At Perry Wellness Center, we work with many individuals who experience high degrees of anxiety and/or depression. But most people are subject to periods of stress, particularly during the holidays. One survey found that almost 88% of adults found the period between November and the New Year to be the most stressful time of the year. Another survey found that more than a third of adults listed stress as the #1 reason they experienced a drop in mental wellness during the holidays.

To provide our readers with some helpful tips, beginning with Thanksgiving, we checked in with some online experts. Today we are sharing some information from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The article “From Thanksgiving to New Year’s: Protecting Your Mental Health During the Holidays”  offers eight tips for combatting holiday stress and depression. In summary, they include:

Spend some time outside during daylight hours.

If you are feeling lonely, take a risk and reach out to others.

Improve your sleep habits.

Take regular breaks.

Remove an item from your crowded “to do” list.

Find your balance between being alone and being with others.

Find the choices you can make within the obligations you have.

Prioritize activities that are beneficial to your mental health.

We encourage readers to check out the entire article at the above link for more detailed information that we think can be helpful to anyone.

Please look for additional tips and information over this holiday season.