christmas and Boxing Day, the break may prevent you from suffering burnout – a feeling of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that’s often caused by work.
4. Maintain Feel-Good Routines
We’re creatures of habit, and many of us thrive on having a good routine in place. That’s why, when Christmas leads to late nights and long lie-ins, we can start to feel a little deflated. Often, we think of routine as being in a rut or too set in our ways. However, it’s these daily patterns that help to improve sleep and reduce feelings of anxiety. That doesn’t mean you have to bid your loved ones goodnight at 10pm on Christmas Day, but if you have certain habits that calm you – like a dropper of the Night-Time CBD Oil Drops before bed or a morning run – try to make them part of the holidays.
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5. Set Manageable Goals
It’s good to have goals; when you tick them off, you feel an unrivalled sense of achievement. However, when you set too many, you can end up with feelings of guilt if they prove unmanageable. We’re all prone to optimism bias, where we become unrealistic about what’s feasible to achieve in a given time frame – and Christmas is a time to be mindful of overstretching yourself. Instead of writing yourself a long checklist of tasks to ‘make the most of the time off’, trim it down to the essentials. Any extra achievements will feel like a bonus, not a burden.
6. Enjoy some fresh air
When the post-lunch fatigue hits, a Christmas Day walk can work wonders at perking you back up. Even if you go it alone, wrap up warm and take yourself out in the fresh air for at least 30 minutes. Whether you're hosting at your place or visiting family, things can get overwhelming when you're all cooped up together, so taking a quick mental break from the festivities may be just what you all need. It also breaks up the day – because endless board games/movies/charades can start to get tiring. And, better still, if you go at an even pace, you'll get your heart rate up and all that feel-good serotonin flowing.
7. Forget about making things ‘perfect’
There's so much pressure to have the perfect Christmas – and Instagram doesn't help. A quick scroll through posts of happy families, lavish gifts and twinkling lights can set unrealistic expectations of what the festive period should look and feel like. But, remember: social media is a highlight reel, and nobody's Christmas really looks like that. So don't let social media have a negative impact on your day; everyone's Christmas is different in its own unique way. The sooner you let go of ideas of perfection, the more you'll be able to appreciate what you've got. If that means taking a digital detox this Christmas, put your phone down and be present in the moment.
8. Create a cosy atmosphere
In the midst of all the festive buzz, create a calming and cosy setting. One quick and easy way to do this is with the Power Down CBD Candle. Scientifically formulated to make you feel more relaxed, it fills the room with the scent of Santal, Amber and Musk. Creamy, woody and comforting; it's a must-burn after Christmas lunch. Claudia Winkleman, who co-created the candle, says it's "so amazing that I automatically want to speak slower when I talk about it... At the end of a busy day, when you’ve done anything anxiety-inducing, this is the answer."
9. Say 'no' to too many plans
It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of Christmas, and start saying 'yes' to every invite that comes your way. Before you know it, you're double/triple/quadruple booked, and you're scared of letting people down. However, it's your festive break, and while some commitments feel unmissable, you shouldn't be afraid to start saying 'no' if you're close to overstretching yourself. So, if the very thought of your festive calendar sends you into a mild panic, write all of your plans down, prioritise, and start moving things around. Trust us: you'll feel so much better for setting boundaries.
10. Know you're not alone if you find christmas a difficult time
Christmas isn't always a time of joy. If you've had a difficult year or you're struggling right now, the festive season can magnify feelings of loneliness and sadness. It's tempting to hide away when it feels like you're the only person not full of holiday cheer, but this will only make you feel worse. Instead, aim for a balance of alone time (for headspace) and time with others. If you can, let someone (or everyone) you're spending Christmas with know how you're feeling too, and don't put extra pressure on yourself to fake a smile. Just take each moment as it comes, and keep your day simple with time for self-care.
Up next: Looking for tips to make next year your best one yet? Discover our round-up of New Year’s resolution ideas to get you started.
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