Healthy Living

with Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

De-Stress Your Holiday

Do you feel overwhelmed by the holiday season? If so, you're not alone. If your visions of the winter holidays lean more toward frantic shopping, 2 a.m. cookie baking and slugging through office parties rather than conjuring up relaxing times with family and friends - read on. It's time to simplify your holiday, restore the fun and reduce the pressure. Holiday stress doesn't help your physical or mental well-being. Is this the kind of sacrifice you must make to enjoy the holidays? To me, the answer is a resounding no. I'd like to share my "Big 5" strategies so that you can adjust your "holiday barometer" in order to keep your stress level down and your pleasure up.

1. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: This is a time to throw perfectionism out the window. Whether it's selecting a gift, baking the ultimate cake or planning a party, stick to the basics and keep in mind the truth in the simplicity of this statement: "It's the thought that counts." Avoid the agony of striving to be perfect at any cost (and with no thought to time!). A good effort is what counts the most, and you'll save hours of worrying about minutiae that only you will notice.
2. Ask for Help: Family members and friends do want to help. Allowing others to help and asking for assistance lets you be more efficient. Don't look at this request as burdening others; turn it into a bonding experience with family and friends. Even for those activities you've done for years (12 varieties of cookies, anyone?), when the enjoyment factor clicks down because of lack of time and/or energy, it's time to make a change.
3. Keep a Schedule - and Stick to It: This is a tough, but necessary, action to avoid major holiday burnout. There are only 24 hours in a day. Make a list of "Must Do," "Would Like to Do" and "Feel Obligated to Do" (and don't feel guilty about that last category!). Such a list helps prioritize activities and allows you the flexibility to pick and choose from among them while maintaining better control of your time.
4. Socialize Intelligently: While most of us enjoy the abundance of both large parties and small, informal gatherings, these can often become too much of a good thing. Pre-plan your activities, and discuss the proposed game plan with your friends and family. Plus, it's OK to decline an invitation when the timing doesn't work: Just like you, the party-giver knows this is a busy time for everyone.
5. Get Enough Sleep: While this sounds impossible, it's quite manageable if you plan for it. Aim for eight hours, but don't sleep less than seven. If you're sleeping six hours or less each night, take a power nap. While it's not the same as solid sleep, it's a definite boost.

Happy Holidays to all!

If you have a health question for Dr. Fernstrom, e-mail her at fernstrom@wqed.org.

Dr. Madelyn H. Fernstrom, Ph.D., C.N.S., is the founder and director of UPMC's Weight Management Center. She is the diet and nutrition editor for NBC's "Today Show" and is the author of The Runner's Diet. Also visit "Health Journal with Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom," a health and wellness blog at iVillage.com.