Finding Calm Amid Holiday Mental Health Challenges

June 4, 2025

Navigating Holiday Mental Health: Finding Moments of Calm in the Season of Celebration

The holiday season, with celebrations like Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day, brings both joy and challenges. While this time of year can be exciting, it often comes with pressure, expectations, and stress that can impact mental health. Not everyone celebrates the holidays or has somewhere to go, which can further complicate emotional well-being. Let’s explore strategies for finding moments of calm and rejuvenation during this busy season.

Holiday Mental Health: Understanding the Challenges

Research from 2023 shows that nine out of 10 U.S. adults report feeling stressed during the holiday season. Common stressors include separation from loved ones, family conflicts, and financial pressures. Those already managing mental health conditions may experience worsening symptoms due to isolation, conflict, trauma, or other holiday-related challenges.

Financial strain remains one of the most significant concerns, as people balance gift-giving, decorations, and special meals with everyday necessities. Additionally, many people are still processing grief from losses experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, making holidays particularly difficult. However, with proper strategies, you can find ways to protect your mental health during this season.

Can Holidays Worsen Mental Health Conditions?

If you’ve been diagnosed with a mental health condition or are beginning to experience symptoms, you might notice changes during the holidays. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 64% of people with pre-existing mental health conditions report that holidays exacerbate their symptoms.

It’s important to recognize that it may not be the holidays themselves that are challenging, but rather the circumstances they bring. High stress levels have been linked to depression and anxiety, while post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be triggered by situations more common during holidays, such as family tensions, increased substance use, or loud celebrations. With preparation and healthy coping techniques, you can create space for calm during this busy season.

Creating Moments of Calm

Finding time to breathe during busy holidays might seem impossible, but these strategies can help you carve out essential moments for yourself.

Set Realistic Limits on Commitments

During the holidays, requests for your time and energy often multiply. Friends, family, and work may all demand more from you. Be mindful of what you can realistically handle and avoid taking on too many responsibilities. If working additional hours is necessary for your holiday budget, try to preserve some days off within the month for rest and self-care.

Consider working part-time shifts instead of full-time when possible, or scheduling yourself during less hectic periods. Maintain your normal routine as much as possible, especially regarding sleep. Setting healthy boundaries with loved ones about what you can and cannot do is essential for preserving your well-being.

Deliberately Schedule Self-Care Time

Rather than hoping you’ll find time for yourself, actively schedule self-care on your calendar. Treat these appointments with the same importance as any other commitment. If someone requests your time during your scheduled self-care, remember that prioritizing your mental health isn’t selfish—it’s necessary.

When your emotional resources are depleted, you can’t effectively support others. Use your personal time for activities that genuinely rejuvenate you, whether that’s engaging in calming hobbies, self-care rituals, or relaxation techniques.

Connect with Nature

Consider taking a walk outdoors to refresh your mind. Even a 30-minute morning walk in a local park before work can make a difference. If weather permits and you have time, explore hiking, outdoor sports, or other nature-based activities. Natural environments and fresh air can help regulate your nervous system and provide perspective.

Take a Mindful Drive

Sometimes a simple drive can clear your mind. You don’t need a specific destination—just drive until you discover somewhere new, then return home. Use this time to listen to music, sing along to favorite songs, or simply enjoy the quiet. The change of scenery and temporary escape from holiday demands can provide valuable mental space.

Effective Mental Health Refreshers

These practices can help both prevent and address mental health challenges during the holiday season.

Practice Mindfulness and Deep Breathing

Deep breathing exercises are scientifically proven to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. By focusing on slow, deliberate breathing, you can help your body and mind slow down and ground yourself in the present moment. This practice is particularly helpful during moments of anxiety or when you cannot physically remove yourself from a stressful situation.

Mindfulness practices have been shown to reduce symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety in people of all ages. The practice involves focusing on the present moment without judgment and remaining open to change. Pay attention to sensory information without labeling or categorizing these experiences.

Engage in Reflection Activities

Reflection exercises help you understand yourself and your needs better. Consider journaling, creating video or audio diaries, scrapbooking, drawing, writing poetry, or reading about others’ similar experiences. These activities can help you identify the root causes of your holiday distress and develop strategies to address them.

Setting Healthy Holiday Boundaries

For many people, interactions with loved ones during holidays can be a significant source of stress, especially in families prone to conflict. Setting clear boundaries around your time, energy, finances, home, relationships, and possessions helps ensure you don’t deplete yourself trying to please others.

Protecting Your Holiday Mental Health

If extended family gatherings cause discomfort, communicate your limitations in advance. You might choose to host a gathering yourself with a defined end time to maintain more control over the experience. Consider establishing boundaries around:

Maximum gift-giving budgets (or whether you exchange gifts at all)
Your availability for holiday preparations
Whether you’ll attend events where alcohol is served
Your preference regarding children at events you host
Conversation topics you’re comfortable discussing
Which family members you’re comfortable spending time with
Your participation in religious ceremonies or traditions
How long you can stay at an event
What assistance you can provide in emergencies

Creating a Holiday Budget to Minimize Financial Stress

Since financial concerns are a common source of holiday stress, establishing a budget beforehand can significantly reduce anxiety. If you tend to overspend, consider keeping holiday funds separate from your regular accounts. The envelope method—allocating specific amounts to different holiday expenses—can be effective. Avoid using credit cards if they tempt you to exceed your budget.

For additional support, consider consulting a financial advisor or using budgeting apps that can identify potential areas to reduce spending.

Professional Mental Health Support

Having support strategies ready before the holidays is valuable preparation. If you’re experiencing mental health challenges but aren’t in crisis, consider reaching out to a trusted friend or family member, joining a support group, or consulting a licensed therapist.

Telehealth services through ReachLink can be particularly convenient during the busy holiday season.